Thought I'd post my plea to the Argyll-Bute gentleman in the hope of having them realise the value of having a 'real' archivist. Anne Maye. To Mr James McLellan, As with so many other researchers I am surprised to hear that Mr Murdo MacDonald will be replaced by a non archivist part time. I fully understand that $$$$ drive so many Council decisions but there are many hidden benefits in dollar and Public Relations terms that are not immediately obvious. The first which comes to mind is tourism. This field is becoming even more highly competitive and the tourist dollars are being dispersed far more widely around the globe. The field of genealogy generates so much interest that I know many people who 'spread the word' and encourage others to save for that trip or the next to discover and explore their roots. There is an enormous network of people of goodwill who enthusiastically share their knowledge and family ties and who tread the hills their ancestors once trod. This has a flow on effect for generations to come and I suggest that it is to Council's detriment in the longer term that the position of Archivist be downgraded rather than expanded and perhaps even promoted. This is without considering the general maintenance of the archives, a resource to which we could not begin to ascribe a dollar value for now or the future. I implore you to ask Council to give careful and serious consideration to any decision re an Archivist. Anne Maye Armidale, New South Wales, Australia