how many requests is too many?

MauroMags · Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2009 11:10 am Post subject: how many requests is too many?

This subject has been discussed before, but i'm always ready to discuss it more. Basically, my question is... How many requests can you email the regional archive before they deem you annoying?

During the past 4+ years i've sent about 8 emails requesting documents from the provincial archive in Bari. In return, i've received 3 documents via email, 2 via regular mail, 1 email stating that the information i was looking could not be found and two times i never received a response at all.... So, all in all, i think i've been really succesful!

How many more requests do you think i can send? How busy are these archives?

thanks,
Mauro

nuccia

Mauro, I have also sent several emails and requests to one comune..yes, the know me by name and I am sure they deem me annoying by now but I will continue to send requests for as long as I need them and always only one or two at a time. As long as I am not "harassing" them weekly/monthly then I think they won't give me too much trouble. And when they don't reply I just get Riccardo to call them will a follow up phone call for me.. lol

MauroMags

I guess the spacing of the requests is important. I've had lots of success with the provinical archives maybe i should direct some more focus to the municipal level.... although i've never recieved ANY response for the requests i've sent there

lilbees

You are sooooooooooo right. The municipal level is definitely slow in responding or not at all. Again, it depends on the municipality you are working with. Some are great but not a lot.

My response with the Archives I deal with is they just dump everything they can find relating to my family and let me sort it out which is fine with me. If they cannot help me with a request they let me know in no uncertain terms. They do definitely answer.

lilbees

Eleven

As long as you are getting results..I would keep doing it.

charliemis

A few years back I started to send a few small gifts (like a baseball cap) to a certain gentleman in the Ufficio Stato Civile in Corato and followed that up with other trinkets (magnet, souvenir pen, etc.) when I have had the opportunity to visit in person....I have also sent Christmas cards a few times......to date, he has provided me with at least 60 different documents and he even came out of a meeting to say hello when I visited the Municipio in October (but I had wrtten to let him know I was coming to town and had a few questions). One time he provided documents for my family that I did not even request. I have shown him my results when meeting with him (my Paternal Family Tree) so he knows that I am using the data he provides....so far it has been money well spent and not really all that much (maybe $25-30 so far).

NOTE - he was the person who signed the documents, that was how I obtained his name ---- the woman who ran the Office of the Anagrafe was worthless and told me and my cousin that all the records were destroyrd

lilbees

Wow! a little kindness goes a long way.

lilbees

MauroMags

Charlie that's awesome, I guess the trick is to find somebody who's willing to help and be nice about it

charliemis

Just like anything else.....a little "priming the pump" goes a long way

Eleven

I really believe your success in getting anything is who opens your letter.

When I first started my genealogy, I wrote to Rionero and nobody ever replied. Because I had just begun, I put them on the back burner and continued on the branches where I could get the info. Ten years ago, I tried again. This time, I was getting the info in 2 weeks. I would send out another request and again, 2 weeks. This went on several times. All of the replies were signed by the same woman.

In June, I wrote again. They didnt answer me for 5 months. I have to wonder, where that letter sat for all of that time. I just mailed them again. I guess I wont hear from them until may..lol