Dear Jan, A couple days ago, I swore that I would retreat back to the "hiding generation" and not get involved anymore in this discussion… but I just have to say "this abt that"… with due respect to the memory of JFK. From reading your written words of wisdom …and reading into those words… things you leave unexpressed… I see (or at least sincerely believe) you have a good grasp of the situation existing in the real world of …do I dare say it… MI political economy. I agree with you 99.99% in what you say. But, it all depends on whose ox is being gored…don't you know. Incidentally, I do have a lot of GENEALOGICAL and Historical data on the Joseph Kennedy Family …from my Master's thesis research… that I was going to leave to the Library of Michigan, on passing …but now, I can't go …don't you see. John On Sun, Jul 26, 2009 at 4:46 PM, Jan Cortez <janacortez@charter.net> wrote: > I guess that I have mixed feelings about this. Go figure..... Myself > personally, I wouldn't object to paying a fee of a couple dollars for the > use of the Library of Michigan. It's kind of like where I live. I am > restricted to a local rural library that is so small I may have more books > at home in my own library than they do. That is where the penal fines go > and also the ones supported by local government, etc.., etc. If I want to > go into town, which is just as close, I have to pay a $25.00 a year fee for > a library card and the ability to check out books. <sigh> > > What I don't like about the charging of fees for entrance is that the > family > who may be living on minimum wage, if they are lucky, or the unemployed > families that want to take their child to the Library of Michigan and > can't > afford the fee are out of luck. We talk so much about families and doing > things with our children, but, government is making it so restrictive that > the poor family can't even take their children to a State park without > paying a daily or yearly fee to enter. It just isn't right. > > I live close to Ferris State University and I watch them build, remodel and > tear down older buildings, that look pretty darn good to me, and I wonder > where the money comes from for that? Grants, probably. But, why are they > building when the economy is so bad in MI and fewer and fewer people can > afford to send their children to college. Seems like that money could be > used to better service the residents and the children of this State by > saving our History and preserving it right where we have it. > > Moving the materials from the Library of MI would entail a great deal of > cost and then to remodel the Library for other uses. I'd like to see what > the cost savings would really be in the end... Probably wouldn't be any. > > What is the solution? I really don't know. They can't add another fee on > to > the smoker, as we have taxed them to death in this State as it is. Maybe > eliminate the border police for out of state cigarette buying? I wonder > how > much that costs? How about the drinker? More tax on alcohol to support > the > library? Both of those leave it to certain segments of the population that > have to pay for everything it seems. > > I once saw an article written in to the Grand Rapids Press where some one > advocated putting a tax on TP, as everyone uses it. <g> > > Now, I think that I am going to go hide before Pat, my Co-Coordinator of > this list moderates me and she probably will. > > Jan > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Peggy Youngs" <peggy.youngs@gmail.com> > > > > If one wants to use any of the materials in the closed stacks at the > > Detroit > > Public Library, such as those in the Burton Historical Collection, you > > must > > be a resident of the City of Detroit to access those materials without > > charge. > > Non-Detroit residents are assessed a $10.00 per day fee or $100.00 per > > year charge. > > > > I do not think that "pay to play" at the Library of Michigan is against > > the > > concept > > of a public library. When I wrote to my representative, I posed the idea > > of > > a > > purchased library card to him. > > > > Peggy > > > > On Sun, Jul 26, 2009 at 2:35 PM, BACON <dogon@iserv.net> wrote: > > > >> I'm not against the idea, but... > >> > >> doesn't it run contrary to the concept of a public library, as proposed > >> by > >> Benjamin Franklin? Nevertheless, so many services have already gone > the > >> way of "user fee", it may become the only way to preserve the services > >> for > >> those who wish to have them available, even if they may become > >> unaffordable > >> to the indigent. > >> > >> F. Bacon > > ***************************** > 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 >

According to Wikipedia (online encyclopedia): Genealogy remains a useful auxiliary science, without which history cannot properly be conducted. Yet at the same time it also holds great sway over the popular imagination, probably more so than academic history. This is only natural; the pursuit of genealogy can give people important answers to the questions of who they are and where they come from. So saving our library is vital. "There are only two lasting bequests we can give our children - one is roots, and the other, wings." --Hodding S. Carter I think I will hand write, with blue ink, on stationary, some letters to the appropriate politicians. Oct 1st is coming fast. Christel ________________________________ From: John Long <longjohn144@gmail.com> To: mi-genealogy@rootsweb.com Sent: Sunday, July 26, 2009 6:07:52 PM Subject: Re: [MI-GENEALOGY] Ways to Save the State of Michigan Library Dear Jan, A couple days ago, I swore that I would retreat back to the "hiding generation" and not get involved anymore in this discussion… but I just have to say "this abt that"… with due respect to the memory of JFK. From reading your written words of wisdom …and reading into those words… things you leave unexpressed… I see (or at least sincerely believe) you have a good grasp of the situation existing in the real world of …do I dare say it… MI political economy. I agree with you 99.99% in what you say. But, it all depends on whose ox is being gored…don't you know. Incidentally, I do have a lot of GENEALOGICAL and Historical data on the Joseph Kennedy Family …from my Master's thesis research… that I was going to leave to the Library of Michigan, on passing …but now, I can't go …don't you see. John On Sun, Jul 26, 2009 at 4:46 PM, Jan Cortez <janacortez@charter.net> wrote: > I guess that I have mixed feelings about this. Go figure..... Myself > personally, I wouldn't object to paying a fee of a couple dollars for the > use of the Library of Michigan. It's kind of like where I live. I am > restricted to a local rural library that is so small I may have more books > at home in my own library than they do. That is where the penal fines go > and also the ones supported by local government, etc.., etc. If I want to > go into town, which is just as close, I have to pay a $25.00 a year fee for > a library card and the ability to check out books. <sigh> > > What I don't like about the charging of fees for entrance is that the > family > who may be living on minimum wage, if they are lucky, or the unemployed > families that want to take their child to the Library of Michigan and > can't > afford the fee are out of luck. We talk so much about families and doing > things with our children, but, government is making it so restrictive that > the poor family can't even take their children to a State park without > paying a daily or yearly fee to enter. It just isn't right. > > I live close to Ferris State University and I watch them build, remodel and > tear down older buildings, that look pretty darn good to me, and I wonder > where the money comes from for that? Grants, probably. But, why are they > building when the economy is so bad in MI and fewer and fewer people can > afford to send their children to college. Seems like that money could be > used to better service the residents and the children of this State by > saving our History and preserving it right where we have it. > > Moving the materials from the Library of MI would entail a great deal of > cost and then to remodel the Library for other uses. I'd like to see what > the cost savings would really be in the end... Probably wouldn't be any. > > What is the solution? I really don't know. They can't add another fee on > to > the smoker, as we have taxed them to death in this State as it is. Maybe > eliminate the border police for out of state cigarette buying? I wonder > how > much that costs? How about the drinker? More tax on alcohol to support > the > library? Both of those leave it to certain segments of the population that > have to pay for everything it seems. > > I once saw an article written in to the Grand Rapids Press where some one > advocated putting a tax on TP, as everyone uses it. <g> > > Now, I think that I am going to go hide before Pat, my Co-Coordinator of > this list moderates me and she probably will. > > Jan > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Peggy Youngs" <peggy.youngs@gmail.com> > > > > If one wants to use any of the materials in the closed stacks at the > > Detroit > > Public Library, such as those in the Burton Historical Collection, you > > must > > be a resident of the City of Detroit to access those materials without > > charge. > > Non-Detroit residents are assessed a $10.00 per day fee or $100.00 per > > year charge. > > > > I do not think that "pay to play" at the Library of Michigan is against > > the > > concept > > of a public library. When I wrote to my representative, I posed the idea > > of > > a > > purchased library card to him. > > > > Peggy > > > > On Sun, Jul 26, 2009 at 2:35 PM, BACON <dogon@iserv.net> wrote: > > > >> I'm not against the idea, but... > >> > >> doesn't it run contrary to the concept of a public library, as proposed > >> by > >> Benjamin Franklin? Nevertheless, so many services have already gone > the > >> way of "user fee", it may become the only way to preserve the services > >> for > >> those who wish to have them available, even if they may become > >> unaffordable > >> to the indigent. > >> > >> F. Bacon > > ***************************** > 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 > ***************************** 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