[Lnc-business] Discussion on LP records archives

Sat Mar 11 12:16:53 EST 2017

Of the initial $5k budget, how much has been spent?

Joshua A. Katz

On Sat, Mar 11, 2017 at 11:03 AM, Caryn Ann Harlos <carynannharlos at gmail.com
> wrote:

> 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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