Re: [ARSCLIST] Curatorial Responsibility, formerly Copyright of treasures

["Steven C. Barr" <stevenc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steven Smolian" smolians@xxxxxxxxx

> The institution makes an investment in shelving space, heating, curatorial
> services, etc., when it accepts a collection.  If building traffic is one
of
> its objectives, this being a factor determining budget, then travel to it
is
> certainly a legitimate requirement, though it may be expensive and
> inconvenient to the pilgrim.
>
> Those archives which are part of university structures have, in addition,
> the need to offer research materials for advanced degrees.  Obtaining such
> collections is a more scholarly use of its funds than subsidizing sports
and
> should result in greater enrolment which again feeds the aquisition pool.
> Intellectual fertilizer, if you will.
>
This, then, boils down to whether the institution maintains a
library in order to survive, or vice versa! It seems logical to
me that the presevation of civilization would require the
maintenance of publicly accessible archives (the fact that I
have a copy of a rare recording is no guarantee that it can
be accessed!).

As a parallel, we can consider the question of whether sports
teams exist to help support the university or vice versa...

...stevenc
http://users.interlinks.net/stevenc/