State Library and State budget discussion Thursday, May 12, 2011
Posted by gisref in updates.trackback
If the State Library goes away there will be no more:
- State Law Library
- State Archives (7.67 miles of records dating from 1631)
- Museum of Connecticut History
- Genealogy and Connecticut History Collection
- Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
- Office of the Public Records Administrator
- State Library Website with unique resources on Connecticut (1.4 million page views/yr.)
- Federal Documents Collection (over 1 million items)
- State Documents Collection (only complete print and electronic collection)
- Premier research collections (nearly 1.3 million items)
- Connecticut Newspaper comprehensive statewide collection
- iCONN Databases (8 million page views per year/ $27 million saved locally)
- Statewide Catalog/Interlibrary Loan
- State funding for the Connecticut Library Consortium
- Access to the state’s aerial surveys
- State Records Center
- State and municipal records management program
- Federal library funds (nearly $2million annually)
- Transporting of library material between libraries (Connecticar Delivery Service)
- Free borrowing from any library in Connecticut (Connecticard Program)
- State Aid to Public Libraries
- Public Library Construction grant program
- Library Service Centers
- Training, consulting and professional resources for library staff statewide
- Public Library Statistics
- Large Print Book Collections
- Downloadable audio books
- Summer Reading resources and training
- Access to Legislative Histories
- Indexing for legislative materials and the Legislature’s website
- Access over 36,000 digitized images of Connecticut History
- Permanent public access to 12,000 existing and all future digital state publications
- Video archive for The Connecticut Network
- Publication of the Public Records of the State of Connecticut
- Historical Probate record books and files
- Historic Documents Preservation grant program
- Historical Programming in schools
- Resources for teachers such as “Connecticut Invents” (over 18,000 visits to this blog annually)
Who will be affected?
- Anyone using a public library
- Anyone seeking federal or state government information
- Nearly 9,000 Blind and physically handicapped CT citizens who use LBPH
- Lawyers, law students, the self represented
- Students, teachers, and faculty
- Librarians, Trustees, Friends of Libraries
- Genealogists
- Researchers
- State Agencies
- Legislators
- School children who visit the museum (18,000/yr)
- Judges
- Town Clerks
- Historical Societies
- Museum visitors (10,000/yr)
- Environmental engineers
What is Lost?
- Access to government information
- The ability to freely use any library in the state
- The historical record of state and municipal government
- Cooperative resource sharing
- Oversight of public records
- The only library in the state serving the blind and physically handicapped
- Equitable statewide access to online resources through iCONN
- Training programs to keep library staff current on library services and issues
- The cost benefits of cooperative purchasing
- Ability for environmental impact reviews to be completed for federal funds
- Ability to complete commercial private phase one reviews for mortgages, land development
It is so amazing that such a small group of people can do so much! No matter which Library department that I have helped out in, I have always been intrigued by the staff’s ability to assist our patrons with good faith and a smile!
A true customer service oriented state agency!
The entire state should be up in arms about this. Every public library and public library user will be affected.
Needless to say, the decrease in library services would be counterproductive to the many proreading initiatives being promoted statewide. This would also decrease the public’s ability to access state and government information. Not to mention access of historical documents vital to African-American history and geneology in general!
Ridiculous … we are dumbing down everything w/ these cuts. Why can’t we find decent representation to help Connecticutites??
[...] For more information about the impact of the threatened closing of the State Library: http://cslibweb.wordpress.com/2011/05/12/state-library-and-state-budget-discussion/ [...]
Amazing that the folks can’t find that compramise … all the stuff they want to close AREN’T the ones causing the problems. Good Luck to the STATE LIBRARY!
I have written to the Governor to enlighten him as to the Crown Jewel of Connecticut – The Connecticut State Library and Archives. The importance of this facility cannot be underestimated and would be a crushing blow to the quality of life and future of Connecticut residents of all ages. Without libraries we lose of of the most important facets of an educated citizen base. I have always valued public libraries as the mainstay of my existence.
NOW is the time to protest!
This weekend I am emailing 290 Friends of the Danbury Library, imbedding a website that will give them the names of their state representatives.
This Library is very important to me as a genealogist and DAR member. I am shocked to find out it is supposed to be closing! I don’t know what i will do without it’s resources. It holds so many valuable records, I will be completely lost without it. It will make my job far more difficult. I love going there and always lose track of time when I do because I become so engrossed in what I am finding there. i wish I could stop this from happening! I am definitely protesting this closing!
I didn’t see this back in May. I know the library is very important to all Genealogists Professional and Amature.
The Connecticut State Library (CSL) has a tremendous amount of genealogical information. See how I utilized their resources to discover some information about my ancestor Sidney W. Ford. Sidney W Ford at the CSL.
Regards, Jim