This message is originally from Dick Eastman, author of Eastman's Online
Genealogy Newsletter, who just returned from the FGS Conference and asked
that this message be passed along by his subscribers. Note: There are only a
few days left to sign this petition. If you've been planning a long weekend
in Washington, D.C. for research, this will directly affect your plans.
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Quick! Please Join FGS Attendees in Petition About NARA Opening Hours!
The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) recently
proposed a reduction in the number of hours that the agency's facilities are
open to the general public. Weekend and evening hours would be especially
curtailed. The result will be a major hardship on genealogists, especially
those who cannot visit during normal business hours.
Dr. Allen Weinstein, Archivist of the United States and head of the National
Archives and Records Administration, attended the FGS/NEHGS 2006 Conference
in Boston this week and addressed the Opening Session on Thursday. Following
his remarks, he was presented with a letter by the Chair of the Records
Preservation and Access Committee (RPAC) addressing concerns about the
proposed changes in the hours of operation for the Research Rooms at the
National Archives.
The members of that committee have been told that very few genealogists have
responded to the agency's proposal. In this case, silence will be
interpreted as agreement! Comments close on September 8. There's not much
time left!
A discussion ensued among many of the genealogists present at the
conference, resulting in a petition to ask for reconsideration. I was able
to upload that petition, and conference attendees were asked to sign the
online petition through announcements over the public address session, at
the Friday evening banquet, in many of the sessions, and in the hallways.
Many people lined up at computers supplied by many of the vendors and added
their names to the petition. Others signed the petition from their laptops
in hotel rooms, from the hotel's public access computers in the lobby, and
elsewhere. I hope that others returned home and will sign the petition from
there.
As I write these words, 651 names are on this petition. We need more, many
more, In fact, we need YOUR name.
Just before the close of comments by the National Archives and Records
Administration, this petition will be printed and sent to the agency via
overnight mail.
With the limited amount of time left until the close of comments,
genealogists everywhere need you to immediately copy and paste this or
similar messages and send them to your friends, asking them to add their
"electronic signatures" to the petition. Please post information about the
petition on web sites, newsletters, and mailing lists as you deem
appropriate. We need to have as many signatures as possible from concerned
U.S. residents BEFORE September 8.
To add your voice to the messages being sent to the National Archives,
please go to
http://www.petitiononline.com/FGS2006.
NOTE: The letters "FGS" in the above web address MUST be in upper case.