[Genealib] RE: looking to the future

[Naukam, Larry]

Curt has stated what I feel much more eloquently than I could hope to. But it's the truth that making things available digitally enhances access to the using public. Whatever we here in Rochester have digitized, we have still kept the originals and where possible have made microfilm versions available as well as the original.

We feel that we have a great start to a digitized version for Rochester area research. But we also know that digital is  not the only answer  - it's right now a useful way to make things much more available than they traditionally have been. 

And yet - we have had to reduce the digi staff by 25 percent in the last couple of months because of the budget cutbacks. I don't know when they might be able to be reinstated. That means than a lot of plans have to be put on hold.

And yet, part two - we are learning how to get grants to finance this work, and make partnerships. Twice today I had calls from the public wanting to know how they can donate finds for this work to go on, and you can better believe that I made time to talk with them. We recently had a lady whose father was a Korean War hero give us his papers. And I sat there while she wrote a check for $10000 dollars to pay for the staff to make this happen. 

It's an exciting time to be in this field - getting collections used more, making more people happier, and learning how to get more resources to make this happen.