--part1_80.1c8e9f0b.2a2dfb44_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit --part1_80.1c8e9f0b.2a2dfb44_boundary Content-Type: message/rfc822 Content-Disposition: inline Return-Path: <[email protected]> Received: from rly-za03.mx.aol.com (rly-za03.mail.aol.com [172.31.36.99]) by air-za04.mail.aol.com (v86.11) with ESMTP id MAILINZA43-0604071324; Tue, 04 Jun 2002 07:13:24 -0400 Received: from lists7.rootsweb.com (lists7.rootsweb.com [63.92.80.56]) by rly-za03.mx.aol.com (v86.11) with ESMTP id MAILRELAYINZA36-0604071304; Tue, 04 Jun 2002 07:13:04 -0400 Received: (from [email protected]) by lists7.rootsweb.com (8.10.1/8.10.1) id g54BCZH10836; Tue, 4 Jun 2002 05:12:35 -0600 Resent-Date: Tue, 4 Jun 2002 05:12:35 -0600 X-Original-Sender: [email protected] Tue Jun 4 05:12:34 2002 From: [email protected] Message-ID: <[email protected]> Date: Tue, 4 Jun 2002 07:12:25 EDT Subject: A must read article Old-To: [email protected] MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" X-Mailer: AOL 6.0 for Windows US sub 10572 Resent-Message-ID: <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Resent-From: [email protected] Reply-To: [email protected] X-Mailing-List: <[email protected]> archive/latest/384 X-Loop: [email protected] Precedence: list Resent-Sender: [email protected] Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable X-MIME-Autoconverted: from 8bit to quoted-printable by lists7.rootsweb.com id g54BCZH10836 A Followup to Sharon Bias' email last week about CA legislation. "WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP SAVE OUR RECORDS?" by Juliana Smith =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Last week the "Ancestry Daily News" ran a Joint Resolution and=20 Petition from the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) and the=20 National Genealogical Society (NGS) regarding the possible closure of=20 California vital records indexes=20 (http://www.ancestry.com/rd/prodredir.asp?sourceid=3D1644&key=3DA577701).= =A0=20 I received a number of messages from readers asking what they could=20 do to help. Because California legislators will be most likely to=20 listen to their voters, it was particularly important that California=20 residents write in to express their opinion.=A0=20 The rest of us shouldn't be resting on our laurels though. Even if=20 you don't have roots in California, this legislation sets a dangerous=20 precedent and if it passes, other states may follow suit. In addition=20 to vital records legislation, family historians are faced with other=20 threats to record access, which include budget and staff cuts to the=20 libraries and archives we rely on in researching our ancestry. So=20 what can we do? BE PROACTIVE Family historians are the principal users of our country's archives=20 and as such, we are the first to be hurt when access and/or hours are=20 restricted, and budgets are cut. Get to know your local librarians=20 and archivists, learn about the challenges they face, and ask them=20 what you can do as a patron to help.=A0=20 There are volunteer programs both in the National Archives in=20 Washington, DC, and in the regions. The volunteers have been=20 responsible for a number of important preservation and education=20 projects that may have never gotten off the ground were it left to=20 the bureaucrats. Volunteer networks help spread the word when records=20 are being threatened and rally support to protect our national=20 treasures.=20 Local libraries may have "friends" organizations that sponsor similar=20 projects on a local level, like the "Newberry Library's Friends of=20 Genealogy (FOG)," or "Friends of the Allen County Public Library."=A0=20 Membership in these organizations help to fund special projects,=20 acquisitions, expansions, education, and also help support or voice=20 displeasure over proposed legislation. Check your local libraries'=20 websites and see what organizations support them.=20 The work of these dedicated people helps our libraries and archives=20 stretch their budgets and do things that they might not otherwise be=20 able to do. This benefits the community and its resident genealogists=20 -- like you! BE COUNTABLE AS A SOCIETY MEMBER One of the best ways (and the most fun!) is to join a society. When=20 you are on a society membership list, you are countable as someone=20 with an interest in family history. When legislation arises, these=20 membership numbers can be used to exert influence over those we vote=20 into (or out of) office. In addition, there are many other wonderful benefits in belonging to=20 a society. With your membership, you typically will receive=20 periodicals, access to society holdings, and sometimes, exclusive=20 access to online databases. As with the case of library "friend"=20 organizations, your membership dollars go to preservation, special=20 project, educational workshops and meetings, and additions to the=20 organization's collections.=20 Genealogical and historical societies form a solid foundation upon=20 which the genealogical community rests. But in many cases, this=20 foundation is crumbling. Many societies are suffering from declining=20 memberships and a crippling lack of volunteers. If these institutions=20 that have given us so much are to survive, they need your support on=20 both a local and national level. By helping societies, you are in=20 essence, helping yourself.=A0=20 HOW TO CHOOSE Like many of you I suspect, I simply don't have the resources to join=20 every society that I'd like to, so I have to pick and choose. But=20 with so many worthwhile organizations, how do I decide?=A0=20 The first thing I do is check out the organizations. What kind of=20 publications do members receive? Will these publications help me with=20 my research? What other research services are offered? Will I be able=20 to take advantage of the organization's collections and resources --=20 even if I don't live in the vicinity? Are there worthy projects in=20 the works that I want to help support? Most societies now maintain a=20 Web presence and you may be able to find the answers to these=20 questions and more online.=20 LINKS Federation of Genealogical Societies http://www.fgs.org FGS Society Hall http://www.familyhistory.com/societyhall/main.asp National Genealogical Society http://www.ngsgenealogy.org=20 Friends of Libraries, U.S.A. http://www.folusa.com/ ____________________________________________________________________=A0 =A0=20 Juliana Smith is the editor of the "Ancestry Daily News" and author=20 of "The Ancestry Family Historian's Address Book." She has written=20 for "Ancestry" Magazine and "Genealogical Computing." Juliana can be=20 reached by e-mail at: mailto:[email protected], but regrets=20 that she is unable to assist with personal research. =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go= to: http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=3D571&sourceid=3D1237 --part1_80.1c8e9f0b.2a2dfb44_boundary--