On 10/1/07, Florian Straub flominator@gmx.net wrote:
What about their chat feature called "Ask a librarian" on their website? I've asked for an article from a book, they scanned and mailed the copy about 2 hours later and the next day I even had a copy of the original release of it.
Tell them, what you need it for. I think it's worth a try.
It's harder for photos -- most of these federal archives are really quite backwards in terms of their info technology policies and charge an arm and a leg to scan things. (The Smithsonian amazingly charges more based on DPI, despite the fact that upping the resolution while scanning does not take any more effort and barely any more time!) And their image processing departments take FOREVER last time I checked (I filed to have a photo scanned for me last July and haven't heard back from them yet. I managed to get permission to use it in my work from them, but they haven't sent me the actual image yet! Totally lame.)
Fortunately most of the LOC stuff is already online but with a hidden directory structure, as noted. (I think it further reflects their info backwardness that they have a system like this, where hi res photos are there but require guessing the URL. There's no rational reason to have such a system -- it effectively manages to offer neither convenience nor security.)
FF