Please forward to anyone you think might be affected by this closure. Frederick M. Dittmar Diggin' Deep Genealogy Research Service Box 2601 - Norman, Oklahoma 73070-2601 http://www.dittmar.net/fred ----- Original Message ----- From: <mailto:[email protected]>Max Nichols Sent: Friday, January 24, 2003 11:34 AM Subject: OHS to close research facilities to meet budget demans #SOM# Jan. 24, 2003; Dr. Bob Blackburn; (405) 522-5206 OHS TO CLOSE RESEARCH FACILITIES TEMPORARILY FOR CONSOLIDATION TO MEET DEMANDS OF REDUCED BUDGET For Immediate Release In a move to solve problems stemming from revenue shortfalls of Oklahoma's state government, the Oklahoma Historical Society will close its Archives, Research Library and Newspaper reading rooms to the walk-in public during February to consolidate its research facilities. The reading rooms will be closed on Saturday, Feb. 1, and will reopen on Saturday, March 1, said Historical Society Executive Director Bob Blackburn. Inquiries via telephone, mail and email, however, will be answered during that time. "Starting March 1, all research visitors will go to one reference desk in the former library to utilize material of all kinds," said Blackburn. "These include newspapers, books, family histories, tribal records, documents, photos, video and audio tapes, film and microfilm. "This consolidation already was planned for the new Oklahoma History Center, which is expected to open in 2004. We have had to accelerate that plan to meet budget problems and therefore fewer staff positions." The Historical Society has experienced a $1.7 million shortfall in state revenue over the past 12 months. This has resulted in a 20 percent reduction in staff positions plus eight furlough days for staff members. "Consolidating the archives, library and newspaper operations will allow the Historical Society to provide the same quality services more efficiently," Blackburn said. "We will have fewer staff members working the same number of hours, but they will greet all visitors in one place to work with all materials. It will be less confusing for visitors and easier for staff members to help them." All microfilm readers will be installed in the current newspaper reading room, he said, and the archives reading room will be used to process new collections and prepare for moving to the new History Center. "This reflects one of the major problems we face," said Blackburn. "Our collections have grown rapidly in preparation for the new History Center while our budget has been reduced. We now have more than 6,000 collections of manuscripts, more than 2.7 million photos, 80,000 books 28,000 rolls of microfilm that include census and other material, and more than 31,000 rolls of microfilm on newspapers in Oklahoma." Newspapers are the oldest materials collected by the Historical Society, which was founded in 1893 by the Oklahoma Press Association to collect newspapers in Oklahoma Territory. The Historical Society now has more than 30 million individual pages of newspapers, representing more than 4,000 titles and 95 percent of all of the newspapers ever printed in Oklahoma. As part of the consolidation, the Historical Society will increase its efforts for staff members to "take our collections to the public," he said. This will involve presentations to interested groups all over the state to explain how to access the Historical Society collections. Researchers also are encouraged to contact the Historical Society's Research Center during the February consolidation to seek information at (405) 522-5224, via mail at 2100 N. Lincoln Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK 73105, or via email at [email protected] #EOM#