On archival work in the 70s.

During some quality procrastinating-time last week I read two articles from the 1970s about doing archival work on the Democratic Republic of Congo; one in Katanga [1], the other in Brussels [2]. Some excerpts:

• "Photocopying of letters will usually have to be done at major urban centers like Lubumbashi. In 1973, there were a handful of photocopy machines scattered throughout Lubumbashi. One or two machines were in use at UNAZA, and there was even a priest who personally owned two photocopiers. However, it is difficult to predict which machines will be operable at any time, for they are heavily used; breakdowns are frequent; and spare parts and supplies are difficult to obtain." [1, p.188]
• The documents in these archives, like the headings, are written either in Flemish or French. There appears to be no consistent logic or "sociologic" underlying which documents are in which language. [2, p.288]
• Physically, the documents are in excellent condition: easy to read and to reproduce. The cabinet in which they are stored is located near a window in a spacious, quiet, well-lit corridor, where the researcher can comfortably work. [2, p. 290]

Although I am nuts about old documents and maps, I think that archival work is not my thing; I have problems sitting still and quiet. However, reading about it - and in general thinking about how life must have been back then - does make me really enthusiastic.

[1] Thomas Q. Reefe. 1976. Some Archives of Shaba Region, Republic of Zaire. History in Africa, Vol. 3, pp. 187-192.

[2] Willy De Craemer. 1977. The Congo/Zaire Archives of the Northern (Flemish) Belgian Jesuit Province in Brussels, Belgium. History in Africa, Vol. 4, pp. 287-290.