Hi Maria,
I have gotten many, many requests for information, research help, etc. since
taking over the Archives. At first, I tried to answer them all. Then when I
ran out of time, I felt guilty for not answering, but I just couldn't do it.
Eventually, I decided to put a notice on the Arkansas Archives TOC that
researchers should not make this kind of request to the Archives managers and
that this kind of request would not be answered AND that if the cemetery (or
whatever file they were looking for) wasn't listed on the TOC, then we didn't
have it yet..
I no longer feel guilty when I ignore those requests. I'm just too busy
trying to do other things.
Now, my county page is different - I answer every email I receive regarding
the county because I feel the county pages serve a different purpose. A lot
of times my answer is just that I can't help or suggesting another place to
look or someone else to contact.
Just my 2 cents worth.
Peggy
In a message dated 10/29/98 11:11:46 AM Central Standard Time,
kytroutman(a)usa.net writes:
Does everyone get requests for things that you don't have or have no
access
to?
Example, because I transcribed 1850 Ohio Co,. Census and because I do the
archives for that county, I got a request today for a lookup on tax
records.
Yesterday I had an off the wall request for Pendleton County, another of my
archive pages, and another county that I have transcribed censuses for.
I had not received any of these "off the wall requests" until this week,
and so far, everyday it's been something different.
If I tell them I am in Germany and have no access to those records, then no
doubt they will have ancestors in Germany and want something looked up over
here, AND unfortunately, I do NOT read or speak the language over here. I
can tell you I do not speak Duetch and I can ask you how much something
costs, and I can count to 20, but other than that, I don't speak the
language.
Any easy simple solutions?
Maria
KyGenWeb Archive Coordinator