[Lnc-business] Discussion on LP records archives

[Caryn Ann Harlos]

This is a discussion preliminary to a motion on the records of the LP after
extensive discussion with Wes and Wes running the thoughts by Nick Sarwark

Here is the state of things.  On the Historical Committee end, we have a
pretty talented group that was chosen, including the original creator of
the LP.org website Joe Dehn and the LPedia curator for the past ten years
James Gholston.  LPedia has been cleaned up (gigs and gigs of spam removed)
and moved to the new server.  We are kicking the tires to make sure it is
ready to fling back open for new account creation - this is remarkable in
itself, new account creation has been disabled for years (five years I
think).  Joe Buchman has been scanning using a professional scanner - but
that is slow going as it is on off hours he gets to use as a volunteer, but
we have some high quality scans to start.  And once LPedia gets going
fundraising for the initial budget will ramp up.  I have already raised the
first 20% but it is hard to ask for support without some "product" to show.

A problem is that is it very difficult to get started on bulk scanning as
we don't know what we have in Virginia, compounded by the fact that some of
it is in an offsite storage facility that is not organized (it is safe and
boxed well to preserve but no one has put in the very hard time of getting
those files into shape - there have been more pressing matters - the fact
that they are safe and stored is due to heroic efforts by Wes as far as I
am concerned - the legend was that much more was destroyed in the Watergate
flood than actually was).    None of committee members live in Virginia
(one lives several hours a year but is fairly new to Party involvement
though he has made sysadmin skills), and the guiding visionary of the whole
thing - me - lives in Colorado.  We can ask volunteers to start (and I have
one dedicated volunteer going down Monday to begin- Jackie Mason) but in
general that can be a spotty method as can using interns, but without a
very systematic organization the effectiveness of the records preservation
will be less than ideal.

So with this, I would to share  some of Wes' thoughts (to which I concur)
which were shared with Nick for the Committee's consideration with some
additional thoughts of mine at the end.  These summary thoughts from Wes
was after an extensive phone conference with me:

====

I'd like Caryn Ann and the Historical committee to have access to
documents. But, coordinating and managing interns, shipping items, etc., is
going to cause a substantial  amount of interruption here at LPHQ.
Piece-by-piece, and box-by-box, training one volunteer after another how to
ship, scan, etc. Negotiating pay-rates for interns, etc. Answering hundreds
of questions.  It adds up quickly.

I'd like to send Nick Dunbar with a 20' U-Haul filled with the historical
documents that are in our storage unit and basement. We'll include the
shelves from the storage unit as well, and will shut down our storage unit.

I'd like to deliver it all to Caryn Ann's neighborhood so she can manage
the project directly, rather than trying to coach an intern or handful of
semi-reliable volunteers from afar, with us at LPHQ having to support the
volunteers and interns, explain parking, arrange keys, etc.

The 20 foot Uhaul will cost about $1700 plus $700 gas. All will easily fit
in that, and won't get nearly as damaged as if we shipped via carrier, plus
it will require less TLC preparing the stuff to ship. We'll have to spend
on some boxes and tape. Motels and expenses for Nick along the way plus a
flight home. Overall, I'd estimate a roughly $5,000 expense.

I moved the entire contents from one storage unit to another a year ago to
go from a rate of approximately $400/month to $228/month. I know what I'm
getting into. I used movers that cost about $400 to to unload from one
unit, and upload to another unit in around 4 hours.

If Caryn Ann fails to make things happen, we'll know the address of the
storage unit and can always go through the process of moving things back.
The LNC will pay for and be in control of the storage unit, just like we
are in control of the one here. They're about to raise our rent from
$228/month to $248/month and we'll just shut it down after we empty it and
send things to Colorado.

I've had access to all this stuff for years, and it never reaches high
enough priority for LPHQ staff to deal with.  It's worth giving Caryn Ann
and her volunteers and committee a shot at taking the stuff, organizing it,
and scanning and preserving and posting it online.

======

This would require approval of an additional $5000 in expenses.  I was
already thinking I would have to fly out to Virginia over the summer and
spend a weekend in that storage unit - this would save me that trip so I
would commit to a donation for this cause, in fact I have been considering
a life membership, so if this passes I would sign up for that at the
monthly rate to have a life membership at the end of one year and while in
CO, Nick can stay in our guest room.  Wes is confident he could fundraise
the majority of this money as well through several membership emails.

When the LP gets the records back they will be organized and inventoried to
be of use for years to come.  And I will be able to make meaningful
recommendations to the LNC as to culling.  And if the LNC in the future
ever wants to make records retention decisions they will actually know what
they have.

I can also get the state party here behind setting up a committee of
volunteers as a Historical Committee Support group to arrange organization
weekends in which I can spend weekends down with volunteers getting this
stuff into shape, and I will be able to directly supervise any bulk
scanning company we use.  And will be able to make sure we are not paying
to have 50 copies of one thing scanned because I will be able to curate the
items before they get sent out.

I think also if we video-documented this, it would be an interest piece for
next convention.   Also, though I haven't priced this out, I think the
storage costs would be less in CO. The facility doesn't have to be in
Castle Rock, we are spread out and more towards Denver in a less pricier
region would be more convenient for more volunteers here.

I am soliciting thoughts preliminary to making a motion.  I also ask Wes to
weigh in as he is closest to the issue.

-- 
*In Liberty,*
*Caryn Ann Harlos*
Region 1 Representative, Libertarian National Committee (Alaska, Arizona,
Colorado, Hawaii, Kansas, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Washington) - Caryn.Ann.
Harlos at LP.org <Caryn.Ann.Harlos at LP.org>
Communications Director, Libertarian Party of Colorado
<http://www.lpcolorado.org>
Colorado State Coordinator, Libertarian Party Radical Caucus
<http://www.lpradicalcaucus.org>
Chair, LP Historical Preservation Committee
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