I just fell in love with NPR's Planet Money podcast but can't figure out how to access back episodes. [more inside]
posted by hungrytiger on Nov 8, 2009 - 4 answers

How can I develop a plan to help a small community organization organize its archival materials (something like a self-accessioning plan, I guess)? What should I read? Who should I talk to? [more inside]
posted by liketitanic on Oct 30, 2009 - 5 answers

As a part of my academic research, I'm digging into the Edison Papers, and finding (mostly handwritten) archival materials from the late 19th century. I'm embarrassed to admit I can barely read the cursive handwriting of Edison and his colleagues. Does anyone know where I might find samples of 19th-century script to help me learn how to read this archival material? [more inside]
posted by Monsters on Oct 28, 2009 - 8 answers

What type of publication has around 20 pages? [more inside]
posted by ergibson on Oct 2, 2009 - 18 answers

In response to this post: did the Weather Underground actually claim responsibility for the Cleveland Rodin bombing? [more inside]
posted by puckish on Sep 30, 2009 - 3 answers

How can I find recordings of my grandmother from when she was on CBC radio in the late 40s/early 50s? [more inside]
posted by ocherdraco on Sep 13, 2009 - 4 answers

Trying to find memory-holed "60 Minutes" episode from 1986... can anyone help? [more inside]
posted by cgs06 on Aug 5, 2009 - 9 answers

Usenet was my first real online community -- it's coming up on twenty-five years (!) since I pushed my first clump of snarky, juvenile flamage out into the aether. I'd like to download copies of my old messages from Google Groups, but they don't make it easy, and worse, a lot of what Google used to have isn't showing up in searches anymore... [more inside]
posted by Lazlo on Jun 30, 2009 - 5 answers

I'm trying to find a way to expand a file that's in an ancient Mac archive format (Now Compress). [more inside]
posted by NewGear on Jun 12, 2009 - 8 answers

How can I access remote Outlook archive files with no lag or easily back up (large) local Outlook archive files (PST) to the network? [more inside]
posted by NailsTheCat on Jun 1, 2009 - 15 answers

Have you ordered a US military personnel file (aka "OMPF," or "201 file"), for someone famous that was "released" under the Persons of Exceptional Prominence (PEP) program? How did that go? How long did it take? Did you have to go there in person? [more inside]
posted by garfy3 on May 8, 2009 - 4 answers

How's the field of records management / archives looking, for a new MLS? [more inside]
posted by onell on Apr 22, 2009 - 4 answers

I'm looking for an easy way to browse the "popular" US political news stories of the past four years online ... by week. Wondering if there's a site that offers a "big stories of the week" feature. [more inside]
posted by metajc on Feb 10, 2009 - 12 answers

I am looking for examples of online history archives that allow users to tag, annotate, and otherwise attach information to items in the collection. I know about Footnote.com where users may add annotations, dates, names, and searchable text to documents. I know about the Flickr Library of Congress photostream. What other examples should I know about before my institution embarks on a similar project? [more inside]
posted by LarryC on Dec 1, 2008 - 10 answers

Where can I find antebellum white-on-black rape statistics? [more inside]
posted by billtron on Sep 29, 2008 - 8 answers

I'm thinking of going back to school to study public history, but I'm not sure what angle yet. Tell me all the juicy (read: horrible) details about being an archivist. The stuff I'm not likely to get from schools or job descriptions.
posted by Roman Graves on Aug 18, 2008 - 10 answers

My grandfather's old photos are stuck in deteriorating "magnetic" albums. How can I save them? [more inside]
posted by nkknkk on Jul 26, 2008 - 5 answers

I'm thinking of starting up a home-based business doing repair and cosmetic work on old/damaged books and other artefacts. How do I get started? General knowledge about the logistics of starting a small, home-based business are also welcome. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Jul 9, 2008 - 5 answers

Where can I find a transcript of what George Carlin told the Supreme Court? [more inside]
posted by philosophistry on Jun 30, 2008 - 6 answers

Is it safe to assume that anyone professionally employed in a computer-using job (secretary, assistant, ect.) is familiar with ZIP archives? What about the public at large? [more inside]
posted by unmake on Jun 18, 2008 - 29 answers

I'm trying to find out what "J.S. of A." stands for. It's engraved on a stone included in an archival collection I'm processing. [more inside]
posted by ryanshepard on Jun 7, 2008 - 9 answers

How unsafe is it to work in a warehouse filled with hundred + year old stuffed exhibits (buffalo, cougars, birds, snakes, etc.) It contains the archives of a natural history museum. One of the scientists there told me that, although they would like to get rid of some of these old specimens, no one would want them as they were taxidermed the old fashioned way with mercury and formaldehyde, etc. They, also, have a bar of radium from Madame Curie but its on a different floor. I've inquired as to how its packaged but I'd be surprised if its done properly in a lead box. I just read an article that made a connection with working around formaldehyde and ALS - my most feared disease. I only work (volunteer) there 2 days a week but am I in any danger doing so? Thanks
posted by Tullyogallaghan on Apr 17, 2008 - 9 answers

After burning a cd using Itunes, is a copy of the playlist automatically archived? And if so, how do you access it? [more inside]
posted by h00py on Nov 23, 2007 - 4 answers

Help me solve the mystery of an obscure 2D barcode, indexing historically valuable documents from the Vietnam war! [more inside]
posted by garfy3 on Sep 22, 2007 - 29 answers

Archive quality camera needed: I need to get a new camera to take photographs of very dirty and battered parchment, but I don't know where to begin. [more inside]
posted by jb on Aug 1, 2007 - 14 answers

Who would want old natural science archives? I'm a librarian who is doing volunteer work for a big natural science museum. They have dumped their old printed journals, surveys, etc. in a warehouse and I've been sitting on a stool sorting through it, recording what is there. [more inside]
posted by Tullyogallaghan on Jul 2, 2007 - 23 answers

Is there a source of just general national (U.S.) stories from the AP and Reuters wires, spanning roughly the 1980s-2000s? Plaintext news is needed. [more inside]
posted by calhound on Mar 15, 2007 - 5 answers

Helping make a historical documentary, I'm looking for photo archives of various scenes in England in the 20th century. [more inside]
posted by zadcat on Feb 22, 2007 - 4 answers

How can I manage my email archives more effectively and efficiently using Microsoft Outlook? [more inside]
posted by mattr on Nov 16, 2006 - 5 answers

Can anyone recommend any good online resources containing reference images, specifically fashion, throughout various historical decades/eras? [more inside]
posted by Robot Johnny on Nov 11, 2006 - 6 answers

How do I find old postings of mine in Prodigy and my original ICQ number? [more inside]
posted by bkdelong on Oct 1, 2006 - 12 answers

Best digital camera to use in archives? [more inside]
posted by LarryC on Sep 29, 2006 - 20 answers

Is there a simple way to have very old Usenet posts authored by you, deleted? [more inside]
posted by pricklypear on Jun 22, 2006 - 11 answers

I've noticed that libraries often put a rigid, clear plastic coating on the covers of paperback books. The coating makes the book covers more sturdy and durable. What is that coating, and is it available to retail consumers?
posted by jayder on Mar 30, 2006 - 13 answers

I'm researching the American Civil War and the Reconstruction. [more inside]
posted by Alvy Ampersand on Mar 23, 2006 - 13 answers

How do folks handle archiving paper documents like personal correspondence (the snail mail kind), journals and the like? I have about 17 years worth of stuff and am trying to conceptualize of some sort of project to be able to look back on different years at a glance. BTW, it's not like I'm one of the Collyer brothers--all told, we're probably talking about 4 boxes of letters and such that I've saved over the years. I was thinking of organizing something chronological, using something like magazine files but I'm curious to hear how other folks organize and archive their stuff. Special bonus question--what about electronic documents, like emails and things you write? I know, I could store them online forever, but what's neat about old fashioned paper is that the reader and the information are self contained. Do you print things out, and again, if so, do you have any tricks for storing them?
posted by teddyb109 on Dec 24, 2005 - 9 answers

First time poster here... I am changing employment and I have some huge archives on my GroupWise email. How do I optimally transfer the archives [and address book!] to another GroupWise system? (Our Novell guys tell me I can't) How do I transfer the address book and archives to a NON-GroupWise system? (For complicated reasons, Outlook is probably not available on either end.) I'd hate to lose all that history -and all those addresses! Thanks in advance!
posted by DrOptimism on Dec 12, 2005 - 5 answers

I'm trying to access Time Magazine archives for some old articles. I went to BugMeNot.com to get some login information, but none of those accounts seem to work. The login at Time.com seems to require an e-mail address as login for the archive, so the BugMeNot ones don't fit. Anyone have access to a Time.com Login I can use?
posted by Like the Reef on Nov 8, 2005 - 10 answers

How do you archive your bookmarked articles and sites for quick recall? I've always been incredibly impressed at the ability for some to post a link to an article they've read a year ago at a moment's notice. How do you find it so quicky? [more inside]
posted by any major dude on Sep 15, 2005 - 13 answers

Where can I find the text of briefings filed with the Supreme Court? Also, where can I find a list of cases a lawyer has participated in? [more inside]
posted by Embryo on Jul 20, 2005 - 6 answers

If I post a message to a public internets forum, and then decide I would like to retract my statement, is the site owner/admin under any obligation to do so? Suppose there were no Terms of Service, and user editing/deleting is not supported. What about archived threads?
posted by Jack Karaoke on Nov 26, 2004 - 10 answers

Does anyone know of a Popbitch archive? There is no such thing on the Popbitch web site. I mainly need the one from this past week, but a full archive would be useful, too.
posted by Mo Nickels on Sep 12, 2004 - 5 answers