FOR YOUR USE - LIBRARY OF MICHIGAN INFORMATION - BASED ON KNOWN FACTS AS OF 9 May 2009
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FACT
- The State of Michigan's budget for the remainder of fiscal 2009 until
30 September was balanced only by the use of ONE BILLION STIMULUS
DOLLARS, and by cuts to the existing budget of $349,337,200.00.? We are left with somewhat
over four hundred million stimulus dollars for use in fiscal 2009-2010 beginning 1 October
2009.
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FACT
- Governor Granholm indicated in her State of the Union message that
Michigan's government needed to be made smaller and less costly,
proposing consolidation of departments from eighteen to ten.
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FACT
- Governor Granholm has proposed eliminating the Department of History,
Arts, and Libraries and merging its functions into other departments.
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FACT - William Anderson, Director of the Department of History, Arts and Libraries,
retired as of 31 December 2008.? No replacement for him has been named or mentioned in the
four months since.
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FACT
- Executive Order 2009-22 cut further funding from the Library of
Michigan, eliminating 19 part-time and one seasonal position.
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FACT
- The Directors of the Capital Area District Library were invited and
did view the west side of the Michigan Historical Center, housing the
Library of Michigan, State Law Library, and Library for the Blind and
Physically Handicapped, in order to ascertain their interest in renting
this space if available.? The Directors indicated NO interest in renting the space.
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FACT
- The State Librarian has instructed all staff to have NO communication
whatsoever with anyone outside the Library as to its possible future
situation.? They are obeying - no information from this report was obtained from the
staff.
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FACT - There will be a state higher level budget meeting on 15 May.
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POSSIBILITY
- A further Executive Order with more cuts is expected after that
meeting with closure of the Library of Michigan included.
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INFORMATION OBTAINED _ SOURCE NOT HEREWITH.? Talks
have been held between Governor Granholm and "a local university" as to
the possibility of the Library of Michigan collection being held
elsewhere.
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FACT - Other states have closed libraries and archives - including Ohio.
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FACT
- Budget Director Robert Emerson in his message of 5 May said that he
hoped this present cut/Executive Order would hold through the end of
the fiscal year, but had fears that it would not, if the economy
worsened or GM went into bankruptcy.
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Under
the circumstances, Michigan researchers, historians, librarians,
genealogists and the general library-using public see a precious
resource in great danger.? We are taking what steps we can to safeguard it.
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Yours in the effort for a better Michigan - today and tomorrow!
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Joanne Harvey, President
Michigan Genealogical Council