HELP KEEP OUR RECORDS AVAILABLE FOR ALL TO USE IN THE FUTURE! > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] <[email protected]> > To: undisclosed-recipients:; <undisclosed-recipients:;> > Date: Monday, June 08, 1998 5:41 PM > Subject: Ancestry Daily News, 8 June 1998 > >Ancestry Daily News > >"A Daily Dose of Genealogy" > >www.ancestry.com > >8 June 1998 > >============================================ > > > >LETTERS TO NARA AND > >SCHEDULE OF PUBLIC MEETINGS > > > >Many of you may have read something about the possible closing > >and/or consolidation of the Regional branches of the National > >Archives and Records Administration, including the Editor's Note > >from the March/April issue of Ancestry Magazine, written by > >Loretto Dennis Szucs - http://www.ancestry.com/archives.htm. > > > >Below you will find copies of letters to John Carlin, the > >Archivist of the United States, from Senator Alfonse M. D'Amato > >(R-NY), New York State Governor George E. Pataki, and Attorney > >General for the State of New York, Dennis C. Vacco, expressing > >their concern over this situation. > > > >According to Brian Andersson, an immigration research specialist > >from New York, "These letters are testimony to the impact that > >the documentation of their families' histories have had on them. > >Genealogy is no longer a hobby. It has become a common ground > >where everyone, from the guy on the streets, to our nation's > >highest leaders, can connect with the people in their pasts. We > >have all begun to understand that our heritage is a great tool > >for better interactions among people, because we all have a > >family story that is intertwined with our nation's heritage." > >Local access to these documents is as important as access to the > >Declaration of Independence. It is our combined families that are > >responsible for the Declaration of Independence. Our families > >have given life and meaning to the words contained therein. > > > >The advent of the computer age has brought about many > >advancements in genealogy. It makes it easier for us to locate > >and communicate with cousins and long lost family members easily > >and quickly. We can locate sources of information and even find > >some information online, but we will never live to see all the > >information that we need to complete our family histories > >available online. > > > >Also, we cannot lose sight of the value of being able to touch > >and see the actual documents that admitted our ancestors to this > >country, committed them to military service in the defense of > >this country, or granted them land upon which to raise their > >families. In the signatures carried on these documents, we see > >our ancestors signing themselves forever into the history and > >heritage of this nation. > >__________________________________________________ > > > >May 14, 1998 > > > >Dear Mr. Carlin: > > > >I write today out of concern about a possible closure or > >downsizing of the National Archives facility in New York City. > >While I understand that the NARA must plan ahead for the much > >needed space for ever larger amounts of records that will become > >available in the coming years, I cannot see the need to close > >such an important facility. > > > >Owing to the fact that the facility had been moved at great cost > >only six years earlier from Bayonne, New Jersey, a NARA facility > >in New York City is vital to the region for continuity and > >exposure. With Ellis Island and the other various historical, not > >to mention various richly educational institutions, the NARA is > >necessary for New York. Access to the vast collection of > >documents in New York City is a much appreciated and much used > >asset for New Yorkers. To lose such an asset would be a blow to > >New York, its people, and its educational base. > > > >Plans that I have been told about would make records accessible > >by overnight mail and by computer, were the facility to be moved. > >While admirable, this arrangement would not suffice. Personal and > >immediate access to the documents for researchers is what should > >be the case for New York. I urge you in the strongest of terms to > >forgo any plans to move the New York NARA facility to Kansas, or > >anywhere else. The NARA belongs in New York and it should stay > >there. > > > >Sincerely, > > > >Alfonse M. D'Amato > >United States Senator > > > > > >April 7, 1998 > > > >Dear Mr. Carlin: > > > >I am writing in response to published reports that indicate the > >National Archives is considering closing its New York City Branch > >Office. > > > >The facility at Varick Street serves a large number of people and > >is suitably located for continued increases in usage. The branch > >office is an important resource for many New Yorkers-and, indeed, > >for individuals throughout the region-who have sought to trace > >their ancestry. > > > >New York was the gateway for millions of immigrants who came to > >America in search of a new life. It is the first place that most > >people would think of to start tracing their roots, and it just > >makes sense for there to be a branch office of the National > >Archives in New York City, considering the very special and > >central role it played as the port of entry for the preponderance > >of our immigrants, including my grandparents. > > > >I urge you to reject any proposal to close the New York City > >Branch Office. Such an action would deprive the people of New > >York, and the Northeast of a valuable and important resource. As > >a former Governor, I know that you can appreciate and understand > >my concerns. > > > >Your consideration is appreciated, and I look forward to hearing > >from your office on the future of the New York City Branch > >Office. > > > >With best regards. > > > >Very truly yours, > >George E. Pataki > >Governor, State of New York > > > > > >May 1, 1998 > > > >Dear Governor Carlin: > > > >It has come to my attention that plans may be underway to close > >down the New York City Branch of the National Archives located at > >201 Varick Street, New York, N.Y. I write to you today to express > >my support to keep the New York City Branch of the National > >Archives in operation. > > > >Given New York City's rich history as the gateway to America for > >millions of immigrants, it is crucial that the records be kept in > >New York. I have had such occasion to use this valuable resource > >on a professional and personal level. > > > >New York City's branch of the National Archives served as a > >tremendous asset to New York State in the case of New York vs. > >New Jersey, currently pending before the United States Supreme > >Court. Without the Archives' accessibility, research for this > >case - to prove New York's right to Ellis Island - would have > >taken much longer and delayed the proceedings. > > > >On a personal basis, I have used the Archives to search my own > >family's journey to the United States. I feel that this task > >would have been costly and more time consuming if the documents > >necessary to research such information were located exclusively > >in Washington, D.C. > > > >While technology is an integral part of our society, and posting > >the documents on the Internet would expand their availability, it > >is also true that transferring the documents to microfilm > >diminishes their quality. We should make every effort to preserve > >our history, which is embodied in the content of the documents as > >well as the physical documents themselves. By closing the New > >York City branch of the Archives, we lose that piece of history > >which is so uniquely New York's. > > > >I respectfully urge you to reconsider any plans to close the New > >York City Branch of the National Archives. > > > >Sincerely, > > > >Dennis C. Vacco > >New York State > >Attorney General > > > >************************************************** > > > >More information about the "Strategic Directions for the > >National Archives and Records Administration" can be found at: > >http://www.nara.gov/nara/vision/strategic_directions.html > > > >The archivist is asking for feedback "to develop a space plan > >that meets our customers' needs for ready access to essential > >evidence." One of the means of gathering this feedback will be > >public meetings. The first was held on 3 June 1998 at NARA's > >Northeast Region (Boston) and was chaired by Diane LeBlanc, > >NARA's Regional Administrator and a member of the Space Team. Mr. > >Carlin did not attend. Ancestry columnist, Dick Eastman, who > >attended the meeting, has a full report available in his > >newsletter at: > >http://www.ancestry.com/columns/eastman/eastJune08-98.htm > > > >The meetings present a unique opportunity to present our views in > >a forum that may influence the decisions that Mr. Carlin will > >make. If you cannot attend the meetings in person, your voice can > >still be heard by snail-mail, e-mail, or by phoning or faxing > >your government representatives. > > > >(If you are not sure how to contact your congressional > >representative, a good place for information is "Roll Call's Hill > >Directory" at: http://congress.nw.dc.us/rollcall/.) > > > >The following schedule of upcoming meetings can also be found at: > > http://www.nara.gov/nara/spceplan.html > > > >Fort Worth, Texas > >June 10, 1998, 7 - 9 p.m. CDT > >David Tandy Lecture Hall > >Ft. Worth Public Library, > >300 Taylor Street > >Fort Worth, TX 76102 > >FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL: 817-334-5515 > >or e-mail [email protected] > > > >Pittsfield, Massachusetts June 11, 1998, 7 - 9 p.m. EDT > >National Archives and Records Administration > >Northeast Region (Pittsfield) > >10 Conte Drive > >Pittsfield, MA 01201-8230 > >FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL: 781-647-8745 > >or e-mail [email protected] > > > >San Francisco, California > >June 16, 1998, 7 - 9 p.m. PDT > >National Archives and Records Administration > >Pacific Region (San Francisco) > >1000 Commodore Drive > >San Bruno, CA > >FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL: 650-876-9249 > >or e-mail [email protected] > > > >Seattle, Washington > >June 17, 1998, 10 a.m. - noon and 7 - 9 p.m. PDT > >National Archives and Records Administration > >Pacific Alaska Region (Seattle) > >6125 Sand Point Way, NE > >Seattle, WA 98115-7999 > >FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL: 206-526-6501 > >or e-mail [email protected] > > > >Los Angeles, California > >June 23, 1998, 7 - 9 p.m. PDT > >Norman P. Murray > >Community and Senior Center > >24932 Veterans Way > >Mission Viejo, CA 92692 > >FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL: 949-360-2618 > >or e-mail [email protected] > > > >Chicago, Illinois > >June 24, 1998, 5 - 7 p.m. CDT > >National Archives and Records Administration > >Great Lakes Region (Chicago) > >7358 South Pulaski Road > >Chicago, IL 60629-5898 > >FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL: 773-581-7816 > >or e-mail [email protected] > > > >Denver, Colorado > >June 30, 1998, 2 - 4 p.m. MDT > >National Archives and Records Administration > >Rocky Mountain Region > >Denver Federal Center, Building 48 > >Denver, CO 80225 > >FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL: 303-236-0801 > >or e-mail [email protected] > > > >Philadelphia, Pennsylvania > > July 9, 1998, TBA > >National Archives and Records Administration > >Mid Atlantic Region (Center City Philadelphia) > >900 Market Street > >Philadelphia, PA 19107-4292 > >FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL: 215-671-9027 > >or e-mail [email protected] > > > >Atlanta, Georgia > >July 30, 1998, 7 - 9 p.m. EDT > >National Archives and Records Administration > >Southeast Region > >1557 St. Joseph Avenue > >East Point, GA 30344-2593 > >FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL: 404-763-7477 > >or e-mail [email protected] > > > >New York, New York > >August 6, 1998, 7 - 9 p.m. EDT > >National Archives and Records Administration > >Northeast Region (New York City) > >201 Varick Street > >New York, NY 10014-4811 > >FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL: 781-647-8745 > >or e-mail [email protected] > > > >Kansas City, Missouri > >August 10, 1998, TBA > >National Archives and Records Administration > >Central Plains Region (Lee's Summit) > >200 Space Center Drive > >Lee's Summit, MO 64064 > >FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL: 816-926-6920 > >or e-mail [email protected] > > > >Anchorage, Alaska > >August 1998, TBA > >National Archives and Records Administration > >Pacific Alaska Region (Anchorage) > >654 West Third Avenue > >Anchorage, Alaska 99501-2145 > >FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL: 907-271-2443 > >or e-mail [email protected] > > > >St. Louis, Missouri > >August 17, 1998, 4 - 6 p.m. CDT > >National Archives and Records Administration > >National Personnel Records Center > >9700 Page Avenue > >St. Louis, MO 63132-5100 > >FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL: 314-538-4005 > >or e-mail [email protected] > > > >============================================ > >HEADLINES FROM EASTMAN'S ONLINE GENEALOGY NEWSLETTER > > > >8 June 1998 > > > >-On the Road Again > >-More on NARA Space Planning > >-More on the 1851 British Census CD-ROM > >-More on the Ellis Island History Advisory Committee > >-Genealogy Home Pages Invite Rip-Offs? > >-Are You A "Trash Genealogist?" > >-Upcoming Events > >-Home Pages Highlighted > > > >To read this week's newsletter, go to: > >http://www.ancestry.com/columns/eastman/eastJune08-98.htm > > > >============================================ > > > >Best Regards, > >Juliana Smith, Editor, Ancestry Daily News > >Please feel free to circulate this newsletter to other genealogy > >enthusiasts! 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