[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread] 

List:       wikipedia-l
Subject:    Re: [Wikipedia-l] Dream a little...
From:       Ray Saintonge <saintonge () telus ! net>
Date:       2006-10-20 9:06:53
Message-ID: 453891AD.5010100 () telus ! net
[Download RAW message or body]

Andrew Gray wrote:

>A specific example: In the UK, the various county record offices have
>a large number of deposits - papers that are held, catalogued, curated
>and made available by them, but with the ownership kept private, and
>handled as a long-term indefinite loan, anything from photograph
>archives to manorial tax records. Every now and again, someone
>withdraws one of these to sell it - you can get a goodish amount from
>an American university, usually - and they're faced with the dilemma
>of letting it go or trying to match the price offered.
>
>By squeezing the pips you can usually get enough together to keep it.
>Unfortunately, the first problem is that other depositors then say
>"Cor, they got two million for that stuff? I'm taking mine to the
>States too!", cue exodus of everything else - and potential depositors
>start asking tricky questions like "Why should I leave this stuff with
>you when I could just sell it to someone outright?"
>
I don't think we want to get into bidding wars for this kind of 
material, and I don't think it will be necessary.  The LDS Church has 
certainly be effective in microfilming large amounts of local records 
for genealogical purposes.  My feeling is that many of these archives 
are overwhelmed by the huge quantities involved, and can have major 
headaches simply storing it all.  Many have difficulties doing even a 
rough index of what they have.  They would probably welcome the help if 
they are confident that the archive will be kept safe and if restrictive 
covenants connected with some items are respected.

Ec


_______________________________________________
Wikipedia-l mailing list
Wikipedia-l@Wikimedia.org
http://mail.wikipedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikipedia-l
[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread]