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Michigan Genealogical Council "Hands Around the Library" August 5, 2009 to show support for the Library of Michigan

Cut and paste directly from email to MICHLIB-L

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Fellow Michigan genealogists and library supporters -
Now is the time for Michiganians to come to the aid of our state's history and learning.
Your Michigan Genealogical Council is planning a public assembly in Lansing to show our legislators and fellow citizens that we care about our state's past.
On Wednesday the 5th of August, let's assemble at the State Capitol, on the lawn. We have reserved the North and South lawns, and the steps. Time, 9:45 a.m. The State Senate goes into session at 10 a.m., the only time in the next few weeks we can be certain our legislators will be assembled at Lansing.
At 10:30 a.m., we will process/march over to the Michigan Historical Center and form our *Hands Around the Library* -- in hopes of good media coverage! Since the perimeter of the building is a round 1800 feet, it is obvious we can use as many genealogists or friends of libraries/history of all types as possible. Please definitely let your local Society know you are coming for sure, since you can see that we need coverage - flags and ribbons can be held between people as well as hands and arms.
We'll stay around the building probably 20 minutes starting at 11:00 a.m. -- then off to lunch, research, or museum viewing!
Thanks for your support of Michigan's past … and our future. Please let us know how many from your Society will be able to participate -- and questions to Sue Irvine [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>.
Your Michigan Genealogical Council

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More information on the Michigan Genealogical Council web site, including this press coverage to date:

July 24 press includes articles in the Toledo Blade and the political blog Capitol Chronicles.

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The Hands around the Library is featured in the July 23 Genealogy Guys podcast.  Thanks George and Drew!

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Shirley Gage Hodges has written an article in her column in the Global Gazette (22 July 2009) Crisis Facing the Library of Michigan.

State of Michigan dissolved Dept. of History, Arts and Libraries; more changes pending for FY10

From Nancy Robinson, State Librarian of the Library of Michigan, on reorganizations and budget cuts that affect state-wide library services in Michigan.  As posted to MICHLIB-L
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Today Governor Granholm issued the executive order (EO 2009-36) that dissolves the Dept. of History, Arts and Libraries effective 10/1/2009. The details of the EO are posted on her website:
http://www.michigan.gov/gov/0,1607,7-168-21975---,00.html

Of course, some of the details define big changes for parts of the Library of Michigan (significantly, the Census/Demographer functions go to DIT and the Services for the Blind and Physically Handicapped go to the Dept. of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth's Commission for the Blind). The remainder of LM will go to the Dept. of Education (MDE). Requirements for the Dept. of Education to look at collection and programming cuts to effect budgetary reductions will be our major challenge, but we will work with the Superintendent of Schools and his MDE administrative staff to review and evaluate how those changes in collections and programming and the resulting staffing changes might or might not work.

Nothing about all of that is settled at this point, and much of our future is also dependent upon the still unknown outcomes for the budget for FY10. So, more is known at this point and planning is made more feasible in many ways. But, there is still more information pending that will help us to plan for the future of the Library of Michigan, our collections, our programming, and our staffing. Thanks for your patience and support.

Nancy

Nancy R. Robertson
State Librarian