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1o pbvide ro rbe ben of his ability for rh. nc.ds of hisrories md .rhd Es@h oortc6, (p.
rt
In 1915, shorily alid tE N.tioMl Archires ol lh. Unir.d 5@6 9a dr.btisncd .l
wahangto., D.C., nspa!.r olunnisl an mpring to d.fire ,lrrttrr hr his 6dcF
cme up wirh the @ocepllhar m Nhivht *6 ! d.ddle rlerl By prining $es
words wnhour ey punouatio[ it ws nol clw as to who w6 dad: ihe nle clert or
th. Iiles. ln a book about vords and expesions fi6l publhhed in 1975, rh. authoi
obsoed thal th€ e,p/,e,,rz archilht adully mds nusere or librory .lerk,
Jms Gcgory Bradsh.r in the ffut chlpr.r of his book dplains tnlt mhiv6 N not
d.{d fi16 sd orcnivisls @ not huern. lib6rr, oi fi|. clert (B6dshe, | 990, t, I ).
Scnwinlich 0988) s1aL! 0ta,t Archivhs build bridg6 fo. poopl. b mE b.nr..n
ime od spre- Th€y e GpoNiblc tor maldne 3ua: (a) Fople today @ !!@n4d
yeslerd.y, (b) p6plc tommw qn @nsrud !od{y, rd {c) @hiv6 @ phFicdly
presred dd nade aBalable, (p. I )
Ih d€ lone lem, pob.bly thc most inpoir.nt job don€ by d.hivisB, for eMplc, B
lhe selelion of lmrds for pEscw.tion or dcairuction, ln @rying oul lhis pross of
sel€clion, rrchivkk m ev€r rcady to be advh.d oi the cuml admihhhliv. of legsl v.lu.
intrinsi. in de eo.dsi but whq il @n.s to id..titing posible lo.g €m value, thcy husl
d6s oi their oq reeu@s of qpcrin@, p@ptio. dd gcndl colur. AEhivisrs $i dE
cri|qi. for acqui.i.g Molds l@dinA ro rh. .ndunry wlw to rl€n orerdaion &d lhe,
d*ide o rc.apr @ords &.ording ro dEn signitj6c.,