transparency with the public

[troll]

For the duration of commercial projects, clauses of client confidentiallity mean that we can`t discuss with the public.At the end of the project, our overwhelmingly dismal A4 reports hit the desk of the publicly hidden SMRs. Just what is it that we are trying to hide from the public-the owners of the heritage.
How do we change this?
Should copies of finished reports be sent to local libraries? Should we think about writing reports that are neither exclusive (archaeo-speak) or indeed, "just so" stories with little or no interpretation or reference to research frameworks?
Should reports also be sent to local universities?

[the invisible man]

Fantasy: every area has a well funded and well staffed museum which also maintains the SMR, archives and reports, and is the home of the county mounty and the county archaeological unit. SMR and inventories are publicly searchable.

England will win the World Cup next year, then retain the Ashes in Australia, and all the trains will run on time.

Today, Bradford. Tomorrow, well, Bradford probably.

[Cautionary Tale]

Pigs fed ready to fly sir.

Whats wrong with hooking up with the ADS for a email in summary site?. Publicly searchable, no fee etc

[BAJR Host]

I refer the honourable gentleman to the following link.

http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/library/greylit/

I would say that the half way Data Structure Report is desparately needed... somewhere between the dull context lists and the popular productions.

In my Curator Dictatorship I ask for all reports to be available on pdf format, so when I get my luverly online HER (or SMR if you want) all the reports will be available as well.


ps.... Thanks Troll for the ball rolling !!


Another day another WSI…

[drpeterwardle]

Reports are routinely placed in Libraries in London and have been for the last 10 years.

Any document submitted as part of a planning application is automatically in the public domain in any event. I have never seen the need for secrecy once the planning application is submitted.

Some things such as contractual arrangements and costs are not in the public domain.

Peter

[troll]

Sounds promising thus far...one point is that not everyone has access to the internet and although it`s a nice medium with which to release information expediently, I would still like to see a corner of a library lined with readily available hard copy.Not just in English either........

[Cautionary Tale]

Just a thought but most libraries do have internet access in them now, although I take the point load and clear that its isn't as easy or universally accessable as hard copy on the 'bookshelf' (or indeed free), and it wouldn't be my first choice for getting losts of info about archaeological sites.

(I really have worked in the field)