Fred,
At this minute, no. The collection is on a system that I can access with
relative ease, so when I get inquiries I can respond via e-mail. The
organization of the archives is my biggest concern this minute. The
information can be dumped in a number of formats and e-mailed out. The
Erie employee records were uploaded to that site overnight without too much
futzing.
So, if you want a list of all the Erie AFE's I have processed, I can e-mail
you a one line description of each folder I have processed. If you are
researching "Craig, NY", I can do a word search and tell you every file I
see the word "Craig" and tell you if it is in an Erie, DL&W or LV file.
Again, everything is a work in progress. Before I try to get this stuff
on-line, I need to get it organized first. It is accessible via e-mail
request to me
You can have all the fancy hardware and software in the world, but someone
has to organize the data. You can scan and digitize to your hearts
content, but you have to come up with a format that is intellectually
accessible. We are working to that end at Steamtown. Needless to say, I
do not spend too much time twiddling my thumbs.
One point, I do my best to respond to inquiries in a timely manner. If I
am asked a question I do not respond to, please keep on me. I get
sidetracked a lot, though I try to stay on track.
Patrick McKnight
Historian/Archivist
Steamtown NHS
570-340-5193
We need history, not to tell us what happened or to explain the past, but
to make the past alive so that it can explain us and make a future
possible.-Alan Bloom
"Fred Stratton"
<erief7_@_msn.com> To: erielack@lists.elhts.org
cc: (bcc: Pat McKnight/STEA/NPS)
03/01/2007 10:34 Subject: Re: (erielack) ELHS Archives.
AM EST
Please respond to
"EL Mail List"
Pat,
Are any of these files available online?
Fred Stratton
MP. 7.2 NS Asheville line
Salisbury, NC
>From: Pat_McKnight_@_nps.gov
>Reply-To: "EL Mail List" <erielack_@_lists.elhts.org>
>To: "EL Mail List" <erielack_@_lists.elhts.org>
>Subject: Re: (erielack) ELHS Archives.
>Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2007 09:09:11 -0500
>
>Chuck did a fantastic job of describing the common problem in preservation
>of archives and museums. There is no magic bullet to solve the archives
>problems. You have to be flexible and use all the tools at your disposal.
>A scanner is nice, but when you are talking text, OCR software does not
>work well on third generation carbon copies. No matter what you do you
>will need to figure out some kind of a system. With the DL&W, Erie, and
>Lehigh Valley records we have at Steamtown, the first thing you have to do
>is figure out the filing system of the originating office. I can tell you
>that every office seems to have a different file system. The Chief
>Engineer of the DL&W had a different system than the General
>Superintendent. The Chief Engineer of the Erie had a different file
system
>than the Chief Engineer of the DL&W. The Presidents files of the Lehigh
>Valley used a system similar the Erie Chief engineer and so on.
>
>I have identified the types of files in my collection, developed
approaches
>to processing them to make them "intellectually accessible". If you ever
>get to know me I use the words "intellectually accessible" a lot. What
>that means is that you can find what you are looking for. In my
>professional opinion, if a collection is not "intellectually accessible"
>and there are no plans to make it such, why have it? I have worked with
>others who strongly believe if the collection is locked up in a secure
>climate controlled room with minimal deterioration, their job is done.
>
>If you ever want to learn about archives first-hand, I am always open to
>new volunteers at Steamtown. I have some basic projects to start
>"beginners" on. As you become more "developed" I will then allow you to
>"play" with or process records you like. For example, I would start you
>working on Erie, C&E, WB&E, and NYS&W AFE and PR files. You might be a
>die-hard DL&W fan, so after a box or two of the AFE files, I might
graduate
>you to working on DL&W General Superintendent or Chief Engineer files.
>
>As far as digitization goes, the program I am currently pumping
information
>into can be put "on-line" at a cost. I am also open to allowing some of
my
>data to be tied to other people's web sites. For example, Steamtown has
>approximately 150 Erie personnel files from the Jefferson and Wyoming
>Division. Some of the basic information is available at the following
>link:
>
>http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~sponholz/Steamtown.html
>
>As far as the ultimate resting place of the ELHS archives, I hope all
>options are weighed and the best location is found. While I agree with
>some of the members of this organization that Steamtown is a good option,
>it is not the only option. Again, if any of you folks are ever at
>Steamtown, look me up and I will be happy to show you the archives and
>systems I have in place (please give me a heads up in advance to make sure
>I'll be here).
>
>Patrick McKnight
>Historian/Archivist
>Steamtown NHS
>570-340-5193
>
>We need history, not to tell us what happened or to explain the past, but
>to make the past alive so that it can explain us and make a future
>possible.-Alan Bloom
>
>
>
>
> "Chuck Yungkurth"
> <raildata_@_comcast To: "EL Mail List"
><erielack_@_lists.elhts.org>
> .net> cc: (bcc: Pat
>McKnight/STEA/NPS)
> Subject: Re: (erielack)
>ELHS Archives.
> 02/28/2007 03:57
> PM MST
> Please respond to
> "EL Mail List"
>
>
>
>
>
>
>I work as a volunteer at the Colorado Railroad Museum and can truthfully
>say
>you guys have no idea of how big a problem digitizing archives can be.
You
>
>really ought to visit a large Museum and talk to them. Just setting up
the
>
>file system is a large job...mostly because so many people inputting
>document don't catalog them with the proper names so them no one can find
>them. Cataloging drawings, photos, negatives, etc. is pretty straight
>forward but do you really want to catalog every letter in boxes of
>correspondence? And I'm just talking about cataloging, let alone scanning
>for on line viewing. At the CRRM we get into arguements what should be
>saved
>and what should be tossed out. Like is a blueprint of a piece of angle
iron
>
>with two holes in it worth saving, even if it did come from a narrow gauge
>2-8-0? Or how amny drawings of rail sections ar needed. Not to mention a
>trailer body full of waybills. Someone has to set down and make
intelligent
>
>decisions before cataloging and preseving starts.
>
>Also, if an "amateur" sets up the catalog system it almost always works
out
>
>that no one else can figure out how the system works if there are software
>problems...this is not just PC experience time! I speak from expereince
>after being on the board of two non-railroad museums plus working here at
>the very large Colo RR Museum.
>
>We have a seven year old buillding built just for the purpose and a
>professional curator, along with about 20 library voluneers. The Museum
has
>
>over 200 voulnteers and 10 full time employees, so there is a lot of
>expereince here, including battles between "we must save everything" and
>"only the good stuff" factions. And this includes preservation and
>restoration of equipment.
>
>
>Be happy to discuss this one on one with anyone off line. Might add that
it
>
>costs the Denver Public Library $15 per photo to put them on their web
>site.
>But this is with paid staff and they do "tweak" the picture for clarity,
>brightness, etc.
>
>(BTW, you guys might want to check the 100,000 photos that can be viewed
on
>
>line at www.denver.lib.co.us. and go to the phto catalog. Just search by
>railroad or city and it is amazing what turns up! There are at least 40
>Lackawanna steam locos there from the Otto Perry collection including
>camelback 4-4-0s, etc. Not much Erie)
>
>Might add the Museum curators are really skittish about committing to
>complete digitizing and scanning materials since they have been badly
>burned
>by systems changing from Microfiche, to Optical records, and not
scanning.
>
>And there is much concern about how digitized records must be recopied at
>intervals to assure permanance.....ulike 100 year old negatives, etc.
>
>Chuck Yungkurth\
>Boulder CO
>
>
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "toddsyr" <toddsyr_@_twcny.rr.com>
>To: "EL Mail List" <erielack_@_lists.elhts.org>
>Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2007 3:05 PM
>Subject: Re: (erielack) ELHS Archives.
>
>
> > Paul T wrote:
> >
> > " It still baffles me - WHY IS THERE NO DISCUSSION OF ARCHIVE
> > DIGITIZATION?
> > What's the fear of this? That would really solve all the issues of
> > "location, location, location." All the largest libraries in the nation
> > are
> > undertaking complete digitization of their collections to allow anyone,
> > anywhere access to this information. As the vast majority of the
>archives
>
> > is
> > made up of "paper," this should be a pretty simple task (lengthy, but
> > simple
> > in process)."
> >
> > I agree 100%. Digitization of the archives would offer access to the
>most
> > individuals by far, especially if accessible thru the 'net. It would
>also
> > offer the best long term preservation of the documents. Digital copies
> > don't
> > mildew and can easily be replaced for whatever reason. If many chipped
>in
> > their resources to lend a hand, it wouldn't be such a monumental task.
I
> > for
> > one have a scanner now that sits largely unused. I'd be more than happy
>to
> > utilize it for saving important documents for the EL and it's
> > predecessors.
> > I guess to do that, I'd first have to become an ELHS member. I've been
> > considering that for over 6 months now. The only thing stopping me is
>what
> > seems to be the in-house bickering and negativity that seems to revolve
> > around the ELHS. I wish it weren't so. Someone recently stated that
alot
> > of
> > the folks on this list aren't ELHS members. Is that such a bad thing?
> > After
> > all. I AM a member of the ELHTS and that's how I found out about this
> > list.
> > Someday I do hope to join the ELHS, I just would like to see more
>positive
> > things posted about it first. Here and elsewhere. I don't mind throwing
>a
> > few bucks at a good cause here and there, but I HATE throwing money out
> > the
> > window. I rather just buy more EL N scale stuff than do that! Just some
> > tired thoughts from an overworked EL fan.
> >
> > Todd K. Stearns
> >
> >
> > The Erie Lackawanna Mailing List
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> > http://www.elhts.org
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>
>
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