Laminating seems like a good answer. But we are discovering that laminating seals the "toxins" in and the paper disintegrates even faster. So, if you have old documents, don't laminate! Lynne Hundley -----Original Message----- Money could be usefully spent to laminate the old documents in plastic to protect them from handling and copying abuse. I doubt that officials would spend taxpayer funds for this purpose, so maybe donations from the users and general public would be appropriate. GWP At 10:38 AM 2/2/2001 -0600, you wrote: >Thank you Liz. I have been overwhelmed with messages about this situatio= >n. = > >The responses leave no doubt that we all want the old records >protected, but at the same time need copies. = > >It is my honest opinion that counties should be required to use some of >our tax money to provide an alternate method of obtaining copies when the >records are too fragile to put on a copy machine. > >In summation, it is my opinion that we as researchers must immediately >begin to educate our county officials to this problem and demand they >use some of our tax monies to correct and prevent this type of situation.= > >Thanks for you response. > >Eugenia > > > > > >"liz" <liz@ultravision.net> wrote: >Hi Eugenia, > > In this part of the country, allowing you to take old marriage record= >s >is a common practice. They don't want to house the original as all they n= >eed >is the recording in their books. Some courthouses mail the original back = >to >the couple if it is not picked up after it is registered. Others just >shelved them waiting for someone to call for it. Our license was mailed b= >ack >to us in 1941. > In researching my husband's family in Smith County, Texas, I found th= >e >recorded marriage record of his great grandparents. I was happy with that= > >until I met a 2nd cousin, never know to my husband, who had the original.= > >She had been researching her ancestor, the sister to his great grandmothe= >r, >and the clerk had told her to take what she wanted as they were going to >dispose of them. The 2nd cousin gave me a copy but never did give up the >original. Now she is deceased and who knows what happened to her research= >=2E > >Good hunting, > >Liz Pierce >Gun Barrel City, Texas > >----- Original Message --- > > > > > >____________________________________________________________________ >Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=3D= >1 > > >____________________________________________________________________ >Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1 > > >==== BROWN Mailing List ==== >contact list manager at judjack@rocketmail.com > >============================== >Join the RootsWeb WorldConnect Project: >Linking the world, one GEDCOM at a time. >http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com ==== BROWN Mailing List ==== contact list manager at judjack@rocketmail.com ============================== The easiest way to stay in touch with your family and friends! http://www.myfamily.com/banner.asp?ID=RWLIST1