From: NASM Archives
Subject: New! NASM Archives Reference Desk
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NASM ARCHIVES REFERENCE DESK ANNOUNCES NEW INTERNET ADDRESS
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The Archives Division of the National Air and Space Museum is
pleased to announce that we are now "on-line" at
NASMARCH@SIVM.SI.EDU.
Please note that this address will bring inquiries to our
Reference and Outreach Team, and that we are providing this
access on an experimental basis.
Our greatest strengths are found in the following archival
holdings:
Photographs
Blueprints and Drawings
Special Collections
Technical Information on Aircraft, Airmen, Propulsion
Systems and Lighter-than-Air Subjects
Besides the thousands of "snail-mail" inquiries we receive yearly
on these subjects from all over the world, we also welcome on-
site researchers weekdays on an appointment basis, in case anyone
would care to make the trip. Table space for researchers is
limited, however, and we are thus constrained by this physical
limitation and by the small size of our Reference and Outreach
Team.
WHAT WE CAN HANDLE: Within the limitations of our archival
holdings and our co-located NASM Branch Library, we very seldom
have to send researchers away empty-handed. When we can't help,
we attempt to suggest worthwhile alternate resources.
Needless to say, it helps us tremendously if your request is
specific. For instance, if you are looking for engineering
drawings for the P-51 "Mustang" fighter-bomber, it would help if
you specify whether you are looking for the P-51A, P-51B, P-51C,
P-51D or whatever. Requests must be limited to no more than five
aircraft or subjects per request, and we can respond to no more
than one request per person or organization per month. Your
request should include:
* The specific topic or topics in which you are interested
* Your name
* Your E-mail address
* Your mailing address
We will ONLY respond to inquiries which include all of the above!
*If we can*, we will respond to "Ready Reference" requests by e-
mail. These will usually be questions that can be answered as
though we were dealing with you over the telephone. For more
complex questions, requiring more in-depth research, we will
respond ONLY by surface mail for domestic requests, air-mail for
overseas requests. Thus it is VERY IMPORTANT that we have your
MAILING ADDRESS for the more complex requests, as we will ONLY
respond to those inquiries so structured.
Finally, please understand that we simply cannot get into a
dialogue on the net with you on a personal basis, and be patient
with us if you don't get an instantaneous response. Requests
other than Ready Reference inquiries will be handled STRICTLY in
the order we receive them, just as are surface mail, airmail or
fax requests.
Please feel free to cross-post this information to other
appropriate lists.
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NASMARCH@SIVM.SI.EDU Archives Division MRC 322
Archives Reference Desk National Air and Space Museum
Tel: 202-357-3133 Smithsonian Institution
Fax: 202-786-2835 Washington DC 20560