To John and everyone on this list-- I'm just now reading this posting, and there is something very anti-common sense in this picture. Not more than an hour ago, I was on the phone with a librarian who is the Secretary of the Woburn (MA) Historical Society over which I preside, and she said " almost all of the people who do genealogical research are retired because they are the only ones with the time to do it". It's no secret that the Baby-boomers, one of the largest (if not the largest) generations in U.S. history, are on the cusp of starting their retirement years. For 60 years the Baby-boom has been the economic equivalent of a gold strike. Do you mean to say that a major U.S. genealogical collection is phasing out at this point in history? Unbelievable ! That's like the Wright Bros. giving up in 1902 to go promote bicycles. I hope the BPL and the Birmingham powers-that-be reconsider this decision, ...Cary Scarborough In a message dated 10/22/06 4:06:14 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, jkbrown2@knology.net writes: The below is from Robert Davis, director of the Wallace State University library at Hanceville, so he should know what he is talking about. If the Birmingham library is really phasing out the Southern History Collection this would be a major blow to genealogists. They have one of the best genealogy collections in the state along with ADAH and Wallace State.-- John -------- Original Message -------- Subject: News from WSSC List 5 Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 13:09:35 -0500 From: Robert Davis <genws@hiwaay.net> To: Bob Davis at work <robert.davis@wallacestate.edu> I have been asked to qualify the previous posting about the situation with regards to the Southern History Collection of the Birmingham Public Library, the greatest collection for southern historical and genealogical research. Civil War books are now a low priority and books on states other than Alabama will also no longer be purchased or accepted as gifts. Books on Alabama and Jefferson County will supposedly still be accepted but limits have apparently been imposed even on that. We must protest these policies to the mayor of Birmingham and to the library board. It is not just a resource of benefit to a few local genealogists. The Southern History Collection has brought millions of dollars into Birmingham's economy from visits by researchers outside of Jefferson County, Alabama, and the United States but that will not continue if the collection is not allowed to add books on the Civil War, other states, or even other parts of Alabama. Please join me in writing to anyone we think might positively influence the situation: http://www.bplonline.org/admin/default.asp http://www.informationbirmingham.com/mayor/mayor.htm