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Archiver > LOOKUP > 1997-11 > 0879885553


From: Helen Steller <>
Subject: Re: Blanket Lookups
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 1997 07:39:13 +1100


L. Williams wrote:
>
> I am a little concerned about the current discussion on blanket
> look-ups. I have frequently provided information to people looking for
> "any ref to the name XXXXXX" and it is not a problem. People seem to be
> complaining of providing the very service that we offer. Most of my
> books I have offered to look up have an index and it only takes a few
> moments. If there are just a few entries I will copy them out and send
> them all. If there are too many I will simply say that there are many
> entries for that name in that book and ask for more detail. If you
> can't provide what the person is asking for, just tell them so. You are
> all making me very nervous of asking anyone for anything!!
>
> Larraine
>

--

Hi all

In reply to Larraine's response above, I would just like to explain to
Larraine, and anyone else that is not sure what is being talked about,
that it is not the requests for any info on a surname in a particular
resource that is the problem. Maybe "blanket lookups" is a bad subject
line - maybe it should be "lookups in unavailable resources". The
problem is when people are asking for lookups in resources that are not
listed, or for certain types of lookups that are not possible for the
resources listed.

There should be no problem is the person requiring a lookup reads the
lookup page. I have gone to great lengths to try and explain what is
available, and what information is required, for a lookup to be done on
my pages.

But yes, Larraine is correct - I can, and do, just tell them I can't
help. But I do many of these, and I don't like doing them, and I would
rather try and cut down the number at the source.

thanks
Helen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Helen STELLER, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
email:
home page: http://users.hunterlink.net.au/~ddhms/index.html
co-ordinator for Somerset & Devon Exchange Lookup pages

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