From mwigle at virtual-impact.ca Wed May 4 18:10:03 2005 From: mwigle at virtual-impact.ca (Marc Wigle) Date: Wed May 4 18:10:14 2005 Subject: [BHC] Update on BHC References: <42332585.4010204@habitant.org> Message-ID: <056001c5510f$2d54ab10$1801bfce@yourus67pi6luv> John - I know that this is late but, on behalf of the listers, I think we owe you a great deal of gratitude in the fight against the administration of the DPL. I'm planning a trip to Detroit this summer and hope to be able to visit the collection. I will also make my feelings known to the administration at that time that their short-sightedness will do more harm than good. Shame on them! Thanks again, Marc Wigle Gatineau, Quebec, Canada ----- Original Message ----- From: "John P. DuLong" To: Sent: Saturday, March 12, 2005 1:23 PM Subject: [BHC] Update on BHC > Burton Historical Collection List > _______________________________________________ > > > 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 > > _______________________________________________ > BHC mailing list > BHC@habitant.org > http://habitant.org/mailman/listinfo/bhc_habitant.org > From ChristieTrapp at aol.com Mon May 9 11:03:58 2005 From: ChristieTrapp at aol.com (ChristieTrapp@aol.com) Date: Mon May 9 11:04:22 2005 Subject: [BHC] Update on BHC Message-ID: <27.71e6d256.2fb1000e@aol.com> I agree, John has been wonderful to keep up with the happenings of the Burton, getting us all involved and as well as attending meetings. Without him, we would have never learned about the dysfunctional Burton. It is unfortunate that I don't live in Michigan where I could help out in this regard, but have followed the various postings, responded to many, offered suggestions to some and got lots of feedback from John. I even wrote a letter to the editor of the Detroit paper and it was published. I just wish there was a way to get the various genealogical societies there in Michigan actively involved in the preservation of the Burton; but it is a lack of interest or plain apathy on these groups parts that is very interesting indeed. The action will come when no one has access to the Burton because the library has either taken all the books of the shelves and put them into storage or imposed such an excessive fee for doing research in the library. When that day comes, then the screaming and yelling and the finger pointing will start to take place. Without active support from all the societies and all the genealogists throughout this land - and that includes the foreign visitors who enjoy the benefits that the Burton currently has for research the Burton will feel no obligation to maintain the facility. Perhaps that is the current thinking of the directors - move the library into a new direction - one designed for the quick buck, doesn't cost a lot of money to maintain and when they get too many books they can either retire them or sell them off at a book sale to raise money. With the Burton, they can't do this as the books have become somewhat historical. Perhaps there is a way to get the U.S. or Michigan State Historical Department involved--make the Burton a historical landmark. Doesn't that create some funding to support it? Or is that just wishful thinking that there might be a fund to help maintain the Burton has an historical landmark. Or, another thought, does this only apply to the building where the Burton is housed? That won't work for the purposes of saving the Burton collection, but if it is also for the works contained within the premises, then let's try that route. Christie Trapp -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: /pipermail/bhc_habitant.org/attachments/20050509/af71b1cd/attachment.htm From mwigle at virtual-impact.ca Mon May 16 09:46:06 2005 From: mwigle at virtual-impact.ca (Marc Wigle) Date: Mon May 16 09:46:13 2005 Subject: [BHC] BHC question References: <27.71e6d256.2fb1000e@aol.com> Message-ID: <091201c55a36$c22c3ca0$d6a51a40@yourus67pi6luv> I haven't checked the DPL website lately and wondered if anyone can help on this. I am planning a trip to Detroit this summer and wanted to visit the Burton Collection. I'm approx 9 hours away by car so a yearly membership is of no use to me. Can I pay a daily fee to gain access? Also, I have relatives in Grosse Pointe "something" and wondered if they may have access without cost? I think they're on Grafton Street so not sure which GP they live in if it matters. I'll give them a call and see if they have a library card or can get one if that is of any use. Marc -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: /pipermail/bhc_habitant.org/attachments/20050516/1bce0e40/attachment.htm From mwigle at virtual-impact.ca Mon May 16 12:01:12 2005 From: mwigle at virtual-impact.ca (Marc Wigle) Date: Mon May 16 12:01:16 2005 Subject: [BHC] BHC question References: <27.71e6d256.2fb1000e@aol.com> <091201c55a36$c22c3ca0$d6a51a40@yourus67pi6luv> Message-ID: <0a0301c55a49$a1ebba20$d6a51a40@yourus67pi6luv> Thanks to all for their help. I guess I'll pay the $10 and bother the staff for the entire day... might as well get my money's worth! Thanks again, Marc ----- Original Message ----- From: Marc Wigle To: bhc@habitant.org Sent: Monday, May 16, 2005 12:46 PM Subject: [BHC] BHC question Burton Historical Collection List _______________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I haven't checked the DPL website lately and wondered if anyone can help on this. I am planning a trip to Detroit this summer and wanted to visit the Burton Collection. I'm approx 9 hours away by car so a yearly membership is of no use to me. Can I pay a daily fee to gain access? Also, I have relatives in Grosse Pointe "something" and wondered if they may have access without cost? I think they're on Grafton Street so not sure which GP they live in if it matters. I'll give them a call and see if they have a library card or can get one if that is of any use. Marc ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ _______________________________________________ BHC mailing list BHC@habitant.org http://habitant.org/mailman/listinfo/bhc_habitant.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: /pipermail/bhc_habitant.org/attachments/20050516/2dd8d50e/attachment.htm From dulongj at habitant.org Mon May 23 14:18:24 2005 From: dulongj at habitant.org (John P. DuLong) Date: Mon May 23 14:18:30 2005 Subject: [BHC] Death of Bernice Cox Sprenger Message-ID: <429248A0.5070807@habitant.org> Hello All, One of you notified me that Bernince Sprenger died recently on 11 April 2005. She was a former Chief of the Burton Historical Collection who wrote the wonderfully helpful _A Guide to the Manuscripts in the Burton Historical Collection_ in 1985. This guide contains information about manuscripts cataloged before October 1978. I wonder what Mrs. Sprenger thought about what has happened to the Burton. Also, the same informant told me that the Burton was open for free one day recently. Of course, there was no notification to the public, so it did little good. Lastly, I want to thank those of you who have said nice things about my past efforts. Sorry that I do not have the time or energy to keep up the effort. I fear things are going to get a lot worse before they get better. But I would love to be proven wrong. 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