---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sun, 23 Sep 2001 06:38:30 -0600
From: garcherX(a)wdn.com
To: va-southside-l(a)rootsweb.com, vatidewater-l(a)rootsweb.com,
wdc-genweb(a)rootsweb.com, vatgs-l(a)rootsweb.com,
old-frederick-co-va-l(a)rootsweb.com, river-james-l(a)rootsweb.com,
roanoke_co_va-l(a)rootsweb.com, shenandoah-l(a)rootsweb.com,
va-ggs-l(a)rootsweb.com, va-roots(a)leo.vsla.edu, varoots-l(a)rootsweb.com,
washington-l(a)rootsweb.com, wsgs-l(a)rootsweb.com, wva-l(a)rootsweb.com,
wv-southern-l(a)rootsweb.com, wv-metrovalley-l(a)rootsweb.com,
ohio-valley-l(a)rootsweb.com, genwisconsin-l(a)rootsweb.com,
wyoming-l(a)rootsweb.com, virginia-l(a)rootsweb.com
Subject: {not a subscriber} Save the NGS Library Web Site
Addressed to: va-southside-l(a)rootsweb.com
vatidewater-l(a)rootsweb.com
wdc-genweb(a)rootsweb.com
vatgs-l(a)rootsweb.com
old-frederick-co-va-l(a)rootsweb.com
river-james-l(a)rootsweb.com
roanoke_co_va-l(a)rootsweb.com
shenandoah-l(a)rootsweb.com
va-ggs-l(a)rootsweb.com
va-roots(a)leo.vsla.edu
varoots-l(a)rootsweb.com
washington-l(a)rootsweb.com
wsgs-l(a)rootsweb.com
wva-l(a)rootsweb.com
wv-southern-l(a)rootsweb.com
wv-metrovalley-l(a)rootsweb.com
ohio-valley-l(a)rootsweb.com
genwisconsin-l(a)rootsweb.com
wyoming-l(a)rootsweb.com
virginia-l(a)rootsweb.com
[NOTE: SEE SIGNATURE LINE FOR CORRECT EMAIL ADDRESS]
FOR MEMBERS AND THOSE WHO USE THE LIBRARY
OF THE NATIONAL GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
Disclaimer:
This is NOT an official announcement by the National Genealogical
Society (NGS), but rather, information to alert members and Library
visitors of recent developments that will affect their membership
services and access to the NGS Library and its circulating book
collection.
-==--==--==-<>-==--==--==-
On 8 Sep 2001, the library of the National Genealogical Society
ceased its library membership services: the research library, the
Library Loan program and circulation of books for local residents.
The closure of the circulating library was the result of a near
unanimous vote by the NGS Council (one member dissenting) that was
announced on 14 September at the Federation of Genealogical Society
meeting in Iowa. Only a few NGS members were present. Other than a
short announcment on the NGS web page (
http://www.ngsgenealogy.org),
that the library was closed for "reorganization," no other
announcements were made. The membership was not advised or consulted
before the 14 September annoncement.
Remaining in the NGS Library building as a non-circulating "Core
Collection" of the former library will be:
Bible Collection
American Medical Association's Deceased Doctors Card File
Member Ancestor Charts (now being indexed by volunteers)
Germans to America collection
Hall of Fame material
Rare books
(old or brittle, limited editions, books with high used
book market value that did not circulate)
Manuscript and Reference Collections
On 5 Nov 2001, most of the 17,000+ volumes of the library that formerly
circulated to walk-in patrons and the Library Loan users will be shipped to
the St. Louis, County Library and housed there permanently to be
available to the general public using Inter-Library Loan (ILL). The NGS
book collection was donated, not sold, to St. Louis Public Library
under provisions of a mutual agreement.
The agreement with the St. Louis County Library provides that they
will make the books acquired from NGS available to the general public
through Interlibrary Loan. NGS members will not get any special
treatment, and the books will not be mailed directly to the requester
but will sent to the requester's library as is required by ILL
procedures. This means that the cost of ordering and delivering the
books to patrons may be lower than NGS' past library loan charges to
members, but patrons' use of the books will be subject to the
receiving libraries' policies regarding patron use of Inter-library
Loan materials. Some libraries restrict Interlibrary Loan materials
to the library premises.
The agreement also provides that NGS has 10 years in which to
repatriate its collection from St. Louis County Library if NGS pays
for handling and shipment.
(Opinion)
Given the immense value and unique service the Library offered to local
patrons and the Library Loan program provided non-local members over the
years, it is regrettable and very surprising that NGS leadership did not
make any public announcements as to the reason for this drastic action or
solicit members' reactions to the impact this action will have on their
membership services before approving this action. NGS and a very small
number of other genealogical organizations are unique in providing a
fee-based, membership-only book lending program. Many NGS members join
largely to avail themselves of this service. It is an extraordinary
event that a private, member/fee-based genealogy organization in
existence 98 years would without consulting its members:
1) Donate its circulating genealogy library to a publicly funded library
2) End services which NGS membership dues and user fees have subsidized
3) Donate a valuable tangible asset of the Society without ensuring
its members receive books directly at home, not at a public library
4) Endanger NGS financial security as membership revenue declines no
longer attracted by privileged access to the library's collection.
(End Opinion)
The NGS membership and non-members who use the library need to
respond to this action before the move takes place on 5 Nov 2001. You
can do this by communicating directly with the NGS Board using the
list of their surface, email addresses and phone numbers and/or by
exchanging views with the Board members who participate online at:
http://www.quicktopic.com/9/H/L7chXfmWANZy (case sensitive)
This is an open, unpassworded site. You can visit the site with any
browser, read and post messages and monitor its activity by
"subscribing" at the site as you would subscribe to a mail list.
All points of view are welcomed to give NGS membership a neutral,
non-public forum to express its views, views that NGS leadership will
be made aware of if they do not choose to participate in the online
discussions. Those who wish to take specific actions can use the
forum to marshall their forces, perhaps taking legal action to
require the Board to undertake a referendum of the membership before
any further action is taken to move the library collection. If
members don't take some action to have their views known to the NGS
Board, debate and acrimony will continue long after the move takes
place and after it is too late for remedial action.
George W. Archer
garcher(a)wdn.com
Life Member, NGS and NGS Library user
Registrar, National Genealogical Society 1984-1986
and Chair, Building Committee 1983-1984