I will charitably suuppose they are not used to properly-run archives...
Somebody who is connected with an association interested in the works of an individual some of whose papers we hold wants to visit. I'm not here during the very short window when they can come, and it so happens that the department is going to be v short-handed on the day in question, and I have explained this. They ask whether, even so, it would be possible for somebody to show them the collection in question:
how it is housed, arranged, catalogued, etc
and thinks an hour or so would do it.
The catalogue is available online for anybody who cares to consult it. I have also sent them the electronic file of the Word version.
Also pointed out our standards of physical care (storage to BS5454 standard, acid free folders, non-corrosive paper clips etc), our access policy and procedures for consulting archives.
This all rather suggests to me that person is more used to institutions which keep their archives in a cellar, probably alongside the institutional crates of wine, and that the person i/c them only even lets people look at the inventory, if there is one, if person i/c likes the cut of the enquirer's jib. And then pulls out, if at all, the things that they think enquirer should be consulting.
Yes, I am smug that I work in an archive sufficiently well-run that people don't have to ingratiate themselves with an individual or give some kind of masonic handshake before being given any kind of information about our holdings.
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