-----Original Message----- From: Pam Cooper [mailto:pamcooper@bellsouth.net] Sent: Friday, April 11, 2003 6:16 AM To: APG-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [APG] STATE LIBRARY--UPDATE! The fight continues. Politicians will be politicians This just in from the Florida Library Association <fla@lists.netimpact.net> And the fight continues even after the Legislators said NO! Please, again I ask you to start writing the legislators, but most importantly Glenda Hood, secretaryofstate@mail.dos.state.fl.us or jnash@mail.dos.state fl.us and Governor Bush, jeb.bush@myflorida.com These two have spoken out against what the legislators voted and will continue to do it their way --- in any they can. The saga continues as the Administration looks for ways around the will of the people and their legislators... Despite the Senate and House of Representatives' clear opposition to the transfer of the circulation to Nova Southeastern and their decision to NOT fund the deal, the Administration continues to look for ways around it and has suggested that private funds may be solicited to make the transfer. Also, despite opposition to the transfer of Records Management to the Department of Management Services, the Administration is looking for ways to accomplish this anyway through the bill that addresses reorganization of the Department of State and the Department of Community Partnerships. State records are evaluated by archivists for historical value and some positions in Archives are funded by the Records Management revenues. In March, the Archivist of the United States, John W. Carlin, wrote a superb letter to the Governor, Speaker of the House and Senate President that explaing the importance of keeping Records Management functions with the Archives. Jody Fitzgerald, FLA's legislative advocate is working with legislators on the reorganization bill to try to prevent both of these things from happening. It is absurd that the Administration continues to push for this horrible plan to dismantle the State Library of Florida. Unfortunately, they still don't understand what the citizens of Florida have been telling them for three months and what the House of Representatives communicated last week with their UNANIMOUS vote against funding the Nova deal. Please communicate with your legislators 1) that the reorganization bill should not give the Administration the ability to send the collection away or dismantle the State Library as they originally proposed, and 2) there is great value in keeping Records Management with Archives under the State Library--the functions of the two areas are closely related. As always, thank you for your continued efforts in support of our State Library. John F. Szabo Vice President/President-elect Florida Library Association ==== APG Mailing List ==== The Association of Professional Genealogists http://www.apgen.org/publications/apg-l/index.html