27 November 2012

LAC too

Problems with the Tithe Books is John Grenham's most recent Irish Roots column. He gives examples and laments errors at the new Irish National Archives Tithe Books site –titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie

He ends with a paragraph pointing to where the responsibility for such problems lies that applies equally well, with modifications indicated to make it applicable the Canadian situation, to Library and Archives Canada

Let me be absolutely clear: the National Archives LAC (professional) staff are not to blame for this. They are doing heroic work under atrocious conditions. The fault lies squarely with their masters in the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Department of Canadian Heritage and their political masters, who give their underlings a ball of string and a piece of Blu-tack and tell them to build the Taj Mahal. If the Archives LAC had control of its own budget, something like this just would not happen. And if ever there was an argument against giving civil servants direct control of our cultural institutions, this is it.

1 comment:

Barbara Tose said...

Hear, hear!!