------------------------------------------------------------------------ Subject: [OHROOTS] Ohio Historical Society Reduces Access to Records From: MonnettOhio@aol.com Date: 26 Jul 2003 14:17:07 -0600 To: OHROOTS-L@rootsweb.com This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/mZB.2ACI/4845 Message Board Post: The following press release (following my 2 cents) was sent to me from the Ohio Historical Society and it impacts any researcher that has in interest in Ohio, scholastic or hobbyist. This ALSO means that more people will be using the facilities -- including microfilm room; if you are like me and prefer to use the reader copiers in place of the regular readers, if will be harder to get a machine. The people who work at OHS are good people working under the worst of circumstances and they deserve our support. Remember, the cutbacks you are seeing are results of the Ohio House, Senante and Governor Taft NOT supporting Ohio's history in this our bicentianl year. -- SJK OHIO HISTORICAL SOCIETY TO REDUCE STAFF AND CUT BACK ON LIBRARY/ARCHIVES ACCESS COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio Historical Society, following deliberation and authorization of its operations budget, announced today that 39 staff positions must be eliminated for the fiscal year and biennium that began July 1. Although the Society received an increase in state funding for the majority of its historic sites and museum education programs, funding levels in several areas, including archives/library, historic preservation and services to local historical organizations, were not sufficient to maintain current levels of service. Of the 39 positions eliminated, 27 are presently filled and 12 had been held frozen pending the outcome of state appropriations. With this action, the Society begins its new fiscal year with overall staffing levels approximately 25 percent lower than two years ago. "We regret that we must take action to eliminate positions," said Gary C. Ness, executive director of the Ohio Historical Society. "The employees who are affected by our responsibility to balance expenses with support have worked hard and well for the Society and have helped this organization deliver exemplary programs and services. The painful decisions we have announced today in no way reflect negatively on the stewardship of the employees whose positions have been eliminated." To maximize public access despite reduced staffing, the Society will open its archives/library at the Ohio Historical Center in Columbus on Thursday evenings, but will reduce overall hours from 40 per week to 24 per week, effective Aug. 1. The new archives/library hours will be Wednesday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Thursday, 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. The Archives/Library will be CLOSED August 1, 2003. The museum at the Ohio Historical Center will adjust its hours to match the library schedule by adding evening hours on Thursdays. The center's new hours, effective Aug. 1, will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursdays; and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. 30 ______________________________