Sign up now to take part in the advocacy workshop sponsored by Friends of the Georgia Archives (FOGAH) at the Society of Georgia Archivists Annual Meeting. Training will be conducted by Joe Tanner of Tanner and Associates and will cover how to contact your representative so that your voice will be heard!
The training is free and is open to both members of SGA and anyone in the SE Georgia area who wants to participate. It will be on Thursday, November 8 from 3:00 to 4:30 PM at the conference venue, Sea Palms Resort on St. Simons Island, Georgia.
Registration is required because of the limited space. Please visit the SGA website to register.
Questions about the training? Contact Dianne Cannestra at diannebc@bellsouth.net
Questions about registration? Contact Renna Tuten at rtuten@uga.edu
Feel free to forward this invitation to anyone you know who might be interested.
Two other workshops are being planned for the Macon area and the Atlanta area.
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Renna E. Tuten
SGA 2012 Annual Program Chair
Your source for news from Georgia's libraries
Showing posts with label Georgia Archives closure. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Georgia Archives closure. Show all posts
Monday, October 29, 2012
Friday, October 19, 2012
Looking For Ways to Help the Georgia Archives?
As we were very happy to learn, things are looking up for the Georgia Archives, but there is still a long way to go in terms of restoring funding lost over the last few years, increasing public access hours, etc.
Maybe you saying to yourself, "Well, that's great, but how can I help?" Ponder no more! Visit the Friends of Georgia Archives page to learn how you can donate to this worthy cause and get involved with the work of FOGAH.
Georgia Archives to Stay Open (American Libraries)
Deal, Kemp to Keep Georgia’s Archives Open (Office of the Governor)
Maybe you saying to yourself, "Well, that's great, but how can I help?" Ponder no more! Visit the Friends of Georgia Archives page to learn how you can donate to this worthy cause and get involved with the work of FOGAH.
Georgia Archives to Stay Open (American Libraries)
Deal, Kemp to Keep Georgia’s Archives Open (Office of the Governor)
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Georgia Archives Gets a Temporary Reprieve
Not enough details in this article to let loose with any sort of victory cry, but it's definitely good news! Looks like some funding will be restored to the Georgia Archives. Enough to keep it open at its current public access hours through the rest of FY 2012. At the beginning of the new fiscal year, subject to legislative approval, the Archives will be transferred to the University System of Georgia.
Before we breathe a sigh of relief, let's remember that access hours have been repeatedly slashed over the years and the Archives is currently down to being open to the public just two days a week, Friday and Saturday. Being under the umbrella of the USG will, no doubt, be a safer home for the Archives than the Secretary of State's office has proved to be. However, the best of all possible worlds for the Archives would be if it were made an independent, and apolitical, state agency in its own right.
Let's keep our game faces on, and keep an eye out for ways to help Our Archives, folks! While safe for now, it is still underfunded, understaffed, and in need of our vigilance and support.
Speaking of staffing, let's also take a moment to give a shout out to the brave and true Georgia Archives employees who have been doing such a fine job, in the face of budget adversity, for so many years. You go, Georgia Archives staff! The people of the state (past, present, and future) appreciate all of your hard work!
Deal, Kemp to Keep Georgia’s Archives Open (Office of the Governor)
Before we breathe a sigh of relief, let's remember that access hours have been repeatedly slashed over the years and the Archives is currently down to being open to the public just two days a week, Friday and Saturday. Being under the umbrella of the USG will, no doubt, be a safer home for the Archives than the Secretary of State's office has proved to be. However, the best of all possible worlds for the Archives would be if it were made an independent, and apolitical, state agency in its own right.
Let's keep our game faces on, and keep an eye out for ways to help Our Archives, folks! While safe for now, it is still underfunded, understaffed, and in need of our vigilance and support.
Speaking of staffing, let's also take a moment to give a shout out to the brave and true Georgia Archives employees who have been doing such a fine job, in the face of budget adversity, for so many years. You go, Georgia Archives staff! The people of the state (past, present, and future) appreciate all of your hard work!
Deal, Kemp to Keep Georgia’s Archives Open (Office of the Governor)
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Plight of the Georgia Archives Made the NY Times!
No doubt, everyone is busily preparing for GaCOMO, but let's not forget to keep the heat on our elected officials regarding the closure of the Georgia Archives which is still slated for November 1!
The New York Times has just published an excellent overview of the plight of state archives in these, let's say "interesting times." The proliferation of digital records (and the unwritten or untested legalities surrounding them) combined with an increasingly successful push for smaller government, is currently hobbling many state archival departments, Georgia's being only the most extreme example.
In the article, Vicki Walch, the executive director of the Council of State Archivists, rightly points out that, "this is a period of time that could be the Dark Ages for public records."
Let's see what we can do to open the door and let in a little light, folks! Sign the petition if you haven't already and let your elected officials know how you feel. (Brian Kemp, you have to contact separately.)
Budget Cuts to Archives Put History Out of Reach
The New York Times has just published an excellent overview of the plight of state archives in these, let's say "interesting times." The proliferation of digital records (and the unwritten or untested legalities surrounding them) combined with an increasingly successful push for smaller government, is currently hobbling many state archival departments, Georgia's being only the most extreme example.
In the article, Vicki Walch, the executive director of the Council of State Archivists, rightly points out that, "this is a period of time that could be the Dark Ages for public records."
Let's see what we can do to open the door and let in a little light, folks! Sign the petition if you haven't already and let your elected officials know how you feel. (Brian Kemp, you have to contact separately.)
Budget Cuts to Archives Put History Out of Reach
The Georgia Archives, which holds both historical curiosities and virtually every important state government document ever created, is about to become nearly impossible to visit.
In November, a round of government budget cuts will reduce the staff to three, one of them the maintenance man. Thousands of documents that pour in every month are likely to languish because no one will be available to sort through them, archives officials said. People who view accurate and open government records as the bedrock of democracy are outraged.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Joint Letters from GAIT, GLA and GLMA to Oppose Closing Georgia Archives
The fabulous, and tireless, GLA President, Liz Bagley, would like to share the joint letters from GAIT, GLA, and GLMA that she hand delivered to the State Capitol this morning. The letters are addressed to Governor Nathan Deal and Secretary of State Brian P. Kemp, and they set out the associations' opposition to the closure of the Georgia Archives slated for November 1.
Liz was one of the eighty (some reports say 125-ish) supporters of the Georgia Archives to attend the Governor's ironically scheduled signing of a proclamation to celebrate October as Archives Month across the state.
Many thanks to the officers who drafted these well-crafted letters and the Georgia library community for their continued support of our wonderful Archives!
Joint Letter to Gov. Deal Opposing Closing State Archives (.pdf)
Joint Letter to Sec. Kemp Opposing Closing State Archives (.pdf)
Liz was one of the eighty (some reports say 125-ish) supporters of the Georgia Archives to attend the Governor's ironically scheduled signing of a proclamation to celebrate October as Archives Month across the state.
Many thanks to the officers who drafted these well-crafted letters and the Georgia library community for their continued support of our wonderful Archives!
Joint Letter to Gov. Deal Opposing Closing State Archives (.pdf)
Joint Letter to Sec. Kemp Opposing Closing State Archives (.pdf)
A Pledge and A Call to Continue Advocacy
Today, Governor Nathan Deal, addressing an audience of eighty supporters of the Georgia Archives, pledged to "make sure the archives stay open." It appears that no further details were offered at the time, and the Governor's staff had not expected anything near this level of attendance at the signing of a proclamation to celebrate October as Archives Month across the state.
The organizers of the movement to save the Georgia Archives encourage us to keep up the momentum and keep the issue front and center for our elected officials.
“We’re thankful for the governor’s words,” said one of the group’s organizers, Kaye Lanning Minchew of the Coalition to Preserve the Georgia Archives. “But we don’t want it to close Nov. 1, so we absolutely need to make sure the advocacy doesn’t stop.”
Deal Pledges to Keep Georgia Archives Open (AJC)
The Governor of GA: Leave Our State Archives Open to the Public (Change.org petition)
Georgians Against Closing State Archives (Facebook group)
Friends of Georgia Archives and History (Don't miss their list of action items!)
The organizers of the movement to save the Georgia Archives encourage us to keep up the momentum and keep the issue front and center for our elected officials.
“We’re thankful for the governor’s words,” said one of the group’s organizers, Kaye Lanning Minchew of the Coalition to Preserve the Georgia Archives. “But we don’t want it to close Nov. 1, so we absolutely need to make sure the advocacy doesn’t stop.”
Deal Pledges to Keep Georgia Archives Open (AJC)
The Governor of GA: Leave Our State Archives Open to the Public (Change.org petition)
Georgians Against Closing State Archives (Facebook group)
Friends of Georgia Archives and History (Don't miss their list of action items!)
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
CALL TO ACTION: Help Us Keep the Georgia Archives Open to the Public
Last week the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office announced that as of November 1, 2012, the Georgia Archives will be closed to the public. The Georgia Archives identifies and preserves Georgia’s most valuable historical documents and records.
How will these records be accessible if the doors to this magnificent treasure trove are closed to the public? It’s not possible for everything to be available on the web. Not everything stored at the Archives is currently online, and it would take centuries to digitize everything. This action will make Georgia Archives the only state archives without public access hours.
All Georgians and historians, genealogists, and researchers from around the country and around the world will be affected directly or indirectly by the closure of the Georgia Archives.
Contact the governor, your legislators, and the Secretary of State immediately to fight the imminent closure of the Georgia Archives to the public. I encourage you to contact them via the Georgia Library Association Take Action Center. Please feel free to add to and edit the general message you send to your officials.
It is necessary to contact Secretary of State Brian P. Kemp directly at http://sos.georgia.gov/cgi-bin/email.asp.
Thank you for taking action for Georgia libraries.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Bagley
President, Georgia Library Association
How will these records be accessible if the doors to this magnificent treasure trove are closed to the public? It’s not possible for everything to be available on the web. Not everything stored at the Archives is currently online, and it would take centuries to digitize everything. This action will make Georgia Archives the only state archives without public access hours.
All Georgians and historians, genealogists, and researchers from around the country and around the world will be affected directly or indirectly by the closure of the Georgia Archives.
Contact the governor, your legislators, and the Secretary of State immediately to fight the imminent closure of the Georgia Archives to the public. I encourage you to contact them via the Georgia Library Association Take Action Center. Please feel free to add to and edit the general message you send to your officials.
It is necessary to contact Secretary of State Brian P. Kemp directly at http://sos.georgia.gov/cgi-bin/email.asp.
Thank you for taking action for Georgia libraries.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Bagley
President, Georgia Library Association
Monday, September 17, 2012
ALERT: Georgia Archives Set to Close on November 1
Citing budget cuts, Georgia Secretary of State, Brian Kemp, announced on September 13 that the Georgia Archives will be effectively closed to the public beginning on November 1. Access to the archives will then be available by limited appointments only.
The Georgia Archives was established in 1918 and houses a rich collection of primary and secondary sources in addition to state documents recording Georgia government activities. After November 1, Georgia will become the only state in the union to not make a public archives freely available to its citizens.
If this gets your dander up like it has ours, please consider signing the following petition!
The Governor of GA: Leave Our State Archives Open to the Public (Change.org petition)
For more information about the Archives, its imminent closure, and public response, please see the following sources.
ALA President Expresses Deep Concern and Dismay About Closure of Georgia Archives to the Public (American Libraries Magazine)
Georgia Threatens Closure of State Archives (Society of American Archivists - don't miss their letter of protest to the Governor!)
Georgians Against Closing State Archives (Facebook group)
Friends of Georgia Archives and History (Don't miss their list of action items!)
Supporters Rally Against Georgia Archives Closure (Atlanta Journal Constitution)
The Georgia Archives was established in 1918 and houses a rich collection of primary and secondary sources in addition to state documents recording Georgia government activities. After November 1, Georgia will become the only state in the union to not make a public archives freely available to its citizens.
If this gets your dander up like it has ours, please consider signing the following petition!
The Governor of GA: Leave Our State Archives Open to the Public (Change.org petition)
For more information about the Archives, its imminent closure, and public response, please see the following sources.
ALA President Expresses Deep Concern and Dismay About Closure of Georgia Archives to the Public (American Libraries Magazine)
Georgia Threatens Closure of State Archives (Society of American Archivists - don't miss their letter of protest to the Governor!)
Georgians Against Closing State Archives (Facebook group)
Friends of Georgia Archives and History (Don't miss their list of action items!)
Supporters Rally Against Georgia Archives Closure (Atlanta Journal Constitution)
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