NEHGS to Shut Down Circulating Library Service

The following is an announcement from the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS):

NEHGS continually strives to respond to the changing needs of our members and the world of genealogy. In order to focus its resources in an optimal manner, the Society is making plans to discontinue its Circulating Library service in Spring 2006.

Keeping on top of current trends in online services, NEHGS will offer other benefits to its members such as HeritageQuest Online, currently being phased in on the NEHGS website, NewEnglandAncestors.org. The Society will make lectures available for members to download and, once the Circulating Library closes, the staff will provide assistance in helping members locate copies of books previously available through the Circulating Library.

The Circulating Library Catalog is still available and will continue to be a useful resource even after the NEHGS Circulating Library has closed. The 2-volume catalog, listing over 30,000 titles, is a core reference of resources for anyone doing New England research and genealogical research in general.

The service will continue to operate until next spring with a few minor changes. Loans will be limited to three books at a time and payment for orders will be by credit card only. The return pouch system will be discontinued and all books will be shipped via UPS and must be returned with tracking or delivery confirmation.

NEHGS is currently updating its website to reflect changes in its Circulating Library ordering procedures. For assistance with requests from the Circulating Library, please contact NEHGS Member Services toll-free at 1-888-296-3447 (Monday-Friday, 9 am – 5 pm ET) or via email at membership@nehgs.org.

Comments

[Myrt :)]

Missing from the article is His-Gen's web address: http://www.newenglandancestors.org

I checked, and you are correct, as always, Dick, that the website does NOT YET reflect this change in circulation policy:
http://www.newenglandancestors.org/libraries/circulation/default.asp

[Bob Meehan]

I am appalled to read that the NEHGS is are planning to discontinue the circulating library, the significant resource for those of its members living outside the Boston area. This library has books and sources not available online, for example, the 15-volume “O'Kief, Coshe Mang, Slieve Lougher, and Upper Blackwater in Ireland” by Albert Casey. Each of these volumes has around 2500 pages, many of which are reduced 4 to a page and with an uncomplete index, requiring the researcher to read all of each volume with a magnifying glass in order to avoid missing significant data. So far I have examined only two of these volumes and it has taken me the three week loan period each time to do so. I have to wait a month or two between volume readings to let my eyeballs recycle! I am sure Marie Daly (The NEHGS Irish specialist)can confirm what a valuable resource these volumes are. Even if I lived in Boston it would be impractical to examine these volumes at NEHGS with the detail required. It will be impossible for me to complete my research of the remaining 13 volumes by spring of 2006.

I applaud the expansion of the NEHGS web site and the data available thereon, a lot of which has been very useful to me. However, until such time as books such as the Casey are scanned, indexed, and available online the circulating library must be maintained. The two-volume index is useless unless one has access to the books therein.

[Hugh Hastings]

I don't believe it! It is one of the primary reasons I belong to the Society. Not being able to obtain copies to research at home will substantialy hinder my research efforts. i sincerely hope they reconsider this decision! I would even pay more to keep this service!

[J. K. Baremore]

I am truly disheartened to hear that NEHGS is discontinuing the circulating library. I was about to renew my membership in order to take advantage of this valuable oportunity. I cannot sit in front of a computer for hours....to read...compare my data with what is written...research...due to a severe back condition. I have encouraged others to get a subscription.....who don't have a computer.... what do those people do? (Believe it or not....some people don't have computers>) I am truly sorry to see this day come.......

[jennferw]

The National Genealogical Society has shrunk to a tiny size of its former self. Membership numbers are a fraction of what they once were. NGS has laid off more than half the paid employees, given away its library and sold the organization's headquarters building. The New York Genealogical and Biographical Society now uses less space at its headquarters and reportedly has a declining membership. Other genealogy societies around the country are reporting declining membership and reduced revenues. I don't think we should be surprised to learn that NEHGS is laying off staff members and reducing services. They, too, are downsizing. I suspect this won't be the last such announcement.

[D. Voigt]

I agree with all those who have already written to say they are unhappy to learn about the Circulating Library being discontinued. It was because of this resource that I joined NEHGS in the first place.

[Joy Rich]

On top of what "jennferw" wrote above, the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society's President wrote in their newsletter earlier this year "there is the possibility of selling or renting part of the building."

Their fund raising letter last month explains that they "must take immediate steps to ensure that we meet the increasing and threatening competition from the large, commercial groups in the "genealogical business" and "We need your generous contribution to help increase our endowment fund which was seriously eroded by the financial market crisis of a few years ago and which is being further diminished by the cost of operations."

What's next?!?!?

Joy