Save Library of Michigan

I’ve never gotten into anything political in my postings before, but there comes a time when an issue just can’t be ignored.  Our beloved Library of Michigan is about to come to an end.  We have already lost our state Department of History, Arts and Libraries with a single penstroke from Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm.  All parts of this department having to do with library matters have been moved under the Dept. of Education.  Now, the Library of Michigan – a huge building which takes up an entire city block in Lansing – is about to be stripped of all books, documents, microfilm and serials and turned into a proposed center of innovation.  It was deemed that innovation didn’t need such mundate things as library books.  As a professional genealogist, my heart is breaking at the loss of the genealogy collection- the 10th largest in the country.  We have already lost free access to the Burton Historical Collection at the Detroit Public Library.  Researchers must pay a fee to walk in the room and conduct research.  Now we are about to see our other major repository of family history materials disbursed around the state and country.  Only a last minute effort on the part of our elected lawmakers can keep this from happening.  Genealogists have already staged a huge show of support for the library.  Now it’s our turn as librarians to travel to Lansing next month and make our voices heard.  We can’t just give up and watch this essential resource crumble under an executive order.  For more information, visit Michigan Libraries for the Future.