This could have a huge impact on genealogists researching Michigan ancestry. Gov. Jennifer Granholm has signed an executive order eliminating the Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries and eliminating about $2 million in associated, annual costs from the 2010 budget.
The online article I read doesn't give many details but does mention that the State archives and the Michigan Historical Commission will become part of the Department of Natural Resources.
Natural Resources?
Anyway, you can read the article at http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20090713/FREE/907139978#.
My thanks to Joseph Martin for telling me about this article.
The legal mumbo jumbo that implemented this can be cogitated over here
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/EO36_285881_7.pdf
No Cheers
Roger
Posted by: Roger Moffat | July 14, 2009 at 11:13 PM
While the situation is certainly not good and a cause for great concern, the library hasn't been eliminated. I am hopeful that the Department of Education will take seriously its stewardship of the library and that the Dept. of Natural Resources will do the same for the Archives. I believe the Library was part of the Department of Education several years ago. Michigan genealogists are advocating for both -- let's hope our voices are heard.
Posted by: Bobbie Snow | July 15, 2009 at 06:14 AM
I wonder if this is why SeekingMichigan.org's death record project has been stalled for a month now. I hope they can finish that before this unfortunate move takes effect.
Posted by: Steve | July 15, 2009 at 07:34 AM
So much for one of the best research libraries in the country... Michigan and Granholm continue to impress on ways to come out of the gutter.
Posted by: Elizabeth K, Kerstens | July 15, 2009 at 08:07 AM
Again, our governments continue to hack at the things that folks can least afford on their own, especially in times of poor economy. Libraries in Ohio were facing 50% cuts in funding until intense last minute lobbies lessened the severity to a lesser amount.
And one has to wonder about the process used to assign the archives to the Department of Natural Resources?!!! What on earth do they thing archives do?!
Posted by: Lois | July 15, 2009 at 11:26 AM
This is disturbing to say the least for Michigan genealogists however as stated above "the library has not been eliminated". I first got my start doing genealogy back in 1981 going to the State Library of Michigan when it was located on Michigan Avenue (while a student at MSU) and I believe at that time it was under the Department of Education which will become the case now.
Irregardless, if enough Michigan genealogists make their concerns known hopefully we can convince Governor Granholm to reverse this decision.
Posted by: Dave Irwin | July 15, 2009 at 11:34 AM
To loose a library is to loose our past, our history, the lessons necessary to a healthy culture and the basis of all education. Yes, being careful with money is necessary, not just now, but always. Being careful does NOT include book burning or making books homeless. I have a suggestion for Governor Granholm; if you REALLY want to save some money, close down the school system!
Posted by: Steve Byars | July 15, 2009 at 05:50 PM
Earlier this spring, when these rumblings began, delegates to the Michigan Genealogical Council had a "Legislature Day". This was on a regular meeting day. They made appointments to meet with their State Senators and Representatives at the State Capitol (which by the way is only a few short blocks from the Library of Michigan/State Archives/Historical Museum building) It was reported back that several of the "newly elected" who were contacted did not even know there was such a building, where it was at, or the function.
These are those who are in charge of our "budget"?
Posted by: Mary | July 16, 2009 at 01:58 PM
I think it is very important that we have a central location to be able to check on our family history and Lansin is that place and the State Livrary is an excellent location. With the riduclous spending the State does , why not cut something of much lesser value!! For instances the pay of some of the politicians who spend little time at the Capitol as I use t work there and was a witness to time spent there unless it were a voting day!!
Posted by: Marlene Stubblefield | July 17, 2009 at 08:14 PM
I am trying to find my gr grandparents who lived in the UP of MI and it is hard enough to locate them without this confusion. The governor when I lived in MI hasn't really done anything for MI and the roads are full of pot holes the taxes are high, the prices on gas are horrid. She thinks that eliminating or transfering these records are going to help MI, I think not. What is needed is to bring companies back into Michigan and put higher tarrifs on things manufactured outside the USA or Michigan. If a manufacturing company moved out of theUSA to use cheap labor, they have made our ecomony the way it is today. In my opinion they are not American to take jobs away from the people in the USA. Their products are not any cheaper now than they were when they were in Michigan. It is just a bunch of mumbo jumbo to put more money in their pockets instead of back in their businesses.
Posted by: Rita Faulkner | July 19, 2009 at 12:46 AM
Everyone needs to contact their representative / senator on this.. there is still a chance. Also out of state people are being heard as well.
Posted by: Brenda | July 19, 2009 at 05:41 PM
I would rather have the Michigan Library open for only ONE or TWO days per week rather than parcel out its collections. That way, the collections would be intact until the state had more money to keep
the library open.
Posted by: Suzanne Carpenter | July 20, 2009 at 02:51 PM
Contact your representatives so that we do not lose resources that are important.
Posted by: sandyberry | July 26, 2009 at 03:10 PM
To Governor Jennifer Boondoggle Granholm:
DON'T LOG OUR FAMILY TREES!!!
As a genealogist, and having worked for a number of years in a university library, I deeply disagree with Michigan governor, Jennifer Granholm's executive order 2009-36, which while not dissolving the Library of Michigan, would certainly fell it from the beautiful leaf-filled creation it is now to something a little more akin to a stump.
If as a taxpayer, I am forced to fund welfare and health care, then at least some of my money ought to go where I actually can get some use out of it! I think it's worth tax dollars for my children and grandchildren to know who they are and where they came from. With more than one line on both my and my husband's families going back many generations in Michigan, I need MICHIGAN records. With the "hobby" of genealogy being such a goose-chase in the first place, it would be a HUGE pain if I had to go from one poorly run paper-shuffling bureaucracy to another to find everything, especially having known the great collection that was the Library of Michigan.
These records were bought and paid for by the people of Michigan, for the people of Michigan. It is our public trust, yes, our sacred duty, to maintain them for coming generations as they have been preserved for ours. I can't believe a few sheets of paper signed by one woman could take all that history away in one fell swoop!
Does it not occur to ANYONE that part of the progressive/socialist agenda is to break apart the family, and if people can't trace back their families, or don't give a care for their roots, then all the better for the agenda? What exactly is Jennifer Granholm's intent, here? Does it just boil down to the personal level? Does Michigan's genealogical information mean so little to Jennifer because, her ancestors' genealogical records are safely ensconced somewhere in Canada?
Posted by: Katharine Moore | July 30, 2009 at 08:29 AM
CONTACT MEMBERS OF THE MICHIGAN APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE
My Michigan representative just informed me via email that they have no power to fight this measure. The only people other than the governor who have the power to stop Executive Order 2009-36 are the members of the Appropriations Committee.
These individuals are:
George Cushingberry Jr. (D), Committee Chair, 8th District
Richard E. Hammel (D), Majority Vice-Chair, 48th District
Joan Bauer (D), 68th District
Doug Bennett (D), 92nd District
Terry L. Brown (D), 84th District
Robert Dean (D), 75th District
Fred Durhal Jr. (D), 6th District
John Espinoza (D), 83rd District
Lee Gonzales (D), 49th District
Vincent Gregory (D), 35th District
Shanelle Jackson (D), 9th District
Michael A. Lahti (D), 110th District
Richard LeBlanc (D), 18th District
Gary McDowell (D), 107th District
Fred Miller (D), 31st District
Alma Smith (D), 54th District
Dudley Spade (D), 57th District
Jon M. Switalski (D), 25th District
Rashida Tlaib (D), 12th District
Chuck Moss (R), Minority Vice-Chair, 40th District
David Agema (R), 74th District
Darwin Booher (R), 102nd District
Bill Caul (R), 99th District
Bob Genetski (R), 88th District
Kevin Green (R), 77th District
Gail Haines (R), 43rd District
Dave Hildenbrand (R), 86th District
Matt Lori (R), 59th District
John M. Proos (R), 79th District
Bill Rogers (R), 66th District
Tonya Schuitmaker (R), 80th District
Darlene Moore, Committee Clerk
517-373-2994
dmoore@house.mi.gov
Posted by: Katharine Moore | July 30, 2009 at 10:14 AM
The Library of Michigan is definitely being eliminated. See the July 19th Lansing State Journal for proposed uses for the Library building. This includes an innovation center, a 500 student high school, etc.
Posted by: Bill Miller | August 02, 2009 at 02:17 PM