INRANDOL-L Archives

From: "Marian M." <>
Subject: Fw: [MARION COUNTY, IN] FW: current situation at the Indiana State Archives
Date: Wed, 6 Jul 2005 12:50:22 -0400

In case you haven't received this, it might be of interest to genealogy
enthusiasts in Randolph County.


----- Original Message -----
From: <>
To: <>
Sent: Wednesday, July 06, 2005 11:03 AM
Subject: [MARION COUNTY, IN] FW: current situation at the Indiana State
Archives


>I don't ususally do this, but thought it needed to be sent to all of my IN
>list.
>
> Subject: current situation at the Indiana State Archives
>
>
>
> This letter was written by one of the 41 current volunteers at the Indiana
> State Archives. Last year we contributed volunteers hours to equal 2 1/2
> paid employees. There are 7 Archives employees. I did not write the
> letter,
> but I support this position totally. Please act if you value or use the
> Archives.
>
> Sharon Mills
>
>
> WARNING!
>
> Records For Your Genealogical Research and
> historical documents that chronicle indiana history Are At Risk
>
>
> Background:
>
> During his term, Governor O'Bannon appointed Co-Directors of the Indiana
> Commission on Public Records (ICPR). Dr. Alan January was placed in charge
> of The Indiana State Archives and Records Center. The other Co-Director
> (CD2) was placed in charge of Forms Management and Micrographics
> (basically
> the downtown operation) as well as budget matters. They were jointly
> responsible for Records Preservation. (See for more info.)
>
> While overseeing the operation of the Archives, Dr. January has nurtured a
> volunteer program that has allowed researchers the opportunity to access
> records, both on site and via the internet, that were previously not
> available - primarily because the bare-bones Archives staff did not have
> the time to process those records. Under Dr. January's guidance, the
> volunteers have broken records each year for the number of hours worked
> toward making this information available to you.
>
> When Governor Daniels took office, one of the demands placed on him was to
> appoint directors of many State agencies and offices, including the
> ICPR. Until such time as he made those appointments, the current directors
> remained in place. Apparently at some time this year (probably in January)
> CD2 was appointed as Acting Director over the entire ICPR operation. I say
> 'apparently' because at no time was anyone at the Indiana State Archives,
> employee or volunteer, officially notified of this change in leadership.
>
> Why should this change concern you?
>
> CD2 has made some decisions since acting as interim director that
> potentially have a negative effect on your genealogy research:
>
> · CD2 denied the acceptance of a delivery of confidential state
> records. These records were consequently left on an open receiving dock at
> the Government Center downtown until the Governor's Office was asked to
> intervene.
> · CD2 had planned to destroy more than fifty skids of historic and
> valuable newspapers even though the ICPR had previously made a signed
> agreement to store them for the Indiana State Library.
> · CD2 has asked State Archives employees (purportedly in an effort to
> get caught up with the backlog created by the lack of sufficient
> employees)
> to "sample" records. CD2's intent, in one example, is to randomly pull
> complete records from the Indiana Dept. of Corrections, while keeping only
> the photo and record cards (not the entire record) for the remainder of
> the
> prisoners. Imagine if the full records of notorious figures like John
> Dillinger, Stephen Judy and Mike Tyson - just to name a few - were not
> part
> of those "sample" records. imagine if the full records of one of your
> relatives was not included in those samples.
>
> Because of the interim appointment, CD2 seems to be the obvious candidate
> for permanent appointment to the Director position. The State's fiscal
> year begins July 1st, which means the funds may be available to fill the
> position permanently, so the clock is ticking.
>
>
> As volunteers who devote time to preserving these historic records, it is
> most discomforting to imagine a director who does not place the necessary
> value on the retention of this priceless information.
>
> Remember, these are PUBLIC records, which means they are YOUR records. Are
> these examples of how you want your records maintained?
>
>
> What can you do?
>
> If this issue is important to you, please take the time to write, e-mail
> or
> call any or all of the following contacts and request that the current
> Acting Director of the ICPR NOT be selected as the permanent Director.
>
> In addition, if you have knowledge of Dr. Alan January's dedication to
> preserving our past, please feel free to ask that he be placed in the
> position of permanent ICPR Director.
>
> Contacts:
>
> Mitch Daniels, Indiana Governor:
> Phone: 317-232-4567
> US Mail: Office of the Governor
> Indianapolis, IN 46204-2797
>
>
> Indiana General Assembly:
> Internet: www.in.gov/legislative/contact/index.html
>
> Betsy Burdick, Director of Cabinet & Agency Affairs:
> Phone: 317-233-9997
> Address: c/o Governor's Office
> Room 206
> 200 W. Washington St.
> Indianapolis, IN 46204-2728
> Internet:
>
>
> Jon Vanator, Assistant to Intergovernmental Affairs:
> Phone: 317-233-4198
> Address: c/o Governor's Office
> Room 105
> 200 W. Washington St.
> Indianapolis, IN 46204-2728
> Internet:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ==== INCLINTO Mailing List ====
> Clinton County Queries posted on the GenConnect Boards.
> http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/In/Clinton
>
>
> ==== INMARION Mailing List ====
> Check out the Marion County InGenWeb site at <a
> href="http://www.rootsweb.com/~inmarion/index.html">; Marion County,
> Indiana GenWeb</a>
>
>

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