In my last entry I said I’d contacted six potential repositories for my lifetime document collection. This is where those communications are up to:
Loughborough University’s Centre for Information Management: My email was forwarded to the University Library which did not respond. I followed this up on 20th September with an email to the Director of Library Services, and am waiting for a reply.
Manchester University’s Computer Science Dept Research Office: My email was forwarded to a researcher with an interest in the history of computing, but that person replied saying that her work in that area had been put on hold. On 20Sep I used the University library general enquiry form to enquire if the library would be interested. The library advised me to contact the Head of School administration in the School of Computer Science who I duly emailed on 2nd October, and I am awaiting a reply.
City University’s Cass Business School: My contact said he would pass my email onto his colleagues and I have heard nothing further.
UCL’s Dept of Information Studies: My contact said she would look out for interested people at conferences.
The National Archives: I was advised by my contact to direct my question to the Archive Sector Development team which, while it does not have any direct provision for taking private collections, should be well placed to provide advice. I emailed the Development Team on 16th September and am waiting for a reply.
The Science Museum Wroughton Library and Archives: The Library asked me a number of questions about the collection but finally responded by saying “Thank you for allowing us the time to consider your collection which we have now discussed with the Archive Collections Manager, Science Museum’s Keeper of Technologies and Engineering, and Head of Library and Archives. We have concluded that whilst we find this a most interesting idea, we do not think that the content fits within our current collecting policy criteria. You may have already contacted them, but we suggest that the National Computing Collection might be a more appropriate repository for your collection.”
This is all pretty much as expected: I know its going to be hard to find a repository that’s interested. However, should there be no interest from any of the above organisations, I plan to rely on interest being generated by the publication of my paper on Digital Preservation Planning.