Future Directions, was Storage Space

Sun Aug 25 07:33:00 EDT 2024

Archiving data is a tricky business. I certainly hope that PDF and JPG
formats will be maintained forever, else most collections will be lost. Very
important, tho, is always write the files to hard drives (rotating or solid
state) so that with a major tech update it can be fairly easy to copy the
old tech to the new. Never archive on something like a DVD. I have a bunch
of files given to me on floppies. I do not have the time to copy each one to
a modern drive, but I do have time to set up a copy of a large drive to
something new.

Craig Close   BORHS/C&A Live Steam/FoGFLP/HFRHS

Balimer Merlan

OK: Far West Catonsville

Or: Greater Oella

From: NW-Mailing-List <nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org> On Behalf Of NW
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Sent: Saturday, August 24, 2024 10:46 PM
To: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Subject: Re: Future Directions, was Storage Space

Greetings - While digitation is certainly the primary goal of preserving the
N&W archives, a strong case should be made to keep the original documents
whenever possible. The main reason for this is that computer technology
changes, and changes relatively quickly. Computers from 30 or 40 forty years
ago cannot interact with modern computers, so old data can no longer be
easily retrieved for today's use.

Just something to keep in mind for down the road.

Yes, '"The Arrow" is a superb publication. I'm a new member, so I can't
speak to how things were back in the good o'l days, but I am a member of
other railroad historical societies, and "The Arrow" takes the Blue Ribbon!

Carl Barna

Emmaus, PA

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Subject: Future Directions, was Storage Space 

All,

Look, before everyone goes into fits of apoplexy, the society is simply
taking a long-term look at future options.? This recent rash of high profile
deaths has opened our eyes to the fact that none of us are likely to be here
25 years from now. And those that are will be too old and feeble to
accomplish anything significant.

No one is advocating the immediate dumping our assets and materials on some
unsuspecting, lucky institution or public domain.

We are simply on a fact-finding mission to see where we might light a
quarter of a century from now.

The end result is likely to be some kind of worthy affiliation, rather then
a wholesale donation of N&WHS assets or amalgamation of some physical
structure.? Who can do this?? A church?? The Salvation Army?? The obvious
answer, for many, many reasons is found in some local, Western Virginia-area
college.

Our current building is old and continues to be a drain on our assets.? We
are obligated to continue searching for a better alternative and we have a
committee for that.

And we are not out to ignore or tarnish the reputation or the efforts of
those who have brought us thus far.? Jim Gillum, we thank you for your
vision and guidance.

But I don't think he would want us to stand idly by and let everything go to
seed.
We have made much progress.

To date, we have catalogued more than 230,000 items.

We thank all those who have and continue to labor toward that end. And,
under the editorial direction of Ken Miller, we now have have, in THE ARROW,
one of the finest publications in our field.

Larry, you have certainly been a part of that process.? But to simply
endeavor to scan everything and then destroy precious vellums and other
drawings that were viewed by and rolled at the hands of the likes of
Frederick J. Kimball, R. H.Smith and other principals -- simply for the sake
of space -- is not the way to go.? It ain't gonna happen on my watch.

Again, we are just exploring future options.? Whatever eventually happens is
not going to be done tomorrow.

And the BOD and membership will have an opportunity to factor into that
ultimate decision.

Tim HensleyN&WHS President
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