[TN-Bird] Re: TOS Records Archives?


Where are the TOS Bird Records Committee archives?  That seems to be the
million dollar question.  I have been trying to locate them since last
April to no avail.  I have sent numerous e-mails to multiple e-mail
addresses inquiring as to the location of these valuable files and have yet
to get even one response back much less an answer to my inquiries.  Not
even one courtesy acknowledgement.

This problem should concern every TOS member not just Records Committee
members.  I have had requests from several birders in the last couple of
years (some from other states) wanting particular historical records from
the past to reference for articles for The Migrant, etc.  It is very
frustrating as a records committee member or Secretary to not even be able
to tell someone where the files are much less how they could actually be
accessed!  Folks, this needs to change immediately!  Not having these files
containing valuable records has not only hindered the Records Committee but
has also hindered the writing of articles for The Migrant and Birding
magazine!  As Jeff stated I have copies of all records which have been
turned in since I was Secretary of the committee the first time back in
1996.  Kevin & I have since kept copies of all the records which have been
turned in to the committee since that time but I refuse to turn in the
files that I have for "archiving" into an apparent black hole.

I agree that this is such an important topic that it needs to be addressed
at the TOS board of directors meeting on Saturday.  I will not be able to
attend as my wife is almost 9 months pregnant but would someone please
bring this up under new business at the meeting?  I will do whatever I can
to help.  The office of the State Ornithologist at the TWRA headquarters in
Nashville would seem to be a good, centrally located, easily accessed place
to house these valuable files.

Comments?

Thank you,

Mark Greene
Secretary, Tennessee Bird Records Committee
Trenton, TN



                                                                                
                           
                      OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx                                           
                           
                      Sent by:                 To:       tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx  
                           
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                      eelists.org              Subject:  [TN-Bird] TOS Records 
Archives?                   
                                                                                
                           
                                                                                
                           
                      04/29/2003 08:24                                          
                           
                      AM                                                        
                           
                      Please respond to                                         
                           
                      OLCOOT1                                                   
                           
                                                                                
                           
                                                                                
                           




TOS Archive Questions?

I want to again focus the attention of the state's birders on a legitimate
problem concerning the official archive of bird records. Over the past
year,
over 20 inquiries concerning the Records Archives from Records Committee
members and Secretaries including a public request on TN-BIRDS have gone
unanswered. I am deeply concerned about the status of the official Bird
Records Archives and want to bring this to the attention of all TOS
members.


Since the last post on this subject, Chris Welsh, the Editor of the
Migrant,
on his second attempt, managed to locate some TOS archives at UT Knoxville.

However, with the exception of some very old writings and documents, he
could
find little or no documentation on any sightings or any records
specifically
related to Records Committee votes or files. I personally attempted to
follow
what I thought was an appropriate protocol by making requests for access
through the records committee, but those requests for information by the
committee about access to the archives have not been answered.

Does anyone in TOS know where these documents are at this time? If so,
could
you please respond to TN-BIRDS so that everyone might be informed of the
status of these records? Do others share our concern over the status of
these
records? If they are lost, misplaced, or their status is unknown, then we
need to give some attention to locating these records immediately.

When Mark Greene took over the Records Committee's Secretary duties from
Don
Davidson in the 90's, he assumed all of Don's completed records had been
turned over to the Curator. At that time, Mark received only those records
still pending. When Mark's term as Secretary expired, he handed his files
over to the Curator and now present TOS President, Chuck Nicholson.
Fortunately Mark kept a copy of all the records from his term. Over the
past
year, Mark has repeatedly inquired as to the status of the records and
access
procedures with absolutely no response.

Kevin Calhoon, during his recent term as Secretary to the Records Committee

also wrote the Curator, attempting to locate these archives and the
procedure
for accessing them. He also received no answers or even an acknowledgment
of
his multiple inquiries. Upon the recent expiration of Kevin's term, he
handed
his files over to Mark Green, the new short term Secretary rather than
turning them over to the Curator. We know where those files are, but what
of
the many that went before?

All this seems to be spelled out in: Article 5, Sec. 7 of the TOS
Constitution

Sec.7. The Curator shall have charge of all specimens that may come into
the possession of the Society and shall be the keeper of all literature,
field records, papers and the like that may come into the possession of the
Society.

Do these valuable records reside at this time in someone's attic, garage or

basement? Should they not be in a secure location? Are these records in a
file cabinet, in boxes, under lock and key, secure from fire or theft? Are
they in any order, filed by year, by species? Who is now responsible for
their safekeeping? Should they not be accessible by those wishing to
research
these documents for articles in the Migrant or other legitimate research?

Shouldn't these records be transferred to a secure location on a regular
and
specified basis? Should there be a committee appointed to collect and
organize these records? Maybe these records could be copied and the copies
kept in a central location in the State; let's say at the TWRA offices of
the
State Ornithologist in Nashville. If something like that could be worked
out,
the records could then be accessed with little effort from anywhere in the
State and these copies would then act as a back up to the originals?

I, along with the others I have spoken with on this issue, believe that
these
records are important to TOS and certainly warrant care and attention. I
would like to formally request that this issue be listed on the agenda and
be
opened for discussion at the TOS Directors meeting this weekend. I also
request that this agenda item be initiated with a report from the Curator
on
his knowledge of the TOS archives. Hopefully these archives can be located
and become accessible to TOS members in the near future.

Looking forward to some input on this situation,


Good Birding!!!

Jeff R. Wilson
OL' COOT / TLBA
Bartlett Tenn.


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=================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER=====================

The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with
first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation.
-----------------------------------------------------
To post to this mailing list, simply send email to:
tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
----------------------------------------------------- 
To unsubscribe, send email to:
tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
     Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
          web site at http://www.tnbirds.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
    TN-Bird Net Owner: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
        jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx      (423) 764-3958
=========================================================

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