MIGenWeb Supports Keeping The Library of Michigan Intact We, the members of the Michigan GenWeb project, wish to publicly state that we fully support the efforts of the Michigan Genealogical Council to keep the collections from the Library of Michigan from being separated or otherwise removed under Executive Order 2009-36, which disperses the archives amongst different departments and dissolves the Department of Histories, Arts and Libraries. We do acknowledge the financial crisis currently facing Michigan, however, we feel that the amount of money coming into the state from the number of tourists, visitors, genealogists, researchers and future entrepreneurs visiting the Library of Michigan is a revenue stream for the future of Michigan that the Governor should not shut down. In the words of Dr. William M. Anderson, on December 8, 2005, "I believe culture, broadly defined, is an untapped economic resource. When appropriately engaged, at local, regional, and statewide levels, our state's cultural resources can leverage significant new tax revenue, provide good paying jobs, and create sustainable enterprise. Additionally, Governor Jennifer Granholm stated on March 1, 2006, "We are going to base our economy more and more on our intellectual property, on the creative side, the value-added side of what we can offer.The power of creativity in propelling our economy is a fundamental building block of our state's transformation." The resources that the Library of Michigan holds are the stores of Michigan's intellectual property. Without them, researchers would have nowhere to find: - The largest collection of Michigan newspaper microfilm, which calls the Library of Michigan home. It covers all 83 counties of the state, over 1700 titles spanning more than 400 cities, townships, and villages. A collection of this scope cannot be found anywhere else. - The largest collection of Michigan city directories in the state. These directories document places of residence and occupations of Michiganders throughout the years. Patrons of the Library still use this collection for not only for studying genealogy, but also in planning for the future entrepreneurial enterprises and small businesses. - Ethnic Collections, like the Gorski collection, which focuses on Michigan's Polish Heritage, are not available elsewhere. - The Archives of Michigan holds over 300,000 historical photographs. Particularly important holdings deal with Michigan lumbering, Great Lakes shipping, Michigan mining, urban and rural life styles, and Michigan community scenes. - The collection also covers the entire Great Lakes Region, including New England, the Mid Atlantic, Quebec, and Ontario. Michigan is not in a vacuum. The Governor's Executive order would dissolve this part of the genealogy collection. Finally in the words of the Michigan Genealogical Council: "Innovation and Reinvention' can be done anywhere. Our state's cultural heritage center belongs together, in the Michigan Historical Center." Sincerely, The Michigan GenWeb Project Jan Cortez, State Coordinator Patricia Hamp Assistant State Coordinator Alcona - Jennifer Selbrede Alger - Colleen Pustola Allegan - Robin Ellis Alpena - Concetta Phillipps Antrim - Margaret Fallone Arenac - Greg Knopp Baraga - Patricia Hamp Barry - Jan Sedore Bay - Donna Hoff-Grambau and Carol Szelogowski Benzie - Wayne Summers Berrien - Deanna West Branch - Burt Fuller Calhoun - Sandy Redmond and Ann Heisler Cass - Deanna West Charlevoix - Ron Fuller Cheboygan - Deb Haines Chippewa - Esther Thompson Clare - Donna Hoff-Grambau Clinton - Wayne Summers Crawford - Ila Miller Delta - Patricia Hamp Dickinson - Joe Markovich Eaton - Jan Sedore Emmet - Dannielle Thomas Genesee - Pat McArthur Gladwin - Carol Szelogowski Gogebic - Colleen Pustola Grand Traverse County - Brenda Wolfgram Moore Gratiot - Patricia Hamp Hillsdale - Pat McArthur Houghton - Patricia Hamp Huron - Judy Visner Ingham - Jan Cortez Ionia - Wayne Summers Iosco - Shone Brooks Iron - Dennis and Cheryl Stromberg Isabella - Donna Hoff-Grambau Jackson - Steve Shiley Kalamazoo - Robin Ellis Kalkaska - Pat McArthur Kent - Evelyn Sawyer Keweenaw - Patricia Hamp Lake - Jan Tripp Lapeer - Deb Axtman Leelanau - Gene Nowak Lenawee - Mary Teeter Livingston - Emma Winegarner Luce - Ron Fuller Mackinac - Patricia Hamp Macomb - Margaret Fallone Manistee - Nedra Evans Marquette - Patricia Hamp Mason - David Peterson Mecosta - Jan Cortez Menominee - Joe Markovich Midland - Donna Hoff-Grambau Missaukee - Donna Hoff-Grambau Monroe - Michael Sandridge and Janet Kwasniak Montcalm - Pat McArthur Montmorency - Joe Markovich Muskegon - Patti Norton Newaygo - Jan Cortez Oakland - Joe Markovich and Concetta Phillipps Oceana - Jan Cortez Ogemaw - Grace Dooley Ontonagon - Colleen Pustola Osceola - Elna Wilder Oscoda - Meg Fuller Otsego - Peggy Morey Ottawa - Evelyn Sawyer Presque Isle - Janet Anderson Saginaw - Patricia Hamp and Donna Hoff-Grambau Roscommon - Ila Miller Saint Clair - Kathleen Rodegeb Saint Joseph - Joel Newport Sanilac - Judy Visner Schoolcraft - Ron Fuller Shiawassee - Pat McArthur Tuscola - Carol Szelogowski Van Buren - Joan Jaco Wayne - Carol Dunn Wexford - Robin Ellis Other links of interest: MIGenWeb - Free Genealogy By Volunteers http://www.migenweb.net Michigan Genealogical Council http://mimgc.org/