>Subject: It's true! > >Here's the official announcement at the site! http://www.sara.nysed.gov/ > >Mail-in Vital Records Search Requests to be Discontinued as of >February 15, 2000 > > >Effective FEBRUARY 15, 2000, the New York State Archives will >discontinue its mail search service for the microfiche indexes to vital >records (birth, marriage, and death certificates) in New York State >outside of New York City. Search request forms postmarked through that >date will be accepted. Forms postmarked after that date will be >returned. This service reduction is made necessary by the loss of the >staff who performed the searches. > >The microfiche indexes to the older birth, marriage, and death >certificates filed at the New York State Department of Health continue >to be available for use by the public at the New York State Archives >research room in the Cultural Education Center (11th floor), in downtown >Albany; and at the National Archives-Northeast Region, 201 Varick >Street, New York, NY 10014. > >Genealogy copies (uncertified) of birth, marriage, and death >cerrtificates are available from the New York State Department of >Health, Vital Records Section, Corning Tower Building/ESP, Albany, NY >12237-0023; telephone 518-474-3077; http://www.health.state.ny.us. > >For general information about vital records in New York State and City, >and about the holdings and services of the New York State Archives, >telephone 518-474-8955, visit the Research section of our web site, or >e-mail us at [email protected] . For information about older >vital records in New York City (five boroughs), contact the New York >City Municipal Archives, 31 Chambers Street, New York, NY 10007; >telephone 212-788-8580; http://www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/doris. > >They also announced some changes in research ability! > >Renovation of the New York State Archives > > Advance Notice to Researchers > > >The New York State Archives research and storage facilities on the 11th >floor of the Cultural Education Center, Empire State Plaza, Albany, will >be undergoing major renovation starting late 2000. The renovation >project is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year 2002. >Services to researchers will continue during the renovation period, but >the public research room and records storage areas will be relocated >elsewhere in the Cultural Education Center, with many records being >stored off-site. Relocation of records to alternate storage sites is >already under way. > >Certain limitations on services to Archives researchers will be >necessary during the relocation and renovation periods. In particular: > >retrieval of records for inspection or copying will be subject to delay, >and the number of items (boxes, files, etc.) available to a researcher >at any one time may be limited. > >There will be no limitations on access to frequently-used records >available on microfilm or microfiche. > >Researchers who are contemplating intensive on-site use of records in >the State Archives at any time during the next three years are >encouraged to contact Archives reference staff to discuss the >availability of the records. The New York State Archives will remain >open for business during the relocation and, at a location to be >announced later this year, during the actual renovation period. >There may be occasions when the Archives will have to close for short >periods of time. Notices of any changes in service will be posted as >much in advance of the event as possible. Archives staff will strive to >provide the best possible service to our researchers in government >agencies, business firms, and the general public. > >Please continue to watch this site for future announcements about the >relocation of records and changes in services. > > NEW YORK STATE > ARCHIVES > Cultural Education Center > Room 11D40 > Albany, NY 12230 > > Phone > 518-474-8955E-mail > [email protected]