Governor Deal announced this week that he was closing the Georgia Archives to the public on November the 1st.
The Georgia Secretary of State, Brian Kemp, had cut the staff to a paltry 10 employees in charge of the Archives. A full crew was 90 employees before budget cuts in Georgia.
On Tuesday Kemp let more employees go. Ironically on Wednesday Governor Deal declared September "Archives Month in Georgia". Gee, do you think Governor Deal is yanking our chain?
Budget cuts should not be made by cutting the staff and hours open to our public institutions. The Georgia Archives and the National Archives are major sources of information for everyone interested in the history of Georgia and her residents.
Over the last four years open hours had been cut to two days a week, Friday and Saturday, from 8:30am to 5:00pm. Govern Deal intended to close the Georgia Archives, except by appointment only. That would virtually guarantee that people would not have access to public records in the state of Georgia.
The power of the internet has caused people to rally, and collect signatures, in protest. People are petitioning to keep the Archives open. It is a vital resource for Georgia history and research. People from Georgia and other states use the Archives for research and genealogy. The Archives reaches back to the beginning history of Georgia, from in 1732, and Georgia's founding as a trustee colony by King George II of Great Britain.
The Georgia Archives was built next to the National Archives specifically so that people would have access to both Archives for research close to one another. Now they want to restrict access to the records at the Georgia Archives. In contrast, beginning October 1, 2012, the National Archives at Atlanta will be open for public research Monday through Friday and the third Saturday of the month.
GREAT NEWS EVERYBODY!
They've decided not to close the Archives.
Please sign the petitionanyway and let them know
You want them to KEEP THE ARCHIVES OPEN
So they don't change their minds again!
Thank you
The Georgia Secretary of State, Brian Kemp, had cut the staff to a paltry 10 employees in charge of the Archives. A full crew was 90 employees before budget cuts in Georgia.
On Tuesday Kemp let more employees go. Ironically on Wednesday Governor Deal declared September "Archives Month in Georgia". Gee, do you think Governor Deal is yanking our chain?
Budget cuts should not be made by cutting the staff and hours open to our public institutions. The Georgia Archives and the National Archives are major sources of information for everyone interested in the history of Georgia and her residents.
Over the last four years open hours had been cut to two days a week, Friday and Saturday, from 8:30am to 5:00pm. Govern Deal intended to close the Georgia Archives, except by appointment only. That would virtually guarantee that people would not have access to public records in the state of Georgia.
The power of the internet has caused people to rally, and collect signatures, in protest. People are petitioning to keep the Archives open. It is a vital resource for Georgia history and research. People from Georgia and other states use the Archives for research and genealogy. The Archives reaches back to the beginning history of Georgia, from in 1732, and Georgia's founding as a trustee colony by King George II of Great Britain.
The Archives are used to support legislators and state agencies by providing background information and context for proposed legislation and current issues, maintains records that protect citizens legal and property right, and those of the state government and counties, decreases liability, and increases efficiency of state agencies through proper record management.
The National Archives has a Microfilm Research Room and an Archival Research Room.which contains information for genealogy research and general historical interest.
The Archives has 180,000 cubic feet of archival holdings dating from 1716 to the 1980s, primarily textual records but also maps, photographs, and architectural drawings.
Georgia Archives and the National Archives are public information consortium's designed to preserve and disseminate information about the history of our state and our nation to the public. People use the Archives to research projects for research, family history, land and property, census records, and various other uses.
Please add your voice to the growing throng of people banning together demanding that Georgia keep the Georgia Archives open to the public.
They are closing a building that was opened in 2003 and won an award for design.
Our building
Our facility, opened on May 6, 2003, is a winner of many awards, including the National Design Award from the American Institute of Architects. It was designed by HOK.
Please sign the petition
You want them to KEEP THE ARCHIVES OPEN
Thank you
~~~~~~
The battle isn't over yet. Governor Deal is waffling.
Please sign the petition.
MORE NEWS:
http://onlineathens.com/local-news/2012-10-15/archives-visitors-limited-2-hour-appointments
10-15-2012
Archives are Limited to 2 hour Appointments
***IMPORTANT CATCH*** From Linda Davis please note:
"...in the Atlanta Business Chronicle, states the Archives will be open two weeks a month. That is a little misleading. According to this press release it will only be open Thursday, Friday and Sat, by appointment of 2-2 1/2 hours. We gained a day of appointments only (for a few people), but lost full day usage at any time."
I Love The Power Of The Internet
LET'S USE IT TO KEEP THE ARCHIVES ALIVE
Click on Support Our Georgia Archives
Shield
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BREAKING NEWS
10-18-2012
http://gov.georgia.gov/press-releases/2012-10-18/deal-kemp-keep-georgia%E2%80%99s-archives-open>
THEY'RE STAYING OPEN TILL JUNE 1, 2013
THANK YOU EVERYONE
more news
Georgia Archives Will Stay Open
http://www.ajc.com/news/news/georgia-archives-will-stay-open/nSg4r/>
The battle isn't over yet. Governor Deal is waffling.
Please sign the petition.
MORE NEWS:
http://onlineathens.com/local-news/2012-10-15/archives-visitors-limited-2-hour-appointments
10-15-2012
Archives are Limited to 2 hour Appointments
***IMPORTANT CATCH*** From Linda Davis please note:
"...in the Atlanta Business Chronicle, states the Archives will be open two weeks a month. That is a little misleading. According to this press release it will only be open Thursday, Friday and Sat, by appointment of 2-2 1/2 hours. We gained a day of appointments only (for a few people), but lost full day usage at any time."
I Love The Power Of The Internet
LET'S USE IT TO KEEP THE ARCHIVES ALIVE
Click on Support Our Georgia Archives
Shield
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BREAKING NEWS
10-18-2012
http://gov.georgia.gov/press-releases/2012-10-18/deal-kemp-keep-georgia%E2%80%99s-archives-open>
THEY'RE STAYING OPEN TILL JUNE 1, 2013
THANK YOU EVERYONE
more news
Georgia Archives Will Stay Open
http://www.ajc.com/news/news/georgia-archives-will-stay-open/nSg4r/>
AS ALWAYS
PIO
We can not celebrate yet. On the facebook page for Georgians Against Closing State Archives, one person who contacted Gov. Deal, stated that she got this response: " I will endeavor to retain the current level of service at the Archives, IF POSSIBLE."
ReplyDeleteSo, what's the deal, Deal?? Were you just lying to the people who delivered the petition on Wednesday? I guess there is one good thing about people who love historical research, we have long memories. Gov. Deal and SOS Kemp may not be coming up for election for two more years, but we won't forget.
That's political double speak. In other words, he has no intention in honoring the wishes of the Georgia citizens. Yes, we must keep up the pressure, or else he will close it like he originally intended. I never did trust Nathan Deal. Any man that runs for office while he is going bankrupt doesn't know how to manage his own business, much less the government, in my opinion.
ReplyDelete