Yesterday was my day at the Archives and the request pile is getting larger. There are seven volunteers and yesterday I found out that there are 78 requests. We all routinely go in one day a week, when you volunteer you make your own hours. I, and some of the others, also put in another day of research I think the deluge of requests is because of the recent interest in Genealogy and the shows on TV.
I was speaking to a librarian and they said that about three hundred fifty hours of research goes into the making of one of the shows. The problem with the shows is that it seems like you can call the library and ask them to get all of your information, put it in a folder and all you have to do it pick it up.
Yesterday I did work for three clients, so I guess it is now down to 75 and then I have to add in the number of request that arrived yesterday.
People complain that they are charged for the search, well I will tell all and let others know that the money you send goes to maintaining the Archives and the old books that are falling apart. They need to be restored and rebound and the cost is not cheap. Why is it that people want everything for nothing?
Perhaps because they see no one paying on WDYTYA and if the featured guests don't pay they think no one pays? There seems to be a growing attitude that it's all a freebie yet wouldn't expect to play golf for $0
ReplyDeleteI think you are correct, I will have to take a poll of my friends and see what others think.
ReplyDelete