[Frowarded with permission] Addressed to: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [NOTE: SEE SIGNATURE LINE FOR CORRECT EMAIL ADDRESS] FOR MEMBERS AND THOSE WHO USE THE LIBRARY OF THE NATIONAL GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY Disclaimer: This is NOT an official announcement by the National Genealogical Society (NGS), but rather, information to alert members and Library visitors of recent developments that will affect their membership services and access to the NGS Library and its circulating book collection. -==--==--==-<>-==--==--==- On 8 Sep 2001, the library of the National Genealogical Society ceased its library membership services: the research library, the Library Loan program and circulation of books for local residents. The closure of the circulating library was the result of a near unanimous vote by the NGS Council (one member dissenting) that was announced on 14 September at the Federation of Genealogical Society meeting in Iowa. Only a few NGS members were present. Other than a short announcment on the NGS web page (http://www.ngsgenealogy.org), that the library was closed for "reorganization," no other announcements were made. The membership was not advised or consulted before the 14 September annoncement. Remaining in the NGS Library building as a non-circulating "Core Collection" of the former library will be: Bible Collection American Medical Association's Deceased Doctors Card File Member Ancestor Charts (now being indexed by volunteers) Germans to America collection Hall of Fame material Rare books (old or brittle, limited editions, books with high used book market value that did not circulate) Manuscript and Reference Collections On 5 Nov 2001, most of the 17,000+ volumes of the library that formerly circulated to walk-in patrons and the Library Loan users will be shipped to the St. Louis, County Library and housed there permanently to be available to the general public using Inter-Library Loan (ILL). The NGS book collection was donated, not sold, to St. Louis Public Library under provisions of a mutual agreement. The agreement with the St. Louis County Library provides that they will make the books acquired from NGS available to the general public through Interlibrary Loan. NGS members will not get any special treatment, and the books will not be mailed directly to the requester but will sent to the requester's library as is required by ILL procedures. This means that the cost of ordering and delivering the books to patrons may be lower than NGS' past library loan charges to members, but patrons' use of the books will be subject to the receiving libraries' policies regarding patron use of Inter-library Loan materials. Some libraries restrict Interlibrary Loan materials to the library premises. The agreement also provides that NGS has 10 years in which to repatriate its collection from St. Louis County Library if NGS pays for handling and shipment. (Opinion) Given the immense value and unique service the Library offered to local patrons and the Library Loan program provided non-local members over the years, it is regrettable and very surprising that NGS leadership did not make any public announcements as to the reason for this drastic action or solicit members' reactions to the impact this action will have on their membership services before approving this action. NGS and a very small number of other genealogical organizations are unique in providing a fee-based, membership-only book lending program. Many NGS members join largely to avail themselves of this service. It is an extraordinary event that a private, member/fee-based genealogy organization in existence 98 years would without consulting its members: 1) Donate its circulating genealogy library to a publicly funded library 2) End services which NGS membership dues and user fees have subsidized 3) Donate a valuable tangible asset of the Society without ensuring its members receive books directly at home, not at a public library 4) Endanger NGS financial security as membership revenue declines no longer attracted by privileged access to the library's collection. (End Opinion) The NGS membership and non-members who use the library need to respond to this action before the move takes place on 5 Nov 2001. You can do this by communicating directly with the NGS Board using the list of their surface, email addresses and phone numbers and/or by exchanging views with the Board members who participate online at: http://www.quicktopic.com/9/H/L7chXfmWANZy (case sensitive) This is an open, unpassworded site. You can visit the site with any browser, read and post messages and monitor its activity by "subscribing" at the site as you would subscribe to a mail list. All points of view are welcomed to give NGS membership a neutral, non-public forum to express its views, views that NGS leadership will be made aware of if they do not choose to participate in the online discussions. Those who wish to take specific actions can use the forum to marshall their forces, perhaps taking legal action to require the Board to undertake a referendum of the membership before any further action is taken to move the library collection. If members don't take some action to have their views known to the NGS Board, debate and acrimony will continue long after the move takes place and after it is too late for remedial action. George W. Archer [email protected] Life Member, NGS and NGS Library user Registrar, National Genealogical Society 1984-1986 and Chair, Building Committee 1983-1984