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From: "Richard A. Pence" <>
Subject: Re: [APG] Saving/Filing Obituary Cippings
Date: Sat, 11 Aug 2007 08:35:28 -0400
References: <708675.61625.qm@web82802.mail.mud.yahoo.com>


I want to thank everyone for all the excellent suggestions on handling my
large collection of PENCE obituary clippings. The replies were practically
unanimous in one respect: "Don't use the Scotch tape." (Turns out I have a
different brand of tape in my dispenser - but don't worry, I won't use it
either!)

Some suggested approaches were quite elaborate and even though these might
be preferred I think I will opt for what seems to me the most practical
suggested route: I will be copying each obituary onto acid-free paper.

Each of these will then be scanned (OCR) so I can add them to my web site
collection of PENCE obits. Then each will be filed with other papers
regarding the individul's family (families that I have sparse information
about may have papers for several generations in one folder; others with
much info will have a separate file for each generation or even each
person).

My son, off for the summer from his school job, is helping me take care of
years of unfiled documents, letters, etc., in preparation for donating my
papers to a library which has agreed to accept them. We have whittled six
boxes down to a bit more than one (hurrah!), albeit there is a growing stack
of pesky papers that defy quick classification (in particular my handwritten
notes from as far back as 40 years when I rifled through books at the local
library, the DAR Library and the Library of Congress or microfilm at NARA
and put notes from different sources for different familes on the same sheet
of paper). We are also weeding out those papers that are simply
acknowledgements or otherwise have no specific infomration (I saved
everything!). Another thing is that the hundreds of pages of scribble
excerpts from such things as census records no longer appear to be necessary
because the "originals" can be quickly accessed on the Internet. We may get
down to five file drawers!

As a confirmed pack rat, though, I still worry about throwing things away.
<g> (See: http://www.petuniapress.com/pence_springclean.html

Again, thank you to all who so generously responded. I am sure future
generations of researchers will applaud your advice to not fasten the obits
with transparent tape!

Richard A. Pence
3211 Adams Ct, Fairfax, VA 22030-1900
Voice 703-591-4243 / Fax 703-352-3560
Pence Family History <www.pipeline.com/~richardpence/>

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