Up until a week ago, I didn't know we had a national tobacco document depository.
It's in a warehouse in a semi-bad neighborhood. There are no signs outside. The windows are darkened. Almost all of the interior doors have signs reading "keep out, authorized personnel only" just in case you were getting any ideas after finally finding the building and getting past the security. I think it's their way of welcoming you.
I had a special tour of the warehouse. They have over 800 million paper documents stored in the back. In paper boxes. Thank goodness for that no smoking in the workplace law - that back room looks like really good tinder.
The settlement made all of the records in the depository public. All of the records except those locked in the top secret room of which I was not allowed to learn the location. The tobacco company is paying for this, so they kindly gave the public computer systems to search the documents.
Except the documents aren't digital.
Thus, the computer system is used to look up the box the document is in, and then a worker has to go get the box for you. After you look through the box, they have to look at all the documents in that box to make sure you didn't sneak anything out (or in). Then the box is replaced in that serial killer haven warehouse.
Not a terrible system. At least you can search the documents by date, and when the search item is clicked on a preview of the document is typed up for you.
Except you can't. And it doesn't.
You can search for advertisements - and you get a list of all advertisements, advertising plans, internal advertising campaigns, etc for the tobacco company chosen. However, you don't know what is what. You just get a list of numbers that correlate to papers that are related to advertising. I think it's their way of saying "ha ha, suckers".
I did find by accident one handwritten note that said, "My kids want to be cigarette cartons for Halloween this year." Took me four boxes to find that one memo.
I have never appreciated Google more.
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