Shocking News about the U.S. National Archives

[@cindyjugglegoddess7821]

Thank you so much for shining light on this important issue. I have shared the link to the petition on Facebook.

[@melissabarker2128]

Lisa, Thank You for covering this topic, it is very important. I just want to add that there are thousands of archives across the United States and the World that are OPEN but just like the National Archives these archives have less than 5% of their records online. As you know, I work as an archivist in a county archive and see first hand the most amazing records that are not online! Genealogists need to be visiting, emailing, calling or reaching out through these archives social media pages these archives that are open and ready to serve. Again, I truly appreciate you covering the closing of the National Archives facilities, we need to get them open!

[@BackWordsJane]

When I found out some people still have not received the Civil War pension files they paid for a year on,I realized it would be a wasted effort for me to try and get my ancestor's file. Outrageous

[@brendanl8390]

That’s crazy for them to still be closed. They serve the public and taxpayers, they should be open! I was looking for a paper the FDR presidential library holds but it was unfortunately closed

[@lisareed5669]

They ARE serving the public.

[@kathytaylor8984]

Great information. Please sign the petition, and hopefully, we can get our archives reopened.

[@AdultThirdCultureKid1971]

Where can I sign the petition? 🤔

[@vada7259]

18:12

[@myramillerphd370]

I live in St. Louis and have not been able to help my over 300 clients in two years! I was able to go to College Park in 2021 for a total of 30 research hours but we have never been able to get into the ST. Louis research room.

[@lisareed5669]

Because Missouri has been a hotbed of COVID. When they were going to open across the nation, Missouri's disease rate was going up.

[@myramillerphd370]

@@lisareed5669 that is not why they haven’t opened St Louis. They dismantled the research room to bring in scanners to clear the backlog that went up instead of going down.

[@robertmcnabb6681]

Very informative and well done presentation, these researchers deserve this. These Federal services need to be held accountable and catch up with the rest of the nation and develop a safe way to give access to the public.

[@lisareed5669]

What makes you think they are not being held accountable?

[@colsc55]

I sent a request to NARA for Civil War records a year ago. They cashed my 30.00 check a couple of months ago. I am getting replies back but very vague as to when or if i will get my records. Now I know why. Thanks for the video.

[@margelsoderberg5860]

I have tried to sign the petition but cannot find it and I have used the information given in this video. Thank you for calling attention to this problem. I have been waiting to go back to the Personnel Records Center outside St. Louis. When I was last here, everyone in the research room was very spread out anyway. Put some safety rules and restrictions in place but please open. I also called my do nothing congresswoman to encourage her to support reopening and the person I spoke to in her office seemed interested because THEY were having trouble getting military records for constituents.

[@GenealogyGems]

The petition can be found at change.org/reopenarchives Thanks for your efforts.

[@LanceHall]

The National Archives has found a way to not have to deal with pesky patrons like me that made original records requests of heavy boxes of material. Pulling original records from storage is laborious.

[@jandavis1362]

Is there a list of records are at what facility?

[@GenealogyGems]

Yes, you can use their online catalog to see what they have and where they have it. My video and article on the NARA website will show you how: lisalouisecooke.com/2021/01/25/national-archives-online-genealogy/

[@rockpadstudios]

They are closed the the gov employees still get their paychecks.

[@deborahtanner354]

Any updates?

[@GenealogyGems]

According to Geoff, my guest, "Research rooms nationwide have started to open on a limited, by appointment basis. Access is being rationed to some extent because it can often take days, weeks or even months to get an actual appointment. In St Louis there are a very limited set of records that can be viewed and the actual research room is not yet open. We have a long way to go until things are back to pre-pandemic levels for researchers. Still, we are very glad that things are starting to open again! The Archivist of the United States resigned in April."

[@deborahtanner354]

@@GenealogyGems Thank You 💕

[@StanRLee]

Link the petition to your video please!

[@GenealogyGems]

The petition link is in the video description and on our show notes page. The petition can be found at change.org/reopenarchives

[@valerievesper9216]

Your tax dollars at work. We can go to movies and ball games but our veterans don’t have access to records to get benefits.

[@bongcapinig11]

National world treasure history archive 25

[@bongcapinig11]

🇵🇭🔍🌎🧭👀