Dear Folks, Sue Kissel forwarded me a message sent to the NYNIAGAR list. It read like this: > It is my understand that the Niagara Falls, NY library is under serious > threat of closing due to city finances. Does anyone on this list know what > the status will be of all of the newspaper microfilm and do these > microfilms exist elsewhere? In other words, if the possible becomes > reality and the library closes I wonder who will safeguard these films and > if the city is organized enough to even do so. Do copies exist elsewhere > through the local newspaper? I am very concerned about the future safety > of these films! > > Susan Sue then asked me if I knew anything about this. The answer is yes and no. Yes I've been reading in the Niagara Gazette for some time now about the concern of the city finances regarding the expense of keeping the main library open. It seems that the city is determined to shut it down and just make it disappear. When I first read of the possibility, I was dumbstruck. Of all of the dumb things the city fathers have done over the past 50 years, this one has got to take the cake. Getting down to the possibility of the library's closing, I've also been concerned what will happen with the archives stored there. Not only the newspaper microfilms but the entire Local History Dept. that serves genealogists very competently. The last time I visited the Youngstown library I asked Jan the librarian what would happen with the History Dept. in the library in Niagara Falls. She doesn't have a clue. I wouldn't want to live to see the day that everything would just be tossed into the dump, microfilms, a gazillion books, CDs, videos, computers, etc. But apparently those in power haven't leaked that sort of information to the media. But on a positive note, I can't see the Niagara County Historian standing by and letting such valuable historical information and artifacts just boxed up and stored in some warehouse into obscurity. I guess it hasn't gotten to that point yet and I'll just keep hoping and praying that it doesn't happen at all. vee