From dulongj at habitant.org  Sat Mar 12 09:23:17 2005
From: dulongj at habitant.org (John P. DuLong)
Date: Sat Mar 12 09:23:23 2005
Subject: [BHC] Update on BHC
Message-ID: <42332585.4010204@habitant.org>

Hello Folks,

Sorry you have not heard from me in months regarding the Burton 
Historical Collection.  I have been busy writing a book with my wife and 
performing my role as the President of the French Canadian Heritage 
Society of Michigan.  Besides, I have not heard much about what is going 
on at the Detroit Public Library.

Recently, I someone informed me that there will be more consolidation of 
the special collections.  Apparently, a Director of Special Collections 
will be appointed and his/her area will include the Burton, the 
Automotive history collection, and History and Travel.  Has anyone else 
heard any rumors about this change?

I also have been told that History and Travel will be moved up to the 
third floor sometime in the future and that Music and Performing Arts 
will move down to where History and Travel is.

Frankly folks, I am moving on.  These decisions make it clear to me that 
the library administration plans to continue to marginalize the 
historical collections in their effort to turn the library into a palace 
of mediocrity filled with trashy romance novels and sports biographies. 
  I have run out of ideas on how we can stop them.  The administration 
just does not understand the value of the special collections as a tool 
for mobilizing interest and support.  When libraries across the USA are 
tapping into the enthusiasm of genealogical patrons and improving their 
offerings, the Detroit Public Library is slowly dismantling one of the 
best genealogical collections in the nation.

The Burton and other research collections of the Detroit Public Library 
are an extremely valuable resource, but if the administration is 
determined to destroy them and the citizens of Detroit and Michigan let 
them, then it will be sad, but ultimately it is beyond my control. 
Unless the state of Michigan steps up and restarts its financial support 
of the library, (with some oversight), I do not hold out much hope for 
their long term survival.  I sincerely hope I am wrong.

The French Canadian Heritage Society of Michigan, while still using the 
resources of the Burton for research until they are no longer available 
to us, has pretty much moved on too.  We have a wonderful working 
relationship with the Mount Clemens Public Library, which hosts some of 
our collections and lets us meet there when we want to (and not all 
crowded in on the same day with other groups).  We donate to the library 
on a regular basis and we will be strengthening our relationship with 
it.  We are also looking on building closer ties to the Library of 
Michigan.  It is sad that the Detroit Public Library administration has 
alienated a group that was and should be one of its natural supporters.

Regards,

JP

John P. DuLong, Ph.D.
Acadian and French Canadian Genealogy
959 Oxford Road
Berkley, MI 48072-2011
USA
(248) 541-2894
http://habitant.org