Vera 11/25/09

After my conversation with Josh (see details below), I decided to return briefly to the physical archives to finish up the inventory there on the file cabinets. After a while of taking rough notes on what was in each drawer I realized that a previous inventory already existed. So instead of re-listing each item I looked at the existing inventory and matched it what i saw in each drawer and simply noted any additions. I decided to take some pictures of the drawers' contents to give you an idea of what I am encountering.

First of all... I want I want! Yes, I was excited to see these posters. I am quite a fan of these guys and the best part is we are from the same town - Chicago. Returning to what I actually came here for though, I was simultaneously unexcited to see these posters. As you can see, they are curling and they catch on the drawer above whenever you pull the drawer out. This means just to look at these posters you have to damage them. :'( Make it stop make it stop! ... wait, thats my job! Ok, I'll figure it out somehow. Anyway, there are also several other mixed items stored under these posters including various press materials, photos, videos, and other posters.

Skipping ahead, here is what I found in the 2007 drawer. A massive mixture of items are overfilled into this drawer and as you can see the manilla folders are brushing up against the drawer above. This was one of those moments where I began to feel a bit frustrated with inventory. Its difficult to decide the best way to approach a situation like this. I mostly have a strong urge to just start taking everything out and redoing everything, yet I realize these materials do not belong to me and I am reluctant to make changes until there is a practical option available that everyone has agreed upon. Ultimately, its this overwhelming lack of efficacy in the moment with the realization of my limits in time, funding, and authority. Ok, just take a deep breath, this is one of those moments where one's skill in deferral of gratification is most crucial.


Moving on, I opened the 2008 drawer and this is exactly as I found it. The way things are stacked in here, gravity will eventually (and has already) take(n) its tole. Basically, these materials will end up like someone who slouches at a computer all day (not me mind you, I have impeccable posture!) for 20 years and takes on a considerable hunchback. This is what made the existing inventory so relieving: I didn't have dig through piles of mixed materials. With this, I concluded my activities for the evening.

Summary:

5:00PM - Phone meeting with Josh

*Scope of Project

-Alix is supposed to be in charge of reorganizing the network drive - not me.

-I will be focusing on the Archives portion of the network drive and communicating with Alix regularly about any ideas I may have.

>for instance, we are considering having older materials on the network drive transfered into the archives.

-Josh suggested that I develop a policy for transferring files into the archives folder.

*Progress Report

-Josh will also be available December 9th

-Rough Outline:

I. Inventory

A. Existing organization

1. Physical Archives

2. Digital Archives

B. Condition of items in physical archives

C. Suggested changes

1. Physical and Digital Arrangement

2. Digitization standards

II. Interviews

A. General Trends

B. Individual staff folder trees / general usage areas (depends on space)

C. Staff suggestions

D. Special finds

III. Database

A. Skype Conference with Kevin from N-Power