This message from Joanne Harvey of the Michigan Genealogical Counsel, contains information about the funding situation at Library of Michigan.
Fellow Michigan Genealogists:
The Library of Michigan continues in suspense. At a recent staff meeting, the State Librarian, Nancy Robertson, informed the staff that she was applying for the position off Director of the Capital Area District Library in Lansing. As of 19 June, an appointment for her to be interviewed for this position is scheduled before the first of July.
At the same staff meeting, the State Librarian informed the staff that Judith Moore, head of the Library of Michigan Foundation, had accepted a position with the University of Michigan in its Development department (ie fund-raising).
New hours for the Library of Michigan beginning 7 July have been officially announced. The Library will be open 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Saturday. This will provide some 6 hours of fewer public services than at present, but it does end the confusion of whether the Library is open Monday and Thursday all day.
The Legislature continues work on a budget for the fiscal year 2009-2010 - huge cuts will be made and all avenues of fund-raising explored.
Please contact your legislators and express that your wish that the Library of Michigan remains in its purpose-built building, housing books written by and about Michigan people for over 150 years, plus books published in Michigan. Emphasize that you are willing to see the Library hours cut very greatly, but that you are NOT willing to see it closed completely and the building emptied, at great cost, for another use.
Joanne Harvey
Michigan Genealogical Council President and Legislative Chair
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