We support Web Access to Archive Records The petition can be viewed and signed at this address: http://www.petitiononline.com/ethan/ There are at least 18,000,000 family history researchers in the United States alone and it has become the 2nd most popular hobby. But access to research materials for family history buffs is woefully lacking. The records needed for this research are being held by the State and Federal Archives, and has become either overly expensive to access or unavailable for access due to distance. Ancestry.com is the leading genealogy web site in the world and signs up tens of thousands of new subscribers each month. To subscribe to all of their databases per year, the costs are outrageous for fixed income persons. That is minimum $79.95 and maximum $239.70 per person per year. With 700,000 subscribers that comes to $ 55,996,500.00/$167,790,000.00 per year. However, their databases lack original documentation, needed for research. Our plan even with a nominal subscription of $20.00 per year based on 700,000 people is $14,000,000.00 which would well afford archival records to be made available electronically, that otherwise, would remain unavailable to out of state and electronic researchers and genealogists. This could also help the records online be self supporting. I direct you to the BLM website as well for an example of what has, can and could be done for Free Access to Archive Records: http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/ We would further propose the work of the archives be contracted out at a reasonable cost, for scanning and making available these precious records electronically, if the archive is unable to accomplish the task. We are hoping you will see our proposal as a solution for all state archives and the federal archive. I refer you to our petition and the many opinions and pleas of the genealogists and concerned others who have signed it. But the State Archives need funding and personnel to accomplish this!! Please think of it as a long term investment and not a cost, by providing funding for these projects making records available online, you give us a richer history of our past. Charlotte Coats 12341 Lampson Garden Grove, CA 92840 714-534-2355 [email protected] ----Original Message Follows---- From: "Janean Ray" <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Subject: [SCCHEST2] ARRRRGGGG Date: Wed, 7 Jul 2004 14:49:44 -0400 Is it just me or what? I am having the hardest time researching Chester Co, Chester Dist - whatever it was called back in the 1800's. Everything I find seems to connect to Ancestry and I am not subscribed. What am I looking for you will ask? Anything, maps, Fishing Creek information, Post office locations as I found census information with post office names. Places to find Wills, Probate information anything online that might be helpful. I just seem to be running around in circles. ==== SCCHEST2 Mailing List ==== If you have a Family Reunion scheduled that ties in with Chester County, SC, please email me at [email protected] and I will post your information on our website and here on the list! _________________________________________________________________ CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail message is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message. If you are the intended recipient but do not wish to receive communications through this medium, please so advise the sender immediately. I support Web Access to Archive Records The petition can be viewed and signed at this address: http://www.petitiononline.com/ethan/ _________________________________________________________________ Is your PC infected? Get a FREE online computer virus scan from McAfee® Security. http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963