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----- Original Message ----- From: "Steven Smolian" [log in to unmask] > 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/