Dear Friends: Below are a few updates. I want to remind you to please sign the online petition. We are almost at 9000!! http://www.floridahistory.info/petition/ New to the web site - Resolution from the Society of Florida Archivists. http://www.rootsweb.com/~flsgs/statelib.html Wednesday will be the Statewide Summit at the Florida Historical Society. Organizations or individuals who can come are urged to call Dr. Nick Wynne at (321) 690-1971 or e-mail him at [email protected] as soon as possible. This will allow the Society and the Library to make the necessary space arrangements. IMPORTANT: Below is a brief report of what happened today at the committee meetings, by Lawrence Webster, representing Florida Library Association. In a meeting of the Florida Historic Commission at the Gray Building this morning, Teresa Tinker, Policy Coordinator from Gov. Bush's office, announced that the Museum and other functions of the Division of Historic Resources would NOT be moved to DEP, but that the new Secretary of State would be charged with working with the constituent communities to come up with a good plan. I spoke with Tinker in the hall briefly during that meeting with regard to the Archives. She said that the Archives will no longer be proposed to be moved to DEP/Division of Rec and Parks. It is my understanding that the State Librarian has informed DLIS staff of this, so many on this list might be aware of this development. Tinker said further, when I asked her, that the records management function is still slated to move to DMS. She said "we're still discussing" the State Library collection. She said, "This is a give-and-take process." I urge the library community to carefully think about some more give-and-take" before cheering too loudly about the plan for the archives to stay (for the moment) with an as-yet-undefined "state library administrative agency." The Florida Historic Commission meeting is going on as we speak. Gloria Colvin is there representing FLA, as authorized by the FLA Board. She has prepared a statement, and will probably let everyone know more when the meeting is over. --Best to all, LW Pam Cooper FGS/FSGS 2003 Conference Co-Chair < http://www.fgs.org > President, Florida State Genealogical Society < http://www rootswebcom/~flsgs/ > Chair, Librarians Serving Genealogists < http://www.cas.usfedu/lis/genealib/ > P. O. Box 7066 Vero Beach, FL 32961-7066

Here is hoping the many voices that are being heard from Florida and other states will be taken serious and things will not change in Tallahassee except maybe the office of Governor Bush will sit up and take notice of people who care. I have been expressing my opposition to the Governor's plan everywhere I go and have been speaking to local groups in the Polk County, Pasco County, and Hernando County area. Be there at the Cocoa and bring your determination with you. Alvie L. Davidson CGRS Lakeland, Florida http://www.floridadetective.net "Keep smiling and keep 'em guessing what you are up to!" --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Shopping - Send Flowers for Valentine's Day