In a message dated 04/29/2000 11:40:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time, RPRKR@aol.com writes: << The fees do seem exorbitant, after all our taxes pay for the cost of employees who do this work, why should there be such high fees. We all need to express our thoughts to NARA on this; they would like us to do so. Please read the following message I am forwarding. >> Our taxes DO pay their salaries, health insurance, pension,etc. But we should charge people who do not use these facilities, taxes to pay for the copying machines, paper, toner, microfiming and all else that is involved? I have brought in parts from home to repair some of the readers at Varick St. The trouble to requisition a part not listed (or even listed) is a day's work in it's self. I have been a proponent of paying a small fee at the door at the NARA in NYC. After seeing what these people are put through over the phone and by mail, besides those newbies who make outrageous demands at the desk, it may scare away those who are not PROPERLY prepared for serious research. Plus, consider how much the collection has grown in just the past 10 years! It used to cost me $7.00 plus to go to Bayonne, NJ, in 1984, before they moved to NYC in 1992. The NYC MA charge $5 to rent the micro-film readers and $5 for "certified copies." I live in NYC and do not expect my tax dollars to pay for this. All other municipalities have similar fees no top of their taxes. The microfilm machines at the NYPL are always broken. They are free too. What has happened is that Genealogy has gotten so much easier and faster with the use of the Internet, that many forget when we depended solely on these government sources. Now, they are faced with the cost of upgrading to be computer and Internet friendly. I can now go to the NARA with every reel number in my hand before leaving home, just because they have the catalogs on-line. All I am concerned about with the NARA is that they keep ALL of them open. They were considering closing the NYC and the nearest would have been Philadelphia. If paying more for copies keeps it open, I'll pay with a smile. Anybody who has tried other countries are shocked to find that things are not available. I couldn't understand why I couldn't get access to the 1920 Australian census, through a family member in Sydney. I told them to use the "Freedom of Information Act" like we do. He reminded me that they do not have a Bill of Rights in Australia and cannot make such demands. Be Thankful we have a country that let's us discover our past and doesn't hide it from us. Mike Mc