Page 4 - 2014-09

Problems with the NFSA are systemic plaguing both Film and Sound.

In 2005 I began researching a biography Lindsay Hardy, who wrote thriller serials such
as Dossier on Demetrius. Hardy was a household name.
My first problem came when I rang to find out if the Archive held any recordings of
Hardy’s serials. The result was very off-putting, especially when the arrogant youngish female
voice informed me that she was a film person and wasn't interested in radio anyway.
From subsequent written enquiries, and several phone calls. 1 learnt in 2006 that the
Archive held material written by Hardy and recordings of a significant number of his serials.
One Wednesday about 2010 I rang to say that I hoped to arrive in Canberra on the weekend,
and I hoped this would be sufficient notice for the Hardy material to be retrieved from storage.
On Monday I leant that no action had been taken, and to expect a phone call from the relevant
staff member. By 3 p.m. Wednesday I was still waiting.
The friend in Canberra rang a contact and learnt that three months notice was preferred
for access to recorded material, and one month for paper material. Why wasn’t I not told that
as early as 2006? The requirement for a month's notice to read documents is ridiculous. The
reason is to provide enough time for a paper conservator to be consulted. This is precious and
pretentious. I know that paper has to be looked after, but to call in a paper conservator for paper
that can not be older than commercial radio is ludicrous.
Fortunately one of the NFSA’s librarians took pity on me as I waited in the library for
the papers to arrive. I showed the person a letter from Graham Shirley listing the materials held
on Hardy. As a result the papers were delivered, from off-site storage, within six working hours
proving that a month's notice is not required.
After reading the papers I noticed that a copy of Pictorial Show, August 1957 had not
been delivered. I asked for it, and, was twice assured that it had been with the papers that I had
received. I had driven to Canberra specifically to do this research and was becoming increas-
ingly frustrated. A librarian overheard the repeated assurances, told me that library held copies
of Pictorial Show and kindly went to get them, returned to tell me that they were not on the shelf,
the shelves were not accessible to the public, a staff member must have borrowed them, and
not left any note about their whereabouts. The librarian suspected that they have been stolen
by a staff member. Months later they could still not be found.
Shortly after my arrival I left some material with a staff member, who wished to copy
it for the Archive. The following Monday, as I was due to return to Adelaide on Wednesday, I
became concerned. After several phone calls, during w h i c h I was told that he was in the
building, but must be at a meeting. I rang on Tuesday and said that the matter was urgent as I
was leaving Canberra the following afternoon. The receptionist enquired and ... he had been
away all week ill. The others had not bothered to check. The papers were found on his desk.
It seems to me that there is a significant, possibly systemic, problem with the storage-
retrieval operation. I suspect that the curators, and those under them, see their role as a choice
between preserving material and making it available to researchers, and unfortunately empha-
size the former and ignore the latter unless forced to act. Preserving material for its own sake
is arid and unproductive, it should be preserved to be used.
Even if I received second rate consideration, Lindsay Hardy deserved better. A
courteous and lengthy reply to my complaints from the then CEO, Dr Darryl McIntyre, agreed
with me that preserving material for the sake of preserving material is a pointless exercise.
Graham Shirley, Matthew Davies, the Librarians and the cafe staff were always friendly
and helpful.
A couple of years ago I wrote again to Graham Shirley to tell him that I had finished
my biography, offer NFSA a copy, and DVDs of the three motion pictures that were based
upon Hardy's serials, one of which featured his own screen play. As he now worked in a
different section, he referred my enquiries to the relevant staff, who would ring me back. They
never contacted me.
Peter Adamson Walkerville SA

4 REEL DEALS September 2014