Signing Off
Spruce Head, Maine, 2009
This is my last post on Reading Archives, by my calculation the 250th post since I started this two and a half years ago. I have been thinking about doing this for some time, and recent comments about indexing the site and upgrading it in other ways helped to speed up the process.
Doing this has always been a personal pleasure, for I have always been an avid reader, and I constantly am in search of references to archives in order to enhance my own understanding of archives and their importance to society. I have also been disappointed that the blog did not generate more discussion about publications about archives, but it is obvious that few in the archival community either have the inclination or the time to contribute in such ways (this is not intended as criticism, just a statement of fact).
It is time for me to move on. Early next year I turn 60 years of age, and I move into my final decade as an academic member of the archival profession. I also am just finishing a three year stint as the LIS Program Chair, and I have various of my own research projects piled up in various states of incompleteness that I need (and want) to finish. Other personal issues have emerged as well, so it is the right time to bring this project to a close.
I will leave the blog up for whatever value it has. And I thank those of you who have commented and sent encouraging support. Now, it is my aim to have more time to paint and write.
posted by Richard J. Cox @ 9:54 AM
21 Comments:
Your blog was tremendous. Thanks for the effort!
Richard, while I don't want to do anything to get in the way of your other projects, I am very sorry to see the end of Reading Archives. I have relied upon you to keep me conversant with the literature I don't have time to read. I particularly appreciated your efforts to take literature from related fields and show how it can be of interest to archivists.
So don't let the lack of discussion be a measure of the value of your contribution to the profession. We all benefit from your reviews, and I hope you will consider sharing them again soon.
I've never commented before, but have been a subscriber to your blog for some months now. You kept reminding me of some of the archive reading out there, for which I was very grateful. I'm sorry that there won't be more updates, but do enjoy your free time!
Excellent blog! I'm very sorry. Best
do you think 60 is "old" ? my father turns 80 in a few weeks, and he is more energetic than I am at times ...enjoy the summer.
I am sad to see this go. As a silent reader of the blog, I have always found it thought provoking. You won't stay away for long. There are many things on which to comment and I am certain that one of these days you will find yourself typing an entry here.
Miriam
I'd like to echo Peter Hirtle's comments as a (mostly) silent reader of your blog. I greatly appreciate the work you have done to bring outside literature to our conversation and thinking about archives. Best wishes for the summer.
Eliot Wilczek
Reading Archives has been one of the few blogs that I make an effort to read regularly in order to keep up with the archival literature. In fact, I just recommended it to a colleague at a small, local repository. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us.
Enjoy the summer!
Paige Roberts
Special Collections
State Library of Massachusetts
http://www.mass.gov/lib
Richard,
I'm sorry to see the blog end. It's the most interesting and literary archives blog on the web.
I hope you will leave it up. It has lasting value; a wonderful reference. You could continue to post whenever the spirit moved you.
Because of the many interesting posts, I was the one who suggested that it be indexed.
As you return to your research, may I suggest that you post excerpts now and then. . .
As another silent reader of your blog, mostly through RSS reading, I have found it a way to keep up with what I should be reading. Thank you for this service to the archives community.
I am sad to see it end as well. I never commented either but did often read the books, your comments, and reflect. Thank you again, Dr. Cox. Happy Summer.
Dear Richard,
This will be a real loss - like most of the other people leaving comments, I've been an avid, if passive rather than active, consumer of your erudition. I've become aware of many books through your blog that would otherwise have passed completely beneath my radar.
It's only when a stream like this dries up that it really becomes obvious how much we owe, as professionals and individuals, to the generosity and industry of people like yourself. After such sterling efforts to keep us in touch with a wide range of stimulating literature, you certainly deserve to have some more time to yourself!
So long, and thanks for all the fish ...
Rachel Hardiman
I have always enjoyed reading your posts which have often led me to add to my ever growing "books to read" list related to archival topics.
Good luck in your future endeavors. I will join the group who hopes you can't stay away from blogging.
I'm new to the profession and just discovered your blog. I will enjoy culling over past entries and recommending them to my co-workers.
I am so depressed, I learned more things and discovered new horizons from your blog, be successful.
I refused to read your blog when I had you as a professor, I thought it seemed like a conflict of interest. I had my last class taught by you this past semester, added you to my "Blogs I Follow", and now you are giving it up. Enjoy painting, writing (for profit), and research.
I too would like to thank you for your hard work, time and effort in maintaining this blog. I feel now a very ungrateful reader for not giving you feedback and taking part in discussions. I have logged in every week or so, almost since you started, and have benefitted very much from both your choice of material and your reflections on it. Thank you
Thank you. Reading Archives has been consistently excellent. It will be missed.
I will add to the chorus of praise and lament. I have thoroughly enjoyed your blog, and have often recommended it to others. I will miss your insightful comments and reading recommendations. Hopefully a stray post will appear every so often!
We need you back! Although I have not commented on the blog, because I was fortunate to have had the opportunity over many years to talk with you face-to-face, I have read your blog with great interest.
I think that your comments on ethics and archives were particularly thoughtful and demonstrated the kind of integrity that Stephen Carter has written about. I have often referred to your comments in my Information Ethics class.
You have inspired me to work much more actively on developing and implementing codes of ethics for our professional associations, and on getting individuals in leadership positions to follow the codes of their own profession. In part because of your work to increase access to government information and to get archivists to speak up about this, I agreed to co-chair SLA's Advisory Council on Information Ethics and to chair ALISE's Task Force to develop a code of ethics for LIS educators.
Thank you for years of service though this blog.
Take a break and start again on your blog. Sixty is far too young to give up the fight.
Toni Carbo
Right when I found the Blog is over!
Well best of luck.
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