Until I moved down South, I was a member of TIARA (be sure to visit its website for a great listing of online gen. resources), in which Dennis Ahearn is active as the webmaster. I have stayed on Dennis's mailing list. He learned of the new schedule (put into effect temporarily during recent downtown Washington, D.C. flooding) by the National Archives headquarters. Then Dennis emailed about NARA's plan to make the restricted hours permanent. This new policy would mean no Saturday hours as before, and only daytime hours on Monday through Friday, cutting out the evening hours on one day a week. Today Dennis emailed to me the below opportunity to sign an online peition (or write a letter) organized by very big names in the U.S. genealogy (Dick Eastman put up the online petition site). I signed the petition, along with over 4300 signators to date. If you wish to also weigh in on this and are a U.S. resident, then by all means use the provided link and register your opinion. Sharon Carberry Georgia Dennis sent: "The following message was distributed to those attending last week's Federation of Genealogical Societies in Boston. Dear Conference Attendee: We were honored to have Dr. Allen Weinstein, Archivist of the United States attend the FGS/NEHGS 2006 Conference in Boston and to address us in the Opening Session on Thursday, August 31, 2006. Following his remarks, he was presented with a letter by the Chair of the Records Preservation and Access Committee (RPAC) addressing concerns about the proposed changes in the hours of operation for the Research Rooms at the National Archives. It has come to our attention that very few of our constituencies are making their voices heard on this issue. This lack of response sends a loud signal to the Archives that this is not a serious issue and that closing the Archives on evenings and Saturdays is irrelevant. The RPAC has recommended the following suggestions for the Archives to consider: 1) To accommodate the needs of those who need access on Saturdays, we propose that you close one other day per week. This would be at your discretion. Other archives often close Sunday and Monday. 2) Users who need evening hour access could be accommodated by opening the archives later in the day, again at your discretion. If you agree with the recommendations stated above, we are asking your support by immediately going on-line and adding your 'signature' to our petition to substitute the hours of access and still help the archives to meet their need to consolidate their hours of operation. Before 8 September 2006, please go to: http://www.PetitionOnline.com/FGS2006/petition.html (Case sensitive) If you would like to send your own personal letter, send it prior to 8 September 2006 and address it to: Regulations Comments Desk (NPOL) Room 4100, Policy and Planning Staff National Archives and Records Administration 8601 Adelphi Road College Park, MD 20740-6001 " [end of message]

Thanks, Sharon, I signed the petition and forwarded it to my sister-in-law who is also researching with me. I have been in Canada for the summer and she is back in Houston, Tx. Joseph