Societies: Collaboration Starts in October!

Not only is this month Family History Month (in the U.S.), it’s American Archives Month as well. I hope that throughout the month, your Society has an event planned that will embrace the heart of Senate Resolution 160 from September, 2001, which proclaimed this month as Family History Month. Please take a moment to read the Resolution, keeping in mind the important date it was passed: September 12, 2001.

It is equally important that we celebrate American Archives Month. The reality is that, without Archives, many of us would not have source material with which to research our ancestors. Think about that. And, without patrons to go to the Archives, the Archives cease to be relevant. We depend on one another, just like a family.

Photo courtesy Laura Cosgrove Lorenzana (c) 2014

What makes this year so extraordinary is that the current President of the Society of American Archivists, Kathleen Roe, has committed to getting Archivists out of their comfort zone and into outreach mode. You can read about her “Year of Living Dangerously for Archives” on the Off The Record blog. The most exciting part is many Genealogy Societies are attempting to do the same thing. The changes in research resources and techniques opens up so many challenges to those running societies, and yet, there are even more opportunities as greater numbers of people want to leverage the information available to them digitally, but don’t know how. That’s where Genealogy Societies can step up to fill a large need.

I look at this as one of the most energizing possibilities in a long time: for Archives and Genealogy Societies to work together to support each other’s goals. Strong, viable repositories of our most precious documents, photographs and ephemera being used by strong, viable genealogy societies, all of whom support the family historians, genealogists, and researchers who are anxious to build the stories of our ancestors lives in a collaborative way.

So, how are you making the most of Family History Month/American Archives month? We'd love to hear what you're doing, or even what you'd like to do, to make this month really special.

Virginia Vital Record Access in Danger - Your Help Needed Now!

Calling all genealogists and family historians - especially if you are concerned about access to any and all vital records. Right now plans are in the work to increase restrictions for Virginia vital records - to 125 years for birth records and 75 years for marriage and death records!

What's Happening with Virginia Vital Records

On Tuesday, November 22, 2011, the Virginia Joint Commission on Health Care (JCHC) will vote on to extend the current access restrictions by another 25 years. Between now and November 22, 2011 you can send your comments to the committee members and let them know why the restrictions to access should not be extended.

What You Can Do about Virginia Vital Records Access

Here is how you can get involved:

• Read the Memorandum to the Genealogical Community by Peter E. Broadbent, Jr., Former President of the Virginia Genealogical Society:  http://www.geneabloggers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/20111101-Memo-re-VA-Vital-Records.pdf (opens in PDF)

• Read the public comments from the October 17, 2011 JCHC meeting to understand the arguments being made for and against increased restrictions:  http://services.dlas.virginia.gov/User_db/frmView.aspx?ViewId=2589 (opens in PDF).

• Download this sample letter to the members of the JCHC, add your insights and comments and add your name and address at the end:  http://www.geneabloggers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Sample-Letter-JCHC.doc (Opens in Microsoft Word)

• Send your letter via email to

Senators, General Area, Email address

Linda T. Puller, Fairfax, Prince William, district36@senate.virginia.gov

George Barker, Fairfax, Prince William, district39@senate.virginia.gov

Harry B. Blevins, Chesapeake/Portsmouth, district14@senate.virginia.gov

Edd Houck, Fredericksburg/Orange, district17@senate.virginia.gov

Louise Lucas, Portsmouth - Brunswick, district18@senate.virginia.gov

Ralph Northam, M.D., Norfolk, Matthews, Eastern Shore,  district06@senate.virginia.gov

William Wampler, Bristol and Southwest, district40@senate.virginia.gov

Patricia S. Ticer, Alexandria/Arlington/Fairfax, district30@senate.virginia.gov

House of Delegates, General Area, Email address

Ben Cline, Amherst – Lexington, delbcline@house.virginia.gov

Bob Brink, Arlington, delrbrink@house.virginia.gov

David Bulova, Fairfax, deldbulova@house.virginia.gov

Rosalyn Dance, Petersburg, delrdance@house.virginia.gov

Scott Garrett, M.D., Lynchburg, delsgarrett@house.virginia.gov

Algie Howell, Norfolk, delahowell@house.virginia.gov

Harvey Morgan, Gloucester, delhmorgan@house.virginia.gov

Dave Nutter, Radford/Roanoke,   deldnutter@house.virginia.gov

John O’Bannon, M.D. Henrico, deljobannon@house.virginia.gov

Chris Peace, Hanover, delcpeace@house.virginia.gov

Copy and paste the entire block of addresses here:

district36@senate.virginia.gov; district39@senate.virginia.gov; district14@senate.virginia.gov; district17@senate.virginia.gov; district18@senate.virginia.gov; district06@senate.virginia.gov; district40@senate.virginia.gov; district30@senate.virginia.gov; delbcline@house.virginia.gov; delrbrink@house.virginia.gov; deldbulova@house.virginia.gov; delrdance@house.virginia.gov; delsgarrett@house.virginia.gov; delahowell@house.virginia.gov; delhmorgan@house.virginia.gov; deldnutter@house.virginia.gov; deljobannon@house.virginia.gov; delcpeace@house.virginia.gov

And don't forget to follow the Records Preservation and Access Committee blog at http://www.fgs.org/rpac/ to follow all the latest news about vital records access and changes to laws and policies affecting genealogists and family historians.

Conclusion

Please take a minute and step away from your own genealogy research and get involved. Even if you don't have Virginia ancestors, realize that other states and entities look at what is being done regarding vital records access - your state or municipality might be next!

Email or write the contacts listed above and let them know as a genealogist and family historian what it means to access such records.  Don't be afraid to get personal - share your success stories or how you've helped a client using vital records.

©2011, copyright Thomas MacEntee