URGENT! -- Arizona State Genealogy Library in jeopardy

Access to one of Arizona’s largest genealogical collections is being threatened in a move from the Arizona State Library in the Arizona State Capital to the Arizona State Archives, 1901 W. Madison, both in Phoenix, Arizona.  In the email sent to the Family History Society of Arizona President, Ro Hein, from Laura Stone, Digital Content Director from the State Library, the following was mentioned:

“The Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records is preparing to announce that the Polly Rosenbaum Archives and History Building will house the genealogy research center. Researchers will now have access to a rich portfolio of resources, including unique Arizona materials, online genealogical sources and expert staff for support. The former location of state genealogy resources at the State Library of Arizona, located in the Historic Capitol Building, will close to the public on July 31.”

There is a grave concern that the books, vertical file materials, periodicals, microfilm/microfiche materials and other physical items will NOT be moved to the Archives building, and that there will only be access to digital databases such as Ancestry.com and HeritageQuest Online. We do not know the reasoning behind this “immediate” move to the State Archives but we need to be vigilant and pro-active to stop this from occurring. What will happen to the 20,000+ genealogy books and materials presently housed in the Genealogical collection? We know that the State Archives does not have room to house all these materials.

We in the concerned genealogical community are very concerned about the future of the Arizona State Genealogy collections. We are asking all genealogists to take time out of their busy schedules to send an email to the Secretary of State Michele Reagan <www.azsos.gov/contact>, to the Arizona State Librarian Joan Clark <www.azlibrary.gov/about>, to Digital Content Director Laura Stone <[email protected], to the Arizona Governor Doug Ducey <http://azgovernor.gov/governor/form/contact-governor-ducey, your legislative representative and any other interested parties. In your email, share experiences you have had with the genealogical library staff, the connections to ancestors you have made through using the resources, and the outreach that has been offered by the genealogical staff for over thirty years. Share that the genealogical collection is a special collection that needs to be saved and not placed into boxes. Be polite, but firm in your message. And, in the email to Secretary of State Reagan and Governor Ducey, add the phrase, “Genealogists vote”. Genealogists have a vested interest in keeping the State Genealogy collection where it is, and politicians want to be retained in office, so voting matters to them.

Please send your emails and letters to the above-mentioned people quickly. The move is supposed to take place this Friday, the 31^st! We need to stop them.

Thank you for your support of the Arizona State Genealogy Library.

Linda Caldwell McCleary, M.L.S.

Arizona Genealogical Advisory Board (AzGAB) Past President

National Genealogical Society (NGS) Life Member

Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) Past Board Member

FGS/NGS Records Preservation and Access Committee Member

Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) Former Director

Brigham Young University Professional Genealogy Certificate

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

copyright © National Genealogical Society, 3108 Columbia Pike, Suite 300, Arlington, Virginia 22204-4370. http://www.ngsgenealogy.org.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NGS does not imply endorsement of any outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this blog. Any opinions expressed by guest authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of NGS.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Republication of UpFront articles is permitted and encouraged for non-commercial purposes without express permission from NGS. Please drop us a note telling us where and when you are using the article. Express written permission is required if you wish to republish UpFront articles for commercial purposes. You may send a request for express written permission to [email protected]. All republished articles may not be edited or reworded and must contain the copyright statement found at the bottom of each UpFront article.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to [email protected]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Unless indicated otherwise or clearly an NGS Public Relations piece, Upfront with NGS posts are written by Diane L Richard, editor, Upfront with NGS.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Want to learn more about interacting with the blog, please read Hyperlinks, Subscribing and Comments -- How to Interact with Upfront with NGS Blog posts!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Follow NGS via Facebook, YouTube, Google+, Twitter