I have worked in some libraries or archival facilities in this country where the "culture" seems to be to intentionally drive away all potential users. I think, for instance, of the archives center in Landover, Maryland (which held mission records of the 8th Air Force, among other things), before the construction of the great facility near the University of Maryland in College Park.

On the other hand, at the National Park Service headquarters for the military parks in the Fredericksburg, Virginia, area, where I worked (for a few weeks during two or three visits) on a table in a hallway between file cabinets, I felt priviledged to use their files. These were gathered at great expense in time, effort, and perhaps money, by many dedicated researchers. If the conditions were quite difficult, thoughts of the dedication which had brought forth the collections palliated my own discomfort.

I have also worked in libraries and archives in third world and European countries. Even in the best European circumstances, there are many features which we Americans sometimes take for granted which are not present. In third world countries, there may be no xerox machines, or anything beyond the books or documents.

Certainly there are many things which a country with our resources (or institutions in our country) could do to make library usage and research easier. I think, however, that most American researchers have a "pain threshold" which is far too low. By experiencing various conditions, my respect for my predecessors grew immensely, as did my respect for many foreign colleagues. So I do not argue against anything user friendly, but urge only that American scholars think of the difficulties they face, and compare these difficulties with those of often "infinitely" greater magnitude in some other places.

If there is an arrogance in American scholarship, part of it, I think, follows from a limited view of the facilities they generally have. The discussion now at hand is inconceivable for many parts of the world. And this is a point which, I think at least, no American scholar should overlook.

-- Melburn D. Thurman, (posted 11/21, 4:20 p.m., U.S. Eastern time)

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