Harwell collection at library at risk

**begingri** · June-09-11, 11:29 AM

DETROIT [[AP) — Friends and custodians of a massive collection of baseball memorabilia donated by the late Detroit Tigers broadcaster Ernie Harwell to the Detroit Public Library say the artifacts are typically inaccessible to the public and that pieces are at risk of theft.

The primary caretaker of the collection that's worth an estimated $4 million was laid off in the year since Harwell's death, further limiting access to the appointment-only display at the library that had only 500 visitors in 2010, The Detroit News reported Thursday.

Library spokesman A.J. Funchess said the system has tightened security and the collection is not at risk, and the most valuable items are archived and secure.
"It's still available to people," Funchess said. "It may not be the ideal access they may like . but that is pretty much how we have to do it.

"We are doing the best we can do with what we have to work with. We are committed to these collections."

Harwell, a baseball announcing legend, died in May 2010 at the age of 92. The collection includes thousands of baseball cards, letters and other artifacts.

Theft already has been an issue. Four years ago, a former library staffer was fired for stealing some of Harwell's baseball cards. The cards were returned, but the employee wasn't prosecuted and the newspaper reports officials can't be certain they got all the cards back.

A former librarian said many boxes of artifacts are stored — but uncatalogued — in the basement, meaning it is difficult to know if items have been removed.

Continued at: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseb...20798721_x.htm

**Baselinepunk** · June-09-11, 11:45 AM

Frankly, if that collection hasn't been cataloged I'm very surprised it is even accessible by the public.

The missing items speaks more to the libraries policies and procedure than anything else. There are a ton of folks out there that want items for what ever reasons. If the library is unwilling, or unable, to make sure they are ethical stewards of public treasures than they should not may items available at the very least and/or transfer ownership to a repository that can provide proper care and feeding, like the Detroit Historical Museum. I'm pretty sure they would welcome Ernie's materials with open arms.

**jackie5275** · June-09-11, 01:06 PM

Would the folks at the DHM be more trustworthy or less susceptible to financial problems resulting in layoffs of staff? This won't sound popular, but perhaps Cooperstown could give the collection more justice.

**RedeemerKid** · June-09-11, 01:10 PM

Sell the collection to a responsible collector and give the Detroit Library a big pile of operating cash for people to steal instead of Ernie's stuff.

**Melocoton** · June-09-11, 01:48 PM

Despite the author's best efforts at making this into some sort of DPL scandal [["critics argue that instead of renovating the Main Branch, $1,100 trash cans, etc. etc.....") I don't see where this has anything to do with mismanagement or irresponsible stewardship.

#1: the library has to keep cutting its staff, including archivists to sort the collection or scan it for online use, so that's that; #2) the fact that most of the collection isn't on display isn't unusual for a museum/library collection anywhere in the world and #3) every other library, museum, and university in the region is slashing its staff, so sorry: the Detroit Historical Society or Wayne State are probably not going to jump at the chance to add more operating expenses to their already shrinking budgets.

**Det_ard** · June-09-11, 01:59 PM

Given the level of mismanagement, malfeasance and lack of funds, is it time for the Detroit Public Library to be run [[yes, taken over) by a "Friends of the DPL" group like the DIA? Of course, it would be stealing another of Detroit's jewels, but the thief would be capable of operating the library in a professional fashion that's not achievable under the status quo.

**Danny** · June-09-11, 03:30 PM

I say keep the Ernie Harwell collection on I.C.E. until someonw come up with some money to for the new caretaker to keep the exibit open.

DetroitPole · June-09-11, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by jackie5275

Would the folks at the DHM be more trustworthy or less susceptible to financial problems resulting in layoffs of staff? This won't sound popular, but perhaps Cooperstown could give the collection more justice.

No city employees work at the DHM. That answers your question right there. The Detroit Historical Society is an independent non-profit organization that operates the DHM, Dossin Great Lakes Museum, and the collection. The City used to run the operations of the Museums until 2006, when they turned it over to the DHS. Naturally things run much smoother with much, much less money, and people don't sleep at their desks all day anymore either.
So yes, absolutely, they would be more trustworthy.

**mikeg19** · June-09-11, 04:16 PM

Man wouldn't it be awesome if they just left the partial stadium behind home plate and housed the Earnie Harwell collection there as a museu..........Oh wait.

**Thames** · June-09-11, 05:16 PM

Originally Posted by Melocoton

Despite the author's best efforts at making this into some sort of DPL scandal [["critics argue that instead of renovating the Main Branch, $1,100 trash cans, etc. etc.....") I don't see where this has anything to do with mismanagement or irresponsible stewardship.

#1: the library has to keep cutting its staff, including archivists to sort the collection or scan it for online use, so that's that; #2) the fact that most of the collection isn't on display isn't unusual for a museum/library collection anywhere in the world and #3) every other library, museum, and university in the region is slashing its staff, so sorry: the Detroit Historical Society or Wayne State are probably not going to jump at the chance to add more operating expenses to their already shrinking budgets.

Maybe they should have started with cutting the ghost employees?

Vox · June-09-11, 05:40 PM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

Man wouldn't it be awesome if they just left the partial stadium behind home plate and housed the Earnie Harwell collection there as a museu..........Oh wait.

I like Ernie Harwell as a broadcaster, but his decision to cut his ties to the Tiger Stadium group kind of tarnished his image in my mind. Now this. While I can see what he was getting at [[Detroit archive institution) he should have picked somebody else.

**Baselinepunk** · June-09-11, 09:05 PM

"Would the folks at the DHM be more trustworthy or less susceptible to financial problems resulting in layoffs of staff?"

Yes. Absolutely.

"This won't sound popular, but perhaps Cooperstown could give the collection more justice"

Absolutely not. Giving the Harwell collection to another repository outside this local area would be like giving "our" buildings gargoyles to Chicago.

BTW -- x2 what DetroitPole posted.

The issue here is that DPL is a great place and has a fine history, and for the most part has done as good of a job as they can under the current conditions. However, if they are unable to care for important material culture then they should do the ethical thing and at least re-locate those items to another repository temporarily. The good thing about this is that by now a bunch of folks in the "care and feeding" field are now aware of this situation and these folks will step in and make sure the collections [[refugees), as much as possible, will be taken care of.