In case you did not get to attend the Rally or have not heard anything about how it went, here is a message from one of the regular users of the State Library and Archives (I see him there a lot on Saturdays). I was there too and was very pleased that our joined hands and outstretched arms reached around the R A Gray Building ... and a lot of honking from cars passing by seemed to me to indicate they agree !! SAVE OUR STATE LIBRARY !! Some of us also were inside the Capital Building and had our signs on display as the Reps and Senators came and went, and when Governor Bush and his Cabinet members entered to joint session in the House Chambers !! We gave voice to our wishes as he passed by. I think he knows we are out here, but keep the emails and letters and faxes coming ! Your Rep and Senator need to know what you want done. = = = = = = X-Message: #3 Date: Tue, 04 Mar 2003 20:01:48 -0500 From: Jeff Armstrong <karmstrong70@comcast.net> To: FLJACKSO-L@rootsweb.com Message-id: <000801c2e2b2$cdae1830$73a4820a@Jeffrey> Subject: [FLJACKSO] Florida State Archives/Library update Several hundred people gathered at the Florida State Library/Archives building today as a demonstration of support for the library and surrounded it as a symbolic token of preventing its closing. This demonstration was timed to coincide with Governor Bush's "State of the State" address at the state Capitol. A recommendation was made that everyone check out twenty books from the library (the maximal amount allowed) and not return them until the fate of the library has been settled, to prevent them from being sent elsewhere. For the moment, the Florida State Archives would appear to have been granted a reprieve. The fate of the State Library is still in question, however. The governor has stated that he can close the State Library on his own authority; but to do that he still needs money appropriated for that purpose by the State Legislature, and many of the state legislators, including the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House (both Republicans) have expressed opposition to doing that. It was felt that the overwhelming amount of mail and e-mails to state legislators had had an impact on saving the Archives, and it was strongly urged that the mail campaign be continued to save the State Library.