Everyone,
I appreciate Ray Bonis's kind words about Virginia Cavalcade and about the
Digital Library Program at the Library of Virginia. Below is the text of the
Library's statement of what the state of Virginia's budget cutting has cost
us. One of the costs is, sadly, Virginia Cavalcade, which, as Ray observed,
has been publishing lively and accurate articles about Virginia history and
culture for more than 50 years.
Having been involved in the deliberations of the Library's senior management
about what to do in the face of inexorable demands for brute dollar amounts
in cuts, I can assure you all that the decision making was extremely
difficult and done with great seriousness and sorrow. The text below gives
the results.
But, there are still great people at the Library of Virginia, which remains
a great institution. Your support as they prepare to carry on after this
devastation is important.
John
Library of Virginia Service Reduction Summary
The Library of Virginia - the Commonwealth of Virginia's official research
library and archival repository serving government officials, state and
local agencies, public libraries, college faculty, students, historians, and
genealogists - has experienced several rounds of budget reductions during
the past two years. The cumulative effect has been a 28 percent permanent
reduction in the Library's overall general fund appropriation (22 percent of
that occurring with the 7 and 15 percent reductions this fiscal year). The
Library has had to absorb a disproportionate amount of these cuts internally
rather than pass them on in full measure to localities and other state
agencies that receive funding through the Library's budget. Thus, the net
effect of the past two years (including the 15 percent reduction announced
by Governor Warner this week) has been a loss to the Library's operating
budget of a staggering 39 percent.
Among the painful outcomes of our current fiscal situation are the
Layoff of 23 full- time staff (out of a maximum employment level of 216)
and 17 part-time staff, with an additional 19 vacant positions that will not
be filled - leaving a total staffing shortfall of 59 valued individuals
Reduction of collection development budget (purchasing of books,
manuscripts, journals, and databases) by 45 percent
Reduction of hours of operation in the reading rooms by one day per week.
The reading rooms will be open to researchers Tuesday through Saturdays
(with limited staffing on Saturdays), but will be closed to researchers on
Mondays.
Elimination of the Digital Library Program, which has allowed the Library to
make heavily-used collections available to researchers through the Library's
web site
Elimination of the Imaging Services Program, which for decades has conducted
all preservation microfilming for the Library, its patrons, and numerous
local agencies
Elimination of the Virginia Center for the Book Program
Elimination of all state funding for the Infopowering the Commonwealth
initiative, which provides citizens and libraries access to a wide array of
key information databases
Elimination of Educational Programs, including teacher workshops, tours for
K through 12 students, and other activities that open the Library's
resources to a younger audience
Elimination of the Publications Division as a separate organizational unit,
with key editorial functions and staff consolidated within another division
Elimination of Virginia Cavalcade magazine, the Library's award-winning
quarterly magazine published continuously since 1951
Elimination of all planning for 2007 related projects
Elimination of the Building and Construction Grants program and consulting
services that have supported and assisted local libraries with planning and
oversight of major construction initiatives
Reduction by 22 percent of state funding for local libraries, which is
administered through
the Library of Virginia's budget. This will have a serious impact on the
hours, book buying,
and staffing of local libraries across the Commonwealth
Significant reduction of the State Documents Depository Program, which
provides citizens
with access to state publications through local libraries
Significant reduction in services to state agency libraries
Significant slippage in archival processing targets addressing the
collections backlog
Significant delays in processing photo duplication orders and on-line
research and reference requests for researchers
The Library staff is committed to maintaining fundamental services to our
many users. This difficult budgetary situation unravels much of what has
been accomplished during the last decade, and further reductions will erode
the agency's ability to function effectively as the reference library at the
seat of government, archival agency of the Commonwealth, and advocate for
Virginia's library community.
-----Original Message-----
From: Ray Bonis [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Friday, October 18, 2002 12:06 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: End of Virginia Cavalcade?
I am sure most subscribers to the Virginia History (VA-HIS) Online
Listserve would be sorry to hear that the Virginia Cavalcade -- the
"illustrated magazine of Virginia history and culture" -- was to end its
51 year history of publication. Unfortunately,
that seems to be the case. According to yesterday's Richmond
Times-Dispatch, the
magazine, published by the Library of Virginia, is to be another
casualty of state
budget cuts.
I hope those who are in charge of making decisions that affect the
publication of the
Virginia Cavalcade re-think this decision. The magazine has been an
excellent
source for those interested in Virginia's history. One look at the
online index to the
magazine would convince even the most skeptical person of that (one
could easily argue that the magazine has only gotten better in the last
10 years). For many
Virginians (and those outside the state), the Virginia Cavalcade was
their introduction to the history of the Commonwealth and to the
resources of the Archives at the Library of Virginia
This comes on top of other budget cuts at the Library of Virginia --
including major
staff cuts and the elimination of the Digital Library Program. Will
the numerous
online databases of images, text, and indices to holdings at the Library
of Virginia be
the next resource cut? What about the fate of the Virginia History
Listserve? Is History under attack in Virginia?
Ray Bonis,
Richmond, VA
--
~~~
Ray Bonis
Assistant Archivist
Special Collections and Archives
James Branch Cabell Library
901 Park Ave. VCU Box 842033
Richmond, VA 23284-2033
(804) 828-1108
[log in to unmask]
www.library.vcu.edu/jbc/speccoll/speccoll.html
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