Jeff, when sending out political diatribes, please be sure that I am not included in the mailing. Thanks, Cousin Chuck -------Original Message------- From: Jeff Armstrong <karmstrong70@comcast.net> Sent: 03/06/03 09:52 PM To: ARMSTRONG-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [ARMSTRONG-L] Re: FL State Library--Jeb's Answer > > Sad to say, we are living in times when our politicians are able to put out such disinformation as this, and people will often accept it at face value. It's not hard to understand how this can happen, however; since the politicians always have the podium, and it is often difficult (or impossible) to get the truth out. As someone who has been active in this process from the very beginning, and following all the developments closely, I believe I can set the record straight on the proposed closing of the State Archives and Library of Florida , not that it may change the outcome very much. Governor Bush has throughout his career been contemptuous of state government in general, and to the state government in Tallahassee in particular.(Even though he has been happy to serve in state government himself when it has served to advance his career.) Part of this undoubtedly has do with the fact that Florida state government workers have consistently voted Democratic. Governor Bush bewildered everyone when, in his re-inauguration speech, he wistfully mused about how nice it would be if all of the state government buildings around him could be empty. Florida faces some of the greatest budget deficits in state history, due in large part to a cumulative $35 billion in tax breaks granted by the Bush Administration in the past four years, benefitting mostly business special interests and the wealthiest in the state, including repeal of such things as the Intangibles Tax and even a special tax break for "adult entertainment." Under the guise of reducing the Florida budget deficit, Governor Bush's initial budget proposal allocated "zero dollars" not just for the State Library, but for the State Archives and the State Museum, with the intention of closing all of these facilities. The State Library collection was to be parcelled out to numerous libaries thoughout the state. The tremendously rare and fragile documents and artifacts of the State Archives and Museum were to go under the tutelage of the Department of Environmental Protection, even though this Department acknowledged that they had absolutely no expertise in the conservation of these items. A tremendous uproar ensued. Even the Governor's closest Republican political cronies in the state Legislature abandoned him due to the political fallout. He first tried to cover with a clumsy and hastily contrived proposal that the Library and Archives weren't going to leave Tallahassee at all; they were just going to be moved down the road to Florida State University. F.S.U. didn't have the space to accomodate the collection, however, and refused it unless the Governor would allocate additional funds to house the collection. The latest iteration of his bumbling was presented in the letter forwarded to the list. Now, the Archives (and perhaps the Museum) are not to be closed at all; and the State Library would be transferred to Nova Southeastern University. And Nova would be given $5 million dollars for the favor of taking those musty old books off our hands. This would be done in the interest (as stated in the Governor's letter) of making the books more accessible to the people of Florida. An important point here is that the reason why the 150 year old State Library was located in Tallahassee in the first place was not because this was felt to be the most accessible location, but to satisfy state statutes. Florida state statutes require that there must be a state libary located in Tallahassee to serve the information and reference services of the state government. The Governor plans to circumvent and usurp this statute, however, by re-designating the State Archives as a "libary", even though it has none of the traditional functions of a library, such as lending and Reference services. It is interesting, however, that the Governor is trying to promote this scheme based on the notion that it will increase the accessibility of the materials; the State Library is an active participant in the Inter-libary loan program, and always has been. It that sense, the materials are available not only to all the residents of Florida but even all the residents in the country. One more footnote is appropriate. No one could figure out how it came about that Nova University became chosen as the recipient of the state's largesse in giving them the State Library's collection and another $5 million to take the books off our hands. We got that answer this week. It was revealed that longtime Republican Bush political crony Jim Smith, who just left a couple of months ago as Florida Secretary of State, and under whose authority was the state Archives and Library, had negotiated the deal as a paid lobbyist for Nova University, even though Florida law expressly prohibits him from lobbying the state office that he just left from for at least two years. But in these days, who could expect any better. Jeff Armstrong ----- Original Message ----- From: "Clemi" <clemi@chipshot.net> To: <ARMSTRONG-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2003 4:12 PM Subject: Re: [ARMSTRONG-L] Re: FL State Library--Jeb's Answer > Hello A*s ... > At the risk of offending the offended (judging from the countless > e-mails on so many lists), I read the Govenor's letter below and it > seems reasonable. > > It appears nothing will be lost as the permanent collection of the State > Library and the State Archives will remain unchanged where they are (the > R.A. Gray Building). > > His proposal is to move circulating collection of the State Library > which he states, "consists of general volumes of fiction and > non-fiction." The reason for this move appears to be fiscally sound plus > they will be more accessable by increased circulation. Upon reading the > letter, the cost per circulation to this point, is not good stewardship > of the taxpayer's dollar. > > Nova Southeastern University is located in suburban Ft. Lauderdale. > > In closing ... while reading many of the angry e-mails concerning the > proposed change of location for the circulating collection one thing > occurred to me. Just how many Floridians ever bothered to look at the > books, much less check one out? > > It is a shame it took this proposal for many to even know of its > existance. But then, most people want their research available, done by > someone else and placed on the Internet. > > My thoughts, > clemi > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <Mgillot@aol.com> > To: <ARMSTRONG-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2003 12:19 AM > Subject: [ARMSTRONG-L] Re: FL State Library--Jeb's Answer > > > > Dear Listers, > > > > I thought you might be interested in what Governor Bush sent to me in > > response to my protest. I would say that it is a LOT OF NOTHING. > > > > Mary G. (Indpls.) > > > > > > > > Subj: State Library Relocation > > Date: 2/28/2003 5:37:37 PM US Eastern Standard Time > > From: <A > HREF="mailto:Jeb.Bush@MyFlorida.com">Jeb.Bush@MyFlorida.com</A> > > To: <A HREF="mailto:Mgillot@aol.com">Mgillot@aol.com</A> > > Sent from the Internet (Details) > > > > > > Dear Friend: > > > > Over the past several weeks, I have listened closely to the various > views > > and responses to my proposals regarding the Division of Library and > > Information Services and the circulating collection of the State > Library. I > > have been impressed by the passion and commitment to libraries and the > > unwavering support for the State Library shared by librarians, > educators, > > scholars and citizens alike. I sincerely appreciate the concerns > shared by > > the citizens of this great state when it comes to the preservation of > our > > state's published history and the protection of our libraries. I would > like > > to take this opportunity to thank you for taking the time to share > your > > thoughts with me on this important matter. > > > > I would also like to take this opportunity to share with you the > reasoning > > behind my proposal and to clear up some misconceptions which have been > > circulated. First and foremost, I do not favor, and have not > proposed, the > > elimination of the permanent collection of the State Library or the > State > > Archives. This one-of-a-kind collection, which includes the published > and > > unpublished history of the state from the time it was a territory > until > > present day, such as maps, state agency publications, journals and > diaries, > > photographs, as well as books about the state, is a tremendous > resource for > > scholars, educators, and all Floridians interested in our great state > > history. Under my proposal, this collection will continue to be > housed in > > the R.A. Gray Building and supervised by a professional staff of > librarians > > and archivists and appropriate support staff. > > > > However, I do propose moving the circulating collection of the State > > Library, which consists of general volumes of fiction and non-fiction, > to > > Nova Southeastern University, for three reasons: > > > > First, the needs of public libraries have changed. The State Library > of > > Florida began building its circulating collection to supplement the > > collections of small, rural, or economically disadvantaged > communities. This > > supplemental collection was necessary until 1997, when every county in > > Florida began offering free public library service. Moreover, through > the > > Florida Library Information Network, Florida's interlibrary loan > service, > > all citizens have access to the collections of libraries throughout > the > > state. In time, the Florida Electronic Library will allow > user-generated > > interlibrary loans, making accessibility even easier. These are all > great > > achievements, and credit should go to Florida's libraries, as well as > the > > Division of Library and Information Services. Because of this > success, > > however, a circulating collection based in Tallahassee is no longer > > necessary. > > > > The second reason I proposed this move is that it will increase > > accessibility to this circulating collection. The simple fact is that > in > > its current location, the circulating collection is underutilized. > Last > > year the circulation of this collection, including interlibrary loans, > was > > just over 60,000. If that sounds like a lot, it's really not. > Because of > > the low usage, the circulating collection actually cost, you, the > Florida > > taxpayer, $184.62 per registered borrower last year, or $64 per > circulation. > > > > > > Now, the third major reason I proposed this move, is to make the best > use of > > taxpayer dollars. My budget recommendations support Florida's public > > libraries including $32.4 million for State Aid to Libraries, $6 > million in > > federal Library Services and Technology Act funds, $1.2 million for > library > > cooperatives, and $6 million for library construction projects. Our > focus > > will be where it belongs: developing partnerships with Florida's > > communities. > > > > But part of what makes those recommendations possible is the $10.2 > million > > in savings that taxpayers will realize by moving the circulating > collection. > > In a very tight budget year with expensive constitutional amendments > passed > > by the voting public, we must make sure that every tax dollar is spent > > wisely. > > > > Thankfully, our new agreement with Nova Southeastern University does > not > > merely save money, it will actually increase the circulation of the > > collection. > > > > The Nova Southeastern University Library, Research, and Information > > Technology Center is a joint use library administered by Nova > Southeastern > > University, an independent not-for-profit educational institution, and > > Broward County Libraries, a public library system. Nova's circulation > last > > year was 421,659, or seven times the current circulation enjoyed by > the > > collection. The Broward County Libraries have 1.3 million registered > > borrowers in a county with a population of 1.6 million, meaning that > 82% of > > the service population has a library card from this institution. Any > person > > who holds a card from any Broward County library and all employees and > > students at Nova will have direct access to the collection, while > citizens > > everywhere will have access through Florida's interlibrary loan > program. No > > Floridian will lose access to this collection, and thousands of > Floridians > > will have better access to it, once this agreement is implemented > beginning > > this July. > > > > Relocating the collection is one of the actions that we will take to > allow > > the State Library to refocus on meeting the future needs of Florida's > 469 > > public libraries and the citizens they serve. I now look to move > forward in > > implementing other library priorities like the Florida Electronic > Library, > > initiating a statewide library card, and expanding the Florida Library > > Information Network. The State Library of Florida and Archives will > > continue to collect, catalog, preserve, and make available the > unpublished > > and published history of Florida. The future of the new agency is very > > bright, and I look forward to working with Secretary of State Glenda > Hood > > and the entire new department as we work to create and preserve what I > know > > will be the best state library and archives in the nation. > > > > I thank you again for taking the time to share your views and opinions > with > > me. I hope this response has given you a clearer picture of my > proposal and > > its benefits to all Floridians. > > > > Sincerely, > > Jeb Bush > > > > ______________________________ > >