Folks,
The National Archives is doing a lot of important work -- making our
profession visible (which gets us public support), tacking problems of
electronic records (through the Electronic Records Archives program, the
NHPRC research agenda, and support for the New Skills for a Digital Era
Colloquium). Archivist Weinstein has taken special interest in working
with the profession.
Now, NARA needs your help. Just a few days ago, NARA's budget was cut
another $8 million. Costs to repair flood damages to Archives I may run $2
million.
The budget is in markup in the Senate. If funded at the current House
levels, damage to NARA programs could be significant, including cut backs
in services to the public and to government agencies.
Please call the Senate switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to speak to
your senators. Urge them to speak with Senators Thad Cochran (R-MS), Robert
C. Byrd (D-WV), Christopher Bond (R-MO), and Patty Murray (D-WA) as more
than any other members of the Senate, they hold NARA’s future in their
collective hands! (When you get through, a stock opening line is, "May I
speak with Senator X or the staff member who handles appropriations?"
You'll almost certainly get the staffer -- which is a bit less
intimidating.)
Have a couple of stories of how NARA funds have helped you or your state
(an NHPRC grant, some program or publication you found useful, the value of
your state's records that are held by NARA). Remember, be short, sweet,
and pleasant. You don't want to spend more than five minutes, if that.
You're mostly registering your opinion. You can always end with a, "Can I
answer any questions for you or give you more information?"
It is essential to call before 18 July, and asap is best.
Note, it is important that you call or fax. Email and regular mail won't
get through. A few calls on the same subject are surprisingly effective.
Some background information from NCH is included below.
Thanks for helping support our colleagues and our friends.
-- Richard Pearce-Moses
BACKGROUND
In last week's NCH WASHINGTON UPDATE we reported on the dire predicament
confronting the National Archives budget in FY 2007. We reported that
there is an operational shortfall of $12 million in the President's
proposed budget. On top of that, in a surprise move that took place on the
floor of the House of Representatives recently, an ADDITIONAL $8 million
was cut from the NARA budget to help pay for a drug interdiction
initiative. In spite of the best efforts of Joseph Knollenberg (R-MI), the
Chair of the Transportation/Treasury Appropriation Subcommittee that
oversees NARA's budget (Knollenberg argued in vain to defeat the proposed
amendment to NARA's budget), a majority of the members of the House -- not
wanting to appear soft on fighting drugs -- felt obliged to support the
amendment.
And now NARA is also dealing with $2 million worth of flood damage at its
Washington D.C. Main Archives facility.
Unless the $22 million is added to NARA's base funding by the Senate here
is what NARA officials may be compelled to do:
1) REDUCE RESEARCH ROOM HOURS OF OPERATION -- Research rooms
throughout the country (including Archives I and II in the District of
Columbia and College Park, Maryland) would be closed on evenings and
weekends. They would be open only 9 AM to 5 PM Monday - Friday throughout
most of the year. That means that the 16% of NARA's patrons who use the
archives in the evenings, and for the 7% of users who conduct research on
Saturday, will find themselves locked out of NARA's research rooms,
permanently.
2) ROTUNDA HOURS REDUCED -- If you are planning a visit to
Washington D.C. with family or friends and want to view the documents of
American Freedom (the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, and
Constitution) that are on display at the Main Archives rotunda, be prepared
to stand in even longer lines as the hours of operation would be reduced
evenings and weekends.
3) IF YOU ARE A RESEARCHER IN WASHINGTON D.C. -- there will be no
more door-to-door shuttle service between Main Archives and College Park --
you will have to use Metro and a taxi cab to get to your destination.
Also, expect a raise in the per page photocopying fee in research rooms.
Oh yes, one last thing – there may be a charge for reference services.
4) IF YOU CONDUCT RESEARCH IN A PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY OR A
REGIONAL ARCHIVES FACILITY -- be prepared to work fewer hours each day as
research rooms across the county may well be shutting down earlier as
well. You also will be paying a higher photo-copying fee.
5) IF YOU EVER HAVE MADE USE OF A COMPILATION OF THE PUBLIC
PAPERS OF A PRESIDENT -- BEGINNING NEXT YEAR THE VOLUMES WON'T BE PRODUCED
ANY LONGER -- for years NARA has compiled the collected public papers of
the president (speeches, transcripts of press events etc.) into hardback
volumes. No more.
6) RESEARCH IMPEDED BY NARA EMPLOYEE FURLOUGHS -- Researchers may
be further inconvenienced if the National Archives has to balance its books
by cutting employee travel and training, by zeroing out funding for
overtime and staff bonuses, and by furloughing employees – a very real
possibility for some NARA staff if Congress does not adopt a budget on or
before 1 October 2006, when the new federal fiscal year begins. If
Congress has not agreed to a budget by then, and if the President has not
signed a NARA appropriation for FY 2007, Congress will be forced to adopt a
Continuing Resolution (CR). NARA will have no alternative but to use in
the CR the House recommended appropriation level as the new temporary base
for NARA’s operations. Bottom line, NARA cannot absorb a $20 million cut w
without furloughing some employees.
A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List sponsored by the Society of American Archivists, www.archivists.org.
For the terms of participation, please refer to http://www.archivists.org/listservs/arch_listserv_terms.asp.
To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to [log in to unmask]
In body of message: SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname
*or*: UNSUB ARCHIVES
To post a message, send e-mail to [log in to unmask]
Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at
http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html
Problems? Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <[log in to unmask]>