This is what I sent to Senator Allen " Hello Senator Allen, I am writing you to plea for your support to keep the genealogical resources currently at the library in Lansing intact. My paternal relatives settled in Rives Junction, Jackson County in 1855. My maternal relatives settled in Lapeer, Macomb, Michigan. The library is by far my best resource for finding my relative. I could list the ways that this collection has helped my but suffice it to say that without it many trails would be completely lost. Just one such example is cemetery records. May old cemeteries in Michigan have fallen into serious disrepair. Fortunately the DAR catalogued many of these cemeteries' in the early 1900's. Without these books that are in your library the many researchers like myself would be completely out of luck. When I visit Michigan to do research my wife and I rent a car, stay in hotel rooms every night, eat all our meals there. I suspect that not including airfare we add $1400 per visit to the local economy. Although I do not have voting rights in Michigan I have well over 200 relatives that do. Please do not allow this valuable and well designed resource to be lost! Sincerely, Vic Vic Taylor P.O. Box 389 Trevett, ME 04571 Phone: 207-633-4436 Fax: 207-633-5677 Cell: 207-380-5660 Email: vtaylor@tpointsolutions.com" -----Original Message----- From: mi-genealogy-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:mi-genealogy-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Linda Beals Sent: Thursday, July 23, 2009 11:27 AM To: mi-genealogy@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [MI-GENEALOGY] Library of Michigan Fellow Michigan genealogists and library supporters - Now is the time for Michiganians to come to the aid of our state's history and learning. Your Michigan Genealogical Council is planning a public assembly in Lansing to show our legislators and fellow citizens that we care about our state's past. On Wednesday the 5th of August, let's assemble at the State Capitol, on the lawn. nbsp;We have reserved the North and South lawns, and the steps. Time, 9:45 a.m. The State Senate goes into session at 10 a.m., the only time in the next few weeks we can be certain our legislators will be assembled at Lansing. At 10:30 a.m., we will process/march over to the Michigan Historical Center and form our Hands Around the Library. Since the perimeter of the building is around 1800 feet, it is obvious we can use as many genealogists or friends of libraries/history of all types as possible. Flags and ribbons can be held between people as well as hands and arms. We'll stay around the building probably 20 minutes starting at 11:00 a.m. -- then off to lunch, research, or museum viewing! Thanks for your support of Michigan's past � and our future. Please let us know how many from your Society will be able to participate -- and questions to Sue Irvine. ________________________________ From: Peggy Youngs <peggy.youngs@gmail.com> To: mi-genealogy@rootsweb.com Sent: Thursday, July 23, 2009 10:49:05 AM Subject: Re: [MI-GENEALOGY] Library of Michigan To those who live outside of Michigan, please contact Senator Jason Allen either by snail mail, phone or email. His contact information is: Mailing Address: Senator Jason Allen P.O. Box 30036 Lansing, MI 48909-7536 By Phone: (517) 373-2413 By Fax: (517) 373-5144 By Email: senjallen@senate.michigan.gov Include your connection to Michigan when contacting him. Regards, Peggy Youngs ***************************** The theme of this list is Michigan genealogy and research. Please respect others by keeping your postings to this theme. MI-Genealogy Mail List Information http://www.migenweb.net/maillist.html ***************************** ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to MI-GENEALOGY-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Dear Friends, Unfortunately I live in California so other than offering some advice I am powerless to help much, but I am sharing what I know about political efforts and getting the attention of your elected officials. When writing or contacting any elected official, remember they receive hundreds of submissions every day regarding different subjects. In order to make their work easier and streamline the volume they receive, they use a quiet algorythm that is worked against some mathematical formula regarding the populous of their district and state to determine the worth of all contacts andthe level of risk a politician has if they do not give the particular issue public attention. In a nutshell here is how it works: When they receive E-MAIL contacts they are bundled into sheer numbers alone and aside from an automatically generated letter back to the sender, LITTLE IF ANY REVIEW takes place as they are LOWEST in vote risk worth. ONLINE PETITIONS ARE ALMOST ALWAYS INNEFECTIVE AND ARE GENERALLY IGNORED ALTOGETHER, because there is no way to verify the sender, their location in the elected official's district and they are almost always in an improper format. LETTERS WRITTEN USING YOUR COMPUTER that are NOT boiler plate outlines drafted by someone else, rate higher on the vote risk scale. HAND TYPED LETTERS ON A TYPEWRITER, rate even higher on the vote risk scale but not by much, but they show a direct effort by the writer. Pretty goofy, eh? TELEPHONE CALLS are attention getters too, but in the end all they do is count the numbers and compare them against the population at large. Rarely is a call ever returned by anyone but an office pogue. THE MOST EFFECTIVE TYPE OF CORRESPONDENCE that will almost always get to them or at least their Chief or Staff are HANDWRITTEN letters in BLUE INK (more personal than business black) on PERSONAL STATIONERY like grandma uses when she writes a letter to you. In the formula they have established that a single handwritten letter in this manner potentially translates to thousands of potential votes at risk, or even higher based upon the population. I don't get it either. I know this whole thing sounds goofy and you are free to shake your head and dismiss it as just babble from some kook from California, but I work for an elected official and have worked on several campaigns for public positions. Please focus your efforts and use the economy of your forces to make the biggest impact! I have always enjoyed the genealogical resources Michigan has to offer and especially all the effort the Rootsweb volunteers like Pat Hamp and Caroline Obertien in the Saginaw and Midland areas and the hundreds of other county listowners. Good luck with your fight and thank your all of your efforts on behalf of those of us from other states. Sincerely, Kevin O'Brien Laguna Hills, CA

Good advice from Kevin! I have done lots of grassroots lobbying in Oklahoma over the years and agree with Kevin's pointers. Personal letters work! Mary Sue Schnell Norman, OK (grew up in Saginaw) -----Original Message----- From: Kevin O'Brien <kevinobrien8527@cox.net> To: mi-genealogy@rootsweb.com Sent: Thu, Jul 23, 2009 6:57 pm Subject: [MI-GENEALOGY] WHEN WRITING TO ELECTED OFFICIALS ABOUT THE LIBRARY... Dear Friends, Unfortunately I live in California so other than offering some advice I am powerless to help much, but I am sharing what I know about political efforts and getting the attention of your elected officials. When writing or contacting any elected official, remember they receive hundreds of submissions every day regarding different subjects. In order to make their work easier and streamline the volume they receive, they use a quiet algorythm that is worked against some mathematical formula regarding the populous of their district and state to determine the worth of all contacts andthe level of risk a politician has if they do not give the particular issue public attention. In a nutshell here is how it works: When they receive E-MAIL contacts they are bundled into sheer numbers alone and aside from an automatically generated letter back to the sender, LITTLE IF ANY REVIEW takes place as they are LOWEST in vote risk worth. ONLINE PETITIONS ARE ALMOST ALWAYS INNEFECTIVE AND ARE GENERALLY IGNORED ALTOGETHER, because there is no way to verify the sender, their location in the elected official's district and they are almost always in an improper format. LETTERS WRITTEN USING YOUR COMPUTER that are NOT boiler plate outlines drafted by someone else, rate higher on the vote risk scale. HAND TYPED LETTERS ON A TYPEWRITER, rate even higher on the vote risk scale but not by much, but they show a direct effort by the writer. Pretty goofy, eh? TELEPHONE CALLS are attention getters too, but in the end all they do is count the numbers and compare them against the population at large. Rarely is a call ever returned by anyone but an office pogue. THE MOST EFFECTIVE TYPE OF CORRESPONDENCE that will almost always get to them or at least their Chief or Staff are HANDWRITTEN letters in BLUE INK (more personal than business black) on PERSONAL STATIONERY like grandma uses when she writes a letter to you. In the formula they have established that a single handwritten letter in this manner potentially translates to thousands of potential votes at risk, or even higher based upon the population. I don't get it either. I know this whole thing sounds goofy and you are free to shake your head and dismiss it as just babble from some kook from California, but I work for an elected official and have worked on several campaigns for public positions. Please focus your efforts and use the economy of your forces to make the biggest impact! I have always enjoyed the genealogical resources Michigan has to offer and especially all the effort the Rootsweb volunteers like Pat Hamp and Caroline Obertien in the Saginaw and Midland areas and the hundreds of other county listowners. Good luck with your fight and thank your all of your efforts on behalf of those of us from other states. Sincerely, Kevin O'Brien Laguna Hills, CA ***************************** The theme of this list is Michigan genealogy and research. Please respect others by keeping your postings to this theme. MI-Genealogy Mail List Information http://www.migenweb.net/maillist.html ***************************** ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to MI-GENEALOGY-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

What Kevin O'Brien tells you is not just some idle rambling from "a kook in California." I am somewhat surprised that one of us homo sapiens would take the time to speak the truth concerning one of the problems in our political system. In a few more months, our problem in Lansing will leave office… and we may be lucky in the next office holder who, hopefully, will have a more realistic set of priorities. I'm a Floridian, now. Escaped from Michigan a few yrs back. May return …if "the economic climate" ever gets better. Incidentally, I hold 3 college degrees, plus a lotta post-grad work …just in case you think me a "kook in Florida." …but, I still may be …may have to think abt that. Concerning libraries …all of us should realize that they are the best source of education for all of us …especially the underprivileged and near poverty stricken children… our future leaders. Politicians should take note of this fact …if they really care. John On Thu, Jul 23, 2009 at 7:57 PM, Kevin O'Brien <kevinobrien8527@cox.net>wrote: > Dear Friends, > Unfortunately I live in California so other than offering some advice I > am powerless to help much, but I am sharing what I know about political > efforts and getting the attention of your elected officials. > When writing or contacting any elected official, remember they receive > hundreds of submissions every day regarding different subjects. In order to > make their work easier and streamline the volume they receive, they use a > quiet algorythm that is worked against some mathematical formula regarding > the populous of their district and state to determine the worth of all > contacts andthe level of risk a politician has if they do not give the > particular issue public attention. In a nutshell here is how it works: > > When they receive E-MAIL contacts they are bundled into sheer numbers alone > and aside from an automatically generated letter back to the sender, LITTLE > IF ANY REVIEW takes place as they are LOWEST in vote risk worth. > > ONLINE PETITIONS ARE ALMOST ALWAYS INNEFECTIVE AND ARE GENERALLY IGNORED > ALTOGETHER, because there is no way to verify the sender, their location in > the elected official's district and they are almost always in an improper > format. > > LETTERS WRITTEN USING YOUR COMPUTER that are NOT boiler plate outlines > drafted by someone else, rate higher on the vote risk scale. > > HAND TYPED LETTERS ON A TYPEWRITER, rate even higher on the vote risk scale > but not by much, but they show a direct effort by the writer. Pretty goofy, > eh? > > TELEPHONE CALLS are attention getters too, but in the end all they do is > count the numbers and compare them against the population at large. Rarely > is a call ever returned by anyone but an office pogue. > > THE MOST EFFECTIVE TYPE OF CORRESPONDENCE that will almost always get to > them or at least their Chief or Staff are HANDWRITTEN letters in BLUE INK > (more personal than business black) on PERSONAL STATIONERY like grandma > uses > when she writes a letter to you. In the formula they have established that > a > single handwritten letter in this manner potentially translates to > thousands > of potential votes at risk, or even higher based upon the population. I > don't get it either. > > I know this whole thing sounds goofy and you are free to shake your head > and dismiss it as just babble from some kook from California, but I work > for > an elected official and have worked on several campaigns for public > positions. Please focus your efforts and use the economy of your forces to > make the biggest impact! I have always enjoyed the genealogical resources > Michigan has to offer and especially all the effort the Rootsweb volunteers > like Pat Hamp and Caroline Obertien in the Saginaw and Midland areas and > the > hundreds of other county listowners. Good luck with your fight and thank > your all of your efforts on behalf of those of us from other states. > > Sincerely, > Kevin O'Brien > Laguna Hills, CA > > ***************************** > The theme of this list is Michigan genealogy and research. Please respect > others by keeping your postings to this theme. > MI-Genealogy Mail List Information > http://www.migenweb.net/maillist.html > ***************************** > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > MI-GENEALOGY-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >