Shrinking state budgets affecting archives

 A quick roundup of recent articles about the effects of state budgets on archives and preservation.

 Economy hurts effort to preserve the past- The Columbus Dispatch

“Preserving the past is important,but if governments don’t start spending and borrowing less,there won’t be much of a future left for our kids to enjoy,”Sepp said.

The Ohio Historical Society’s budget has shrunk by 13 percent in the past eight years. The society has laid off its preservation staff and is relying on other workers and outside conservators to monitor and maintain collections.

With all of its storage space filled and no money to expand,the society is going through its collections to decide what not to keep. It has virtually stopped accepting donations of artifacts. In some cases,donors sell or give the artifacts away.

 Gov. Jennifer Granholm to propose pay cuts,eliminating departments- MLive.com

Granholm will propose the elimination of one state department,History,Arts and Libraries,and ask Lt. Gov. John Cherry lead a commission to recommend further reductions. The goal would be to reduce the total number of departments from 18 to eight.

Archives chief cuts own job to trim budget - The State (SC)

The Archives and History agency preserves and promotes the state’s heritage. The archives center houses three centuries’ worth of historical documents. The agency also coordinates historic preservation efforts and history education. The latest cuts reduce its staff to 61 employees,Stroup said.

Historical Society puts microfilming state newspapers on hold- Missourian

“There might be people 30 years from now that will be interested in the same kind of research that I’m doing,and it’ll be impossible if there aren’t any archives,” Meyer said.

Off the records- newsreview.com (Reno,NV)

Guy Louis Rocha may be the only state agency chief in Nevada’s capital who has twice experienced his agency being targeted for total elimination by two different state budget directors.

“They wanted to pave paradise and put up a parking lot,” quipped Rocha,referring to the Joni Mitchell song,in which she sings,“That you don’t know what you’ve got/Till it’s gone.”

For more than a quarter of a century,state archives administrator Rocha—like many state agency directors—has been Sisyphus,pushing his operation into the 20th century repeatedly,only to have it roll back down under the pressure of chronic budget crises or intramural state government politics. He was never able to push the agency into the 21st century.

State erases 1.6 billion budget deficit- The Arizona Republic

Even before the budget was finalized,details emerged on what those cuts mean.

The state parks director has said a $25 million cut will force the closure of five parks;the Parks Board meets Tuesday to decide which ones to close.

The state Library and Archives Department is ironing out details for an agency-wide furlough;it could affect operating hours of the new state museum,which was dedicated just two weeks ago.

Arizona State University has announced furloughs of 10 to 15 days for most of its faculty and staff,but that was when the school thought it would share in a $100 million budget cut. The Legislature authorized $141 million in cuts to the three universities.

Some more information:

Preserving the American Historical Record (PAHR)

Legislation “To authorize the Archivist of the United States to make grants to States for the preservation and dissemination of historical records”will be reintroduced soon (with a new bill number) by Representatives Maurice Hinchey (D-NY-22) and John McHugh (R-NY-23). Talk to your representatives and your state archivist about supporting PAHR.

Heritage Health Index by Heritage Preservation and IMLS- 2005 report on the state of collections in the United States can be used in discussions with local and state boards about preservation. (Does anyone out there know if this is being updated?) Full 2005 report can be found here.