Interviewing technicians

Meg Brown <mmbrown [at] ukans__edu> writes

>     2.  Follow written instructions for fabricating little paper
>         enclosures
>
>     3.  Unfold and refold an automobile map

I couldn't help but be amused to find that my seemingly whimsical
modifications of "the manual dexterity test" found their way onto
this list. They date from circa 1988 when I oversaw collections
maintenance activities at Emory University and were an attempt to:

    1.  Make the test a bit more interesting to students (the
        miniature folded enclosures)

    2.  Demonstrate how well someone would work with materials of a
        small dimension, requiring some level of detail

    3.  Relate tasks to something you would ordinarily do in the
        course of life (like use an automobile map)

    4.  Demonstrate patience, which dealing with an automobile map
        has always required of me

I'm pleased to report that I've since mastered the ability to unfold
and re-fold an automobile map.  At the time I acknowledge that I had
difficulty with this particular task and was looking to surround
myself was personnel whose skills complemented my own.

Hilary A. Kaplan
Conservator
Georgia Department of Archives and History
330 Capitol Avenue, SE
Atlanta, GA 30334
404-656-3554
Fax: 404-651-8471


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 15:23
                Distributed: Tuesday, September 11, 2001
                       Message Id: cdl-15-23-011
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