American Southwest Archive Facing Potential Closure & Franklin Parish, Louisiana, Library Opens New Center for Genealogy

This is a good news and maybe not so good news kind of post!

Thanks to the Genealogists.com Facebook page for bringing this news about the Spanish Colonial Research Center and its possible closure to our attention and for verifying the details ....

Note: We posted this earlier in the week, but wanted to verify that it was indeed the case so we pulled it. We called the Spanish Colonial Research Center (505-346-2890} and they confirmed that this is a distinct possibility. They are asking the public to please weigh in on this matter. Should the archive be closed, should the hours be reduced, etc.

... This closure would impact those who are searching for their Spanish colonial roots in the Southwest. The National Park Service has given the Spanish Colonial Research Center at University of New Mexico just until the end of the month (October 1) to determine whether their doors need to be closed.

If you, like us, would like to keep this and other archives open, please contact:

• Jon Jarvis, Director of NPS: (202) 208-3818 or [email protected]

• California Senators Barbara Boxer (https://www.boxer.senate.gov/en/contact/policycomments.cfm) & Diane Feinstein (https://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/e-mail-me ).

Note: The center at Santa Barbara, CA may also be forced to close.

• Senator Tim Kaine who is the Hon. Chairman of the US Spain Council (http://www.kaine.senate.gov/contact)

• Rep. Lois Capps (https://capps.house.gov/contact-me/email-me)
This also affects the National Trails organization, which covers Arizona and Colorado.

Unfortunately, reduced hours and closures for facilities which are invaluable to our research are becoming more and more commonplace. Just this month we have posted Sadly, Another Genealogy Room Has Closed ... and More Gloomy News -- A Genealogy Society Could Fold -- Maybe it's the weather (it's raining as I write this!).

Though, I am happy to report that Dick Eastman (Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter) shared some good news a few weeks ago, Franklin Parish, Louisiana, Library Opens New Center for Genealogy.  Read the details here.

Franklin Parish Library welcomed patrons to the library's new Genealogy/Local History Room on Thursday, Aug. 21, when ribbon cutting ceremonies and an open house event were held.

The library, which operates under the Franklin Parish Police Jury, recently acquired what is known as the Landis building on Prairie Street. The site for the new center is located adjacent to the library’s main building and was purchased from Betty M. McLemore, whose grandfather H.B. Landis ran a mercantile store from the site and served as mayor of the Town of Winnsboro.

This was a refreshing bit of news on the heels of all the news about at-risk societies and facilities. 

I got to thinking, if there was one new genealogy facility opening, might there be more!  Yes, I found this notice, The George Washington Carver Museum and Theatre Genealogy Center Opening (Austin, TX)

So, though we are saddened when resources and facilities disappear, we can take heart that there are new resources and facilities coming to life ...

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