Greetings! I received the following letter via email, stating that it is from Gov. Bush. After reading it, the information obviously contradicts statements that have been circulating concerning the proposal of closing of the State Archives and who is in favor of it. This is the danger of involving ourselves in a political situation. This obviously involves genealogy, but it is apparent that someone is not being completely forthright and honest. At best, someone is "stretching the truth", at worst, someone is lying. I do not know either parties personally, so I do not know which account is the truth. One thing I have learned that in politics, both sides will often apply their "spin" to the truth, so there is often some truth and some "stretching" on both sides. Is this the case here? I personally would be outraged by the closing of the State Archives, but if my tax dollars are supporting a small number of people @ $184 per person(and those same people would still have access to the records another, less expensive way, I'd be for that. So where's the truth? Bill Blair Deland, FL 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 This one-of-a-kind collection, which includes the published and unpublished history of the state from the time it was a territory until present day, such as maps, state agency publications, journals and diaries, photographs, as well as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 ----- Original Message ----- From: <SMartin583@aol.com> To: <FLESCAMB-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, February 28, 2003 8:58 AM Subject: [FLESCAMB] State Library Support Tuesday March 4 > > State GS Prez Pam Cooper would like as many supporters of "the State Library > being left in the RA Gray building" to let her know if you can make it to > Tallahassee Tuesday ... she and others in Southern Florida will come IF there > is support for the effort. She has to know TONIGHT (Saturday) or Sunday AM > in order to make arrangement to come up to Tallahassee for the day on > Tuesday. Please EMAIL her if you are willing to be among those who will > bring signs and stand on the sidewalk with other supporters ! Her message > said: > > If you can positively commit to attend, I want you to send an email to the > following: > > SaveFLStateLib@bellsouth.net > > As for contacting the state legislators, I also spoke with one of the > Senators on the Appropriations committee and he said most of the Senators are > against the move and the budget recommendations AND against the behind the > scenes deals being hammered out ! He suggests that the House Reps are the > ones we really need to get to ... to express our concerns for now and the > future. > > The State Archives staff have been told they will not be moved or "parcelled" > out to other agencies for at least the near future, but as one staffer said, > no one is writing any 5-Year Plans for the Archives !! Everything is in the > hands of the Legislature at this point. We all know what the Governor and > his Cabinet would have happen ! And there is no changing their minds ... > > If anyone wins the lottery this weekend, please save some of the money for > the Library ! <Grin> > > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > >