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Most club members should be aware of the article in this month’s British Birds magazine by Moss Taylor concerning the ultimate disposal of one’s personal notes and records. Over the years one can amass an enormous amount of local data and even though more recent records are stored digitally, I still maintain a handwritten daily log of observations and weather, plus many folders containing paper records of descriptions, trips elsewhere, etc.
When one is younger, such thoughts never arise, but during advancing years the gradual cramming of shelves and wifely concerns about who should eventually have the records after one’s demise becomes a thought-provoking issue. Funnily enough, GPC and I were discussing this matter only a few weeks ago. It is of deep regret that the records of many earlier birders have been lost and most probably merely thrown away. To rectify this trend would be most desirable considering how much time is spent in the field, plus the large proportion of one’s life spent writing out records. By reading the accounts of others and actually seeing the handwriting, one can learn and pick out many aspects of the writer.
Last year, a campaign initiated by Matthew Harrison to complete a comprehensive record of old Lincolnshire rarities still surviving in taxidermy collections proved to be very successful, so I think an objective of preserving members’ logs etc. in some form of LBC archive might also be achievable. Of course, such an outcome would be worthwhile, particularly to future researchers, but the main drawback is the question of storage space. I know from my own records which stretch back to the 1950s, just how much room they actually require.
Other members’ thoughts on a viable solution to this matter and the consolidation of some type of depository would be appreciated and hopefully we may start the ball rolling.
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