Hi Sandra, Thank you. Yes, I have written to the Governor via e-mail already this afternon. And I know that some other people I know have as well. Hopefully that will help and perhaps the more people who write will help to emphasise the necessity of helping the library. Thank you. Beth [log in to unmask] ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sandra Treadway" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Friday, May 04, 2001 5:08 PM Subject: Re: LVA money problems. > 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 > [log in to unmask] > > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions > at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html > > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions > at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html