In message <[log in to unmask]>, HISTARCH 
automatic digest system <[log in to unmask]> writes
>not directly archaeological, but on the one hand this kind of archive =
>(or museum) always underlines for me how little we actually do and/or =
>can know about the people(s) we excavate: always humbling...
>on the other hand, this "Unison's Memory of the World programme" is =
>something new to me, but looks like a very interesting development, =
>since it seems to be granting "world heritage status" to archives and =
>collections:
>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7085430.stm

It is UNESCO's (big international organization) rather than Unison's 
(British public sector trade union)' programme. More here: 
http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=1538&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SEC
TION=201.html

I too welcome the broadening of UNESCO designation to include 
collections/archives and the museums/repositories/organizations which 
care for them and their interpretation.

A good next step would be for UNESCO and its national equivalents 
(perhaps this is something for Unison!) to recognise the excellence in 
management (i.e. recognising that while a site, archive or collection is 
itself "only" of national, regional or more local 
importance/significance, the work done by the institution is of 
international (or national) significance.

Cheers,

Pat
-- 
Pat Reynolds

It may look messy now ...
         ... but just you come back in 500 years time (T. Pratchett).