←back to thread

National Archives at College Park, MD, will become a restricted federal facility

(www.archives.gov)
299 points LastTrain | 1 comments | 24 Jun 25 21:18 UTC | HN request time: 0.201s | source
Show context
Molitor5901 ◴[24 Jun 25 23:11 UTC] No.44372063[source]▶
I have a researcher card, it's not an arduous process. The staff are very kind. When you show up to the National Archives in Washington, DC., prepare to encounter a general group of 2 dozen pros carrying scanners, laptops, etc. It's quite the experience.

I don't see this is that big of a deal. It's open, you can access it, but they are controlling more. Given the propensity for the theft and destruction of archives documents in the past, I'm ok with more security.

replies(3): >>44372186 #>>44372209 #>>44373203 #
MichaelZuo ◴[24 Jun 25 23:34 UTC] No.44372209[source]▶
Do they actually bring out unique archival records for the general public?

I thought it was always backed up stuff.

If not, even assuming a 0.1% rate of scroundels over time that must mean thousands of records have been destroyed or stolen or tampered with…

replies(2): >>44372253 #>>44372727 #
1. ajdlinux ◴[24 Jun 25 23:43 UTC] No.44372253[source]▶
Can't speak for the US National Archives, but I do occasionally head to the National Archives of Australia to look at things that pique my interest, and I can confirm that yes, you can just ask for entire folders full of documents and in most cases, they'll take the originals and just plop them in a plastic tub for you to pick up and have a read through. It is a slightly strange feeling opening up a file and flicking through correspondence that was once personally handled by a Prime Minister from 100+ years ago. (They will use scanned copies for anything that either can't be handled for conservation reasons or has been redacted for security reasons.)