Hi Folks: Since I used to work at the genealogy collection at the State Library and still have friends there, I forwarded Laurie's e-mail to see if we could get some more details on what is available. Below is the answer from Diana Houston of TSL. Hope it helps. Judy Judy Duer Library Director Temple (TX) Public Library [EMAIL PROTECTED]
100 W. Adams Ave. Temple TX 76501 254 298-5707 254 298-5328 (fax) ________________________________ From: Diana Houston [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 9:13 AM To: Judy Duer Subject: RE: Genealogy question about TX State Library On the agency's site at http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/renovation/index.html there is a list of the genealogy resources that are in room 300. We have some core books, such as Filby's, as well as the printed census indexes. We continue to provide lookup service in the vital statistics indexes via mail, e-mail, telephone. Of course, we've not ever had the records themselves--unless selected ones found on a County Records on Microfilm reel. All Dewey and Texas Documents collections in ARIS are in deep storage. A good deal of the federal documents are in deep storage. Deep storage translates into unavailable. But we work with the patrons to help identify other locations for specific books--and they can still submit interlibrary loan requests for the items from other libraries. Neither the library nor archives are closed. Although many original state records are stored offsite, we make a weekly trip to the warehouse. People needing access to the archival records are encouraged to call beforehand to see if the information needed is on-site or to request that it be pulled from the warehouse. We only make the trip once a week--on Tuesday afternoons--so there is a delay factor. The renovation should be completed in 2010 and that's when we _know_ the materials will be back. But if we can get some of the materials back sooner, we will. I just won't provide a firm date when our ability to honor it is so out of our control. Just as with the abatement period in the 90's, the staff is busy, busy, busy! There are several projects that are being worked upon, as well as the fact that...well, guess who gets to move the materials? You know that song! I'll be happy to answer any questions I can. Diana
