Dear Beth (and interested listserve subscribers),

      Thank you for your message and for your words of support for the
Library's current fiscal situation.  As you know, the Virginia Genealogical
Society has also been very supportive of the Library's needs, particularly
during the past several years, and we very much appreciate their continued
efforts on our behalf.  I know the VGS membership is as concerned as you are
over the steps we may have to take if our fiscal dilemma does not improve.

       Please know that, while no final decisions about Saturday closings
have yet been made, the Library is facing an extremely tight period ahead if
the General Assembly does not alter the present budget situation in the next
week or so.  We have several vacancies at the moment in our public service
staff and are expecting several others during the summer, which is our
busiest period.  If things do not change, we simply will not have sufficient
trained archivists, librarians, and other professionals needed to keep our
reading rooms open six days a week.  The Code of Virginia requires that the
Library, as the research and reference library in the state capital, be open
during the regular business hours set for state government agencies, which
are Monday through Friday.  Thus, if we have a staffing shortage that would
force a reduction in hours, we would have no choice but to close on Saturday
rather than on a weekday.

       Please know, too, that we are all very aware of the serious
difficulty this would cause for people who conduct research on Virginia
history and genealogy, many of whom can only visit the Library on the
weekend.  If we should have to take this step, it would not be a decision
reached lightly and it would cause us tremendous anguish as well.  We have
come so far in the past several years since our move to the new Library
building and this set back would be a blow we would feel acutely.  I am not
certain that there is much that can be done at this point, but the
suggestions found on the VGS website offer the best place to start.  We have
provided state authorities with statistics on the number of patrons served
by the Library's staff on a typical Saturday, but letters to the Governor's
Office or the General Assembly from concerned constituents mean much more
than cold numbers.

        We will certainly alert subscribers to Va-Hist and Va-Roots
immediately, as well as the public at large, should the Library have to
close on Saturdays.  This would not occur before July 1, but it could happen
at that time should the budget situation remain as it is today.

        Please stay tuned!  And thanks again for your kind words.  It helps
us all to get through tough times to know that we have so many loyal friends
and supporters.

          Sincerely,

            Sandy Treadway

----------------------
Sandra Gioia Treadway        Phone:  804-692-3599
Deputy Director                   Fax:  804-692-3594
Library of Virginia                 E-mail: [log in to unmask]
800 East Broad Street         (Please note NEW e-mail address)
Richmond, VA  23219-8000


-----Original Message-----
From: Beth Bond [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Friday, May 04, 2001 4:20 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [VA-HIST] LVA money problems.


Hello everyone,
  I am very disturbed by what I just saw on the Virginia Genealogical
Society website. Their alert page at: http://www.vgs.org/alert.htm
refers to a possible closing of LVA on Saturdays.

 Right now I can get there one day during the week and usually on Saturdays.
But during the summer with a job I have all summer, I can only get to LVA on
Saturdays.

I know that is true for alot of people all year long and particularly people
from out of town or out of state.

 I also volunteer there one Saturday a month. I would be more than willing
to volunteer there two Saturdays a month if it would help.

 Since they close early during the week at 5:00 and are open from 9:00 to
5:00 when most people are working, it is very difficult for alot of us to
get there during the week.

 I know they are having budgetary problems but it is supposed to be a public
building for the public.

 There must be a way we all can help somehow.

Mr. Tarter, what do you think?

Thank you.
     Beth
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