[Genealib] Donated Genealogy Research

[James Jeffrey]

Debra and others

Well, there is a rub, isn't there.  We want people to enjoy research and we continually address the issue of publishing their findings.  

The issue of being faced with three file cabinets of organized, or not so organized research is daunting.  We NO LONGER accept photocopy collections.  

As you stated, it is not an issue of pedigree charts and family group sheets with supporting "documents, i.e. photocopies of pages from books, journals, and even civil registration.  It is not the issue of an organized set of photocopies by surname and region where everything has been brought together for a future researcher to find.

It is the issue of space. 

One of my favorite researchers called not long ago and asked what she was to do with her papers.  In interviewing her we went over many angles to her "papers" issue.  I reminded her she had published at least two books on her family.  She said yes.  I asked if there was anything at all left out of the books that future might benefit researchers.  Had she documented and sourced her findings.  She noted that not every photograph was used.  

I asked her if it would be possible to pull out all of her original material, such as letters, documents, photographs, etc.  She said that would be easy.  

The next step was easy.  I asked if her husband and children had offered any opinions on the disposition of her papers.  She said that they had advised her to throw it all away.

She has pulled out her originals and done just that.  She lifted a burden from her and her family.  They made it a family project and recycled the photocopies.  This was a tremendous burden lifted from an aging persons shoulders who is facing downsizing their household.

On another note I have been called into estates.  The saddest for me was picking through the papers of a former officer of the local genealogical society.  Her brief case was sitting there waiting her next trip to the library, my library.

The basement office had piles and files and stuff.  It was not a matter of cherry picking a collection but of scooping it all up into record storage boxes and sifting through it later.  The mercy in it all was that the family agreed that we could dispose of materials as we saw fit.  Yes, the photocopies were considered and where appropriate were recycled.  Her families were organized into notebooks or file folders.

Another option is to counsel the potential donor about finding the right "home" for their collection.

So, how do I "feel" about our policy of not accepting photocopies.  Well, if you have seen my desk I am an open packrat.

What about my personal collection.  Well, three years ago I had a heart attack.  The questions from my wife and two sons during my recovery was what about your papers.  If something horrible happens what do we do with your stuff.  

There is now a moratorium on anymore "dead people" through the front door until I have processed my findings.  I have been weeding my papers.  Aggressive weeding of duplicate photocopies, computer printouts and the like.  Primary source materials are housed in two record storage boxes. Photographs are sleeved and in proper acid free containers. Am still going through files after three years and still pitching like mad.  

So, what will happen to my collection.  Well photos and original material will find a proper home at my undergraduate college special collection [geographically where I grew up and my roots run deep within the county]. My files, well if I live a long time and have them properly ordered they may be sent along, if I drop tomorrow then they get recycled!  My family will not be burdened with my obsession.  It is the joy of the chase and then publishing for posterity in the end that matters. 

So, my next step in my journey is to get things published.  If I fail, then the rubbish heap [recycle!] benefits. I will not burden a library with sorting through my stuff. 

Sorry this is so long, but G*d that feels better getting that off my chest.



James K. Jeffrey
Collection Specialist in Genealogy
Western History and Genealogy
Denver Public Library

>>> "Debra Osborne Spindle" <dspindle at okhistory.org> 7/1/2009 10:23 AM >>>
Please tell me what your agency does when someone wants to donate Aunt
Fannie's 35 years of research files. (Much of what is in that file is
photocopies of materials we hold in the library.)  We're not talking about
books or pedigree charts or family group sheets, but copies of census
records and handwritten notes and photocopies of articles.

Do you have a portion of your written policy that addresses this?

We will appreciate any advice you have to offer us.  I think I know what I
would do but I have colleagues who want to know what others do. And it is
always helpful to hear from others in the trenches.  (We are working with
both a library and a manuscript archive.)

Thank you for your help--


Debra

Debra Osborne Spindle, PhD, MLIS
Reference Librarian

Oklahoma Historical Society
Research Division
2401 N. Laird
Oklahoma City, OK  73132
405.522.5239
www.okhistory.org 

_______________________________________________
genealib mailing list
genealib at mailman.acomp.usf.edu 
http://mailman.acomp.usf.edu/mailman/listinfo/genealib