Hello All on the List Below is a X-Posting from the SOUTH AFRICA IMMIGRANTS LIST which I am passing on with the permission of Dennis Pretorius - might clear up the situation regarding the digital cameras - regards Sharon Warr Hallo Delia I had contact with Lerita Pretorius at the National Archives in Pretoria and there appears to be no threat of "outlawing" of Digital Cameras. The National Archives will be embarking on a campaign to preserve documents and one of the actions will be to "outlaw" the use of photocopy machines by visitors to the Archives Repository. Trained officials will make copies on request - but this will result in a time delay. Requested documents will probably only be mailed to the requesters a few days later. Handheld scanners will be "outlawed" - with no exceptions Pens will be "outlawed" - only pencils The General Rule will be NO CAMERAS - however permission may be granted by the Reading Room staff for the use of Digital Cameras without the use of flashes. The permission will be applicable only on that particular visit - you will have to apply for permission on each visit. I do not think that the above rules are unreasonable - and if it results in better preservation of documents we should support the initiative. Kind regards Dennis Pretorius Commercial Genealogical Researcher/Kommersiële Genealogiese Navorser List Owner of SAGenealogy E-mail list/Lyseienaar SAGenealogie poslys E-Mail/E-pos: Krugersdorp@pixie.co.za Web address/Webadres: http://mzone.mweb.co.za/residents/k75/genealogy.html Telephone/Telefoon: +27-83-324-2238 View 1800s SOUTH AFRICAN PASSENGER LISTS at http://www.sagenealogy.co.za/DataArchive.htm SCRIBES PUBLISHING for Colonial Books on CD - visit http://www.sagenealogy.co.za/Scribes.htm