Day: December 26, 2009

closure of the year

BFP1 Comment
It was Christmas at the Archives
And the cold bare walls are bright
With tinsel decorations
And signs about copyright
The volunteers and customers
Have given many treats
Tins of Roses, shortbread tails
And even homemade sweets
The searchroom is like a wasteland
With everything quiet and still
No whirring from the microfilm
Or ringing of the till
But one man remains seated
Trawling through the books
Regardless of the silent room
And the assistant’s angry looks
“They must be in here somewhere,
I know they will be found
I’ll try another parish
In case they moved around”
He requests another volume
Although it’s nearly four
Despite the early closing
He might just do one more
The archivist walks over
And puts the volume down
He turns the parchment pages
And reads them with a frown
Then suddenly he sees them!
And gives a happy shout
The name he’s searched for many years
Was there without a doubt
The staff are there to share his joy
It’s only twenty past!
If they help him take a copy
They might get home at last
He leaves with joyful wishes
The copy given free
The staff lock up, set the alarm
And turn the lights off on the tree
Each one goes home happy
A job well done they said
A long lost relative is found
And we go home to bed
The customer’s also delighted
And full of Christmas cheer
“That’s one lot found,” he says aloud
But plenty more next year!”

(quoted from Archivists, conservators and records managers weblist. [ARCHIVES-NRA@JISCMAIL.AC.UK], posted by Jenny Moran).