[Genealib] Lansing Journal poll on library usage by genealogists

[Pam Cooper]

Thank you Susan. I agree that was an excellent reply. In 2003, we had
the same situation here in Florida where an ex-governor tried to get rid
of our state library and archives.  Although, we did win the fight, we
have to be constant watchdogs. 

 

Pam 

 

Pamela J. Cooper, Supervisor 

Archive Center & Genealogy Department

Indian River County Main Library

1600 21st Street, Vero Beach, FL 32960

 

772-770-5060 x4148 - Fax 772-770-5446

Email: pcooper at irclibrary.org <mailto:pcooper at irclibrary.org>   

Web Site: http://www.irclibrary.org/genealogy
<http://www.irclibrary.org/genealogy> 

Please note: As of July 1, 2006, under Florida law, e-mail addresses are
public records. If you do not want your e-mail address released in
response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to
this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing.

 

From: genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu
[mailto:genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu] On Behalf Of Susan
Scouras
Sent: Thursday, July 30, 2009 1:37 PM
To: genealib at mailman.acomp.usf.edu
Subject: [Genealib] Lansing Journal poll on library usage by
genealogists

 

I know some will think this is not a proper topic for this forum, but
with so many of us dealing with cuts, threats of cuts, and other actions
that threaten our very existence as institutions, I'm offering my
arguments for others to use.  The Lansing Journal poll is up to about
60/40 with yeses ahead at midday.  The question hit a raw nerve with me,
having had to justify our own archives existence so very recently, so I
sent the following e-mail letter to the editor:

 

Your online poll question on July 30, 2009 asked "Have you every
conducted genealogical research in a library?"  I contend that no matter
what the end result of the survey is, the vast majority of the "no"
votes will have come from people who may not have physically set foot in
a research library, but who none the less have obtained their
information due to the existence and accessibility of libraries and
archival institutions over the years.  Some of the "no" voters have
probably used the telephone, mail, e-mail or online database services of
a library or archive, and others have used researchers for hire who
conducted library research on their behalf.  For those who rely on the
Internet or print publications, where do you think all that information
comes from?  Other than information gained directly from one's
relatives, all other genealogical information has been saved, preserved,
published, indexed, transcribed and disseminated by libraries and
archives and by the researchers who use them.  Good genealogists know
that they need to back up secondhand resources by going to the primary
resource--the actual record with the information.  Libraries and
archives are the sources for that primary information, and employ the
professionals who best know how to make those resources available to the
public who actually owns them.  

 

Why is a librarian in West Virginia is writing to a Michigan newspaper?
Librarians, archivists, genealogists and historians across the United
States are watching your state closely to see the outcome of this
deplorable situation.  Recent articles describing the "new" plans for
the building, for distribution of materials, etc., all make it very
obvious that this plan pre-exists the current financial crisis. 

 

 

Susan Scouras

Librarian

WV Archives and History Library

The Cultural Center

1900 Kanawha Blvd. East

Charleston, WV  25305-0300

(304) 558-0230, Ext. 742

 

 

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