If any readers are residents of Hampshire County, I hope you can attend the meeting of The County Commission when Dr. Armstrong will attend to explain the microfilming of the old records. Please urge the Commission not to insist for a return of the records once filming is done IF they are planning on returning them to the basement without making the basement vault a temperature controlled archive room. Storage of paper in a basement that is not designed for such storage will only guarantee their destruction, even though placed in acid-free envelopes. It would also be desireable to have these records electronically scanned or digitized while being filmed so that a cheaper and more universal method of access could be provided. Scans can be done now from film and vice-versa. Mike Foreman Mike Foreman

Good suggestion, Mike. I wondered about their being stored in the basement again, since it has been widely reported what a damp and musty place it is. Putting them into a "vault" will not change the level of humidity nor the temperature. I'm just surprised they have survived as long as they have under those conditions. Does anyone know just what type of vault is in the courthouse basement? I AM happy that the documents will be stored flat (unfolded). How about it? Do we have any members on this list who are residents of Hampshire Co.? Elaine Ohio Veerle Foreman wrote: > If any readers are residents of Hampshire County, I hope you can attend > the > meeting of The County Commission when Dr. Armstrong will attend to > explain the > microfilming of the old records. Please urge the Commission not to > insist for a return of > the records once filming is done IF they are planning on returning them > to the basement without making the basement vault a temperature > controlled archive room. > Storage of paper in a basement that is not designed for such storage > will only guarantee > their destruction, even though placed in acid-free envelopes. > > It would also be desireable to have these records electronically scanned > or digitized while being filmed so that a cheaper and more universal > method of access could be > provided. Scans can be done now from film and vice-versa. > > Mike Foreman

Does anyone know when the Hampshire County Commission meets? Patti At 09:54 PM 4/28/00 -0400, you wrote: >If any readers are residents of Hampshire County, I hope you can attend >the >meeting of The County Commission when Dr. Armstrong will attend to >explain the >microfilming of the old records.