To Bill Wiler, and others that are discussing this on the Erie County mail list: The rules and regulations from library to library are different throughout the state. There is still hope. OCPL in Syracuse has always had strong rules regarding the use of the materials in Local/History Genealogy. This was done primarily to protect these scarce and sometimes unique items. In that regard, most libraries are the same, with a very few exceptions. However, as people from out of the area came to Syracuse to do research, no matter which state they are from, have always been able to go right to the registration desk in Syracuse and obtain a Library Card by showing proper ID, after which that person was accorded all the same use as if they were residents. As a matter of fact there is no way for out of towners to even view certain parts of the LH/G collections without applying for that card, which is obtainable while you wait. The only thing is that you do have to go there in person. Once you have their card you can then also use their online digital databases and all resources. Now this most recent flurry of activity regarding access to the NYS Vital Records microfiche indexes informs us that Syracuse will do the look-ups on the VR indexes for Births, Deaths and Marriages, whether or not you have a library card. Hope this helps. Dick Hillenbrand Upstate New York Genealogy www.unyg.com On Wed, Mar 12, 2008 at 2:23 PM, Bill Wiler <[email protected]> wrote: > Cynthia, > Thank you very much. The Librarian just told me she could not > help me. > Bill > > > > Cynthia Van Ness <[email protected]> > Sent by: [email protected] > 03/12/2008 07:23 AM > Please respond to > [email protected] > > > To > [email protected] > cc > > Subject > Re: [NYERIE] Update to NYS Vital Records Indexes - Free Look Ups! > > > > > > > A $50 membership at the New York State Library gets you full > access to their databases & other perks: > > http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/friends/app.htm > > Here are those databases: > > http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/gate/remotedb.htm > > --- Bill Wiler <[email protected]> wrote: > > > I actually tried to become a member of the Buffalo Library and > > was told > > that because I live out of state, have no business there and I > > am not a NY > > resident, I can not join. So I have no access to any NY > > Library unless I > > use a researcher. > > Bill Wiler > > > > > > > > Cynthia Van Ness <[email protected]> > > Sent by: [email protected] > > 03/11/2008 07:44 AM > > Please respond to > > [email protected] > > > > > > To > > [email protected] > > cc > > > > Subject > > Re: [NYERIE] Update to NYS Vital Records Indexes - Free Look > > Ups! > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Thanks, Dick, but I don't need convincing. I am not keeping > > anyone from these records, New York State is. I was just > > reporting a regulation as it was communicated to BECPL and > > thinking out loud about what the rationale might be. > > > > If the Onondaga Public Library is in fact disregarding Health > > Department regulations, you may soon have less access to the > > index, not more. > > > > Everyone who agrees with Dick should communicate their > > sentiments to the NY State Health Department and their state > > legislators. > > > > --- Dick Hillenbrand <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > I heard Sharon Sergeant CG, and Pat Richley (Dear Myrtle,) > > > both professional > > > genealogists, discussing just this on a podcast last week. > > > Sharon made the > > > case for totally open records, stating that they have been > > > making studies > > > and there are not many cases of identity fraud from vital > > > records, and that > > > almost all of the cases are caused by people that you know, > > > family members, > > > former friends, business acquaintances, and so on. > > > > > > These cases almost always are because someone ripped off > > your > > > credit card, > > > or you left your social security number laying around with > > > your bank > > > statement and such. > > > > > > Sharon is the professional genealogist that with others > > broke > > > the recent > > > Holocaust fraud story of the lady that claimed she was > > raised > > > by wolves. It > > > was all over the news the last couple of weeks. > > > > > > I am not a fan of bureaucrats being paid to protect me! > > I've > > > seen too much > > > in my long life. > > > > > > I hear you anyway, and I accept your points. Well said, as > > > always. > > > > > > Dick > > > > > > > > > On Mon, Mar 10, 2008 at 7:32 PM, Cynthia Van Ness > > > <[email protected]> > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > --- Dick Hillenbrand <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > Myself, I think any kind of restriction on these > > indexes, > > > in > > > > > any manner > > > > > whatsoever, by the state is just plain silly! The time > > > limit > > > > > restrictions > > > > > being met, who cares? Most all of these people are dead > > > and > > > > > gone, or at least over the hilll. \gin/ > > > > > > > > You may well be right, but we pay our public servants to > > > protect > > > > us. If someone figured out a way to exploit the indexes > > for > > > > large scale identity theft, we'd be screaming bloody > > murder > > > > because the regulations were too lax. I don't know if > > > identity > > > > theft is a credible threat (maybe it is not) but I do know > > > that > > > > the Health Department would be irresponsible to ignore the > > > > possibility. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > *:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:**:-.,_,.-* > > > > Cynthia Van Ness, MLS, bettybarcode AT yahoo DOT com > > > > http://www.BuffaloResearch.com > > > > > > > > "Everyone claims to want a city, but no one here wants > > city > > > living. City > > > > living by its definition is crowded. It is tolerant of > > > other people. It is > > > > dependent on a sophisticated population that makes a > > hundred > > > compromises > > > > daily so that they can benefit from the collective energy > > > that a city > > > > generates." --Robert N. Davis, Jr. (1955-2007) > > > > > > > > ------------------------------- > > > > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > > > > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' > > > without the quotes > > > > in the subject and the body of the message > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------- > > > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > > > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' > > > without the quotes in the subject and the body of the > > message > > > > > > > > > > *:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:**:-.,_,.-* > > Cynthia Van Ness, MLS, bettybarcode AT yahoo DOT com > > http://www.BuffaloResearch.com > > > > "Everyone claims to want a city, but no one here wants city > > living. City > > living by its definition is crowded. It is tolerant of other > > people. It > > is dependent on a sophisticated population that makes a > > hundred > > compromises daily so that they can benefit from the collective > > energy that > > a city generates." --Robert N. Davis, Jr. (1955-2007) > > > > ------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' > > without the quotes > > in the subject and the body of the message > > > > > > CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This email, including attachments, is > > for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain > > confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized > > review, use or disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If > > you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender > > immediately and destroy all copies of the original message. > > > > ------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' > > without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > > > *:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:**:-.,_,.-* > Cynthia Van Ness, MLS, bettybarcode AT yahoo DOT com > http://www.BuffaloResearch.com > > "Everyone claims to want a city, but no one here wants city living. City > living by its definition is crowded. It is tolerant of other people. It > is dependent on a sophisticated population that makes a hundred > compromises daily so that they can benefit from the collective energy that > a city generates." --Robert N. 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