NOTE: Not all responses add up to the number of returned surveys; many questions were left blank or had multiple answers.

1. How long have you been a member of CRAG?
15 0-3 years
4 4-6 years
5 7-9 years
9 10 years

2. Please check if you belong to any of the organizations listed below: [N.B.: Some people wrote in acronyms of various professional organizations. Apologies if I guessed the wrong or incomplete name of the organization.]
23 New England Archivists
17 Society of American Archivists
5 Academy of Certified Archivists
2 New England Library Association
2 Connecticut Library Association
3 Massachusetts Library Association
5 Special Libraries Association
8 New England Museum Association
1 National Association of Government Archives & Records Administrators
1 Association of Records Managers & Administrators
3 American Library Association
1 Connecticut Council of Academic Library Directors
1 New England Archivists of Religious Institutions
1 American Institute for Conservation
1 Medical Library Association
2 Connecticut Association Health Sciences Librarians
1 North Atlantic Association Health Sciences Librarians
1 Connecticut Secondary School Archivists Association
1 National Association for Museum Exhibition
1 American Association of Museums
1 New England Conservation Association
1 Bibliographic Society of America
1 American Printing History Association
1 Association of College & Research Libraries
1 Organization of American History
1 History of Science Society
1 Connecticut League of History Organizations
1 Association of Documentary Editors

3. What days are best for you to attend CRAG meetings?
11 Monday
16 Tuesday
15 Wednesday
12 Thursday
3 Friday
3 Saturday
2 Sunday
6 Any day

4. What times are best for you to attend CRAG meetings?
3 Morning (9:00- 12:00)
6 Afternoon (1:00 - 4:00)
16 Late Afternoon/Evening (4:00 - 8:00)
9 Evening (6:00 - 9:00)
5 Any Time

5. Last summer CRAG met in Springfield at the Basketball Hall of Fame; this winter we are meeting in Bloomfield/Hartford at CIGNA. In the spring/early summer, we plan to meet meeting at the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center in Mashantucket, Connecticut. Would be discouraged from attending this or other meetings because of the distance to travel?
5 Yes
25 No
1 Maybe
2 No Answer

"Yes, I would be discouraged" Comments:
· Once in a while will be OK, but I would not like to travel more than 1 hour on work nights (2 hours total); so please try to keep the meetings in the "Valley." [N.B.: What are the geographic boundaries of the "Valley"? ]
· Depends, would probably prefer to do long distance travel on a Saturday, rather than an evening.
· I work in Connecticut, but live in RI; it is the trip home that makes [travel] difficult.

"No, I would not be discouraged" Comments:
· But less likely to be able to fit in the time.

No answer Comments:
· Depends would probably prefer to do long distance travel on a Saturday, rather than an evening
· Distance is not as much of a problem as daylight (for driving visibility)

6. Would you prefer to meet most often in a centrally located place? (This may mean repeat visits to the same facility and could limit opportunities to visit other repositories).
5 Yes
23 No
2 No Preference
3 No Answer

"Yes, I would prefer a central meeting place" Comments:
· Particularly in winter, when travel is more difficult
· I'm always looking for ways to make my schedule easier!
· The initial CRAG meetings were at the Springfield Marriott, which I found the ideal location - centrally located, no parking worries, and decent food.
· As I dimly recall, the idea was that dinner and conversation would be fine if no tours or speakers could be lined up.

"No, I don't mind traveling" Comments:
· I'm interested in visiting a variety of archives/archives related businesses. Revisiting is OK, especially for new CRAG members, if not done too often. I've revisited with other groups because the archives' staff has changed or a meeting's speaker is different.
· I do not mind traveling around the "Valley." I enjoy trying other "hash houses."
· One reason I attend meetings is to see other facilities.
· Meetings in eastern Connecticut occasionally would be appreciated.
· For me, the most interesting part of CRAG would be the opportunity to visit other repositories.
· It is the people who are my #1 reason to come; Program , 2; Facility, 3rd. [N.B.: respondent did not want to meet in a centrally located place.]
· I'd rather visit new sites. Travel is not a problem with adequate notice of meeting.
· Part of the fun is getting to visit other repositories.
· I like the opportunity to see what's out there. I'm new to archives.
· I enjoy visiting different sites - and eating in different restaurants.
· Variety is the spice of life! I enjoy seeing what other archives are doing, how they're doing it, etc.

7. Most CRAG meetings consist of a repository tour, happy half-hour, dinner, and a talk. Meetings usually rotate between Connecticut and Massachusetts. Please suggest places for CRAG to meet. (Repeat visits are fine.) [N.B.: number in parentheses indicates number of respondents who suggested the meeting site.]

Connecticut:
Aetna
CRLC (Capitol Region Library Council)
Connecticut Historical Society (4)
Mark Twain House (4)
Mashantucket Pequot Museum (2)
Trinity College
University of Connecticut, Dodd Center
University of Hartford
Wadsworth Athenaeum (2)
Wesleyan Cinema Archives

Massachusetts:
Amherst College (2)
Any where in Northampton
Deerfield (2)
Frederick Law Olmstead NHS, Brookline, Massachusetts
Inn at Northampton
Jones Library, Northampton
Mount Holyoke College
Springfield Armory
Springfield Library and Museum Quadrangle
Yiddish Book Center, North Hampton

8. Would you be willing to host a CRAG meeting?
14 Yes
10 No
8 No Answer

Repositories willing to host a CRAG meeting:

Connecticut:
CIGNA Archives
Hartford Steam Boiler Archives
Hillstead Museum
Mashantucket Pequot Museum
St. Joseph's College
Stowe Day Center
Trinity College Archives
Wesleyan Cinema Archives
Wesleyan University Archives

Massachusetts:
Amherst
Basketball Hall of Fame
Mount Holyoke College
University Products

Comment:
· Northampton (Massachusetts) has some great restaurants and great repositories to tour - Smith College, Words & Pictures Museum, etc.
· Steve Lytle would be willing to meet on a one at a time basis with CRAG members in the Hartford Hospital Hamilton Archives; [however] it would not be possible [to meet as a group] in a hospital setting with patients, etc.

9. After dinner talks have covered a wide range of topics including imaging, preservation, NHPRC grant guidelines, and (soon) donor relations. Please suggest topics you want to have presented at a CRAG meeting.
Topics Suggested:
Appraisal
Archives management (policies & procedures)
Archives profession: What is its future?
Artifacts in archives
Code of ethics for archivists
Computerized archives
Copyright (2)
Digital imaging technology: equipment, costs, practicality (3)
EAD: What is it ? (2)
EAD: Connecticut Historical Society staff describing their project
Electronic records
Finding aids (computerized and otherwise)
Getting good "press" for your archives with limited resources and effort
Hard Copy: Does it have a future in today's computer world?
Helping archives at all volunteer organizations
Knowledge management : Does it impact archives?
Legal control of archives and manuscripts
NBA Basketball
Outreach
Photographic collections (2)
Preservation
Records management policies
Records retention guidelines
Scrapbook preservation
SHRAB (State historical records advisory board)
Technology: Has the computer replaced microform?
Website: content, creation, and management
Working with students and volunteers

10. For several years CRAG members elected a "governing committee" of six people. This "committee" has dwindled down to one or two volunteers. Which do you prefer?
7 Governing Committee
11 Volunteer System
3 Unsure
12 No Answer

Comments:
· Ours is a small group that really works best with volunteers [N.B.: there are 193 CRAG members]

11. Would you be willing to serve on either the governing committee or as a volunteer coordinator?
9 Yes
13 No
11 No Answer

Comments from respondents who are willing to serve on the committee or as a volunteer [N.B.: Of the 6 people who would consider serving on either an elected board or as a volunteer coordinator, only 3 did not restrict or negate their availability. Each of the three have or are currently serving as an elected or volunteer coordinator.]:
· I will try to do what I can in the future, time permitting. I can not take on the role at this time.
· In the future, when fully staffed.
· Maybe in just a clerical capacity. I'm pretty booked now.

Comments from respondents who are not willing to serve on the committee or as a volunteer:
· Perhaps volunteer to assist with projects.
· Alas, I am over committed to other groups now.
· Not at this time. (2)
· Sorry.

Comments from respondents who did not answer:
· That would depend on where the planning meetings were held. Anywhere beyond the Springfield area would be out.
· Sometime in the future.
· I will not have the time to participate in governance over the next 2-3 years.
· Maybe.

12. Could you suggest someone who might like to serve or volunteer? [N.B.: I did not include this information in the results so as to not put any particular people on the spot.]

13. Additional Comments:
· I am mostly an inactive member as the meetings are concerned mostly with current technical problems.
· Since this is my first meeting, I don't feel qualified to answer any of the above questions [N.B.: #7-13]. I am looking forward to my first meeting.
· Meeting dates need to be set further in advance. I need a couple of months notice if I must clear an afternoon; that's why I haven't been able to attend last few meetings.
· My attendance will undoubtedly be sporadic because of distance; mainly because of distance; but also because of the meeting time. If it remains almost always in the evening or late afternoon, I do not feel that it is safe for me to drive long distances alone at night.
· I would hope that CRAG could remain a relatively low-key and informal group for archivists in the area.
· I can not be at the dinner due to a previously scheduled event. Frankly, I'd rather be at the 10th anniversary dinner.

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Last updated March 3, 1999