Funding in Place: Georgia State Archives Will Remain Open For the Rest of Budget Year

UPDATED 10/19 Five Georgia Archives’ Employees to Lose Their Jobs (WABE Radio)

Originally, seven employees of the Archives were scheduled to lose their jobs. That number shrank to five after the governor said Thursday he would restore $125,000 to Kemp’s budget to keep the Archives from moving to an appointment only system. Still, Kemp says the job cuts are painful but necessary because of state budget cuts. Kaye Minchew is with the Coalition to Preserve Georgia Archives:
“While we’re thankful to the governor, we would still like to keep all the current ten employees, and we’re working on that.”

From the Gov. of Georgia’s Web Site:

Gov. Nathan Deal and Secretary of State Brian Kemp announced today that the state will restore $125,000 to Kemp’s budget to keep the Georgia State Archives open to Georgians for the remainder of the budget year.
“Georgia’s Archives are a showcase of our state’s rich history and a source of great pride,” said Deal. “I worked quickly with my budget office and Secretary Kemp to ensure that Georgians can continue to come to Morrow to study and view the important artifacts kept there. I appreciate Secretary Kemp’s commitment to work with me to find a solution.”
The extra funding provides for Georgia State Archives to be open to the public through June 30 of next year. On July 1,  the Georgia Archives will be transferred to University System of Georgia, pending approval of the move by the General Assembly. This transfer will include appropriations required for operation and assets of the Georgia Archives. Additional staff will be provided by USG at that time. Deal and Kemp intend to find efficiencies by consolidating the Archives under the University System of Georgia, just as the state has sought to do with the library system.
“From the beginning of this budget process, I have stated that it was my hope that current access to the Archives could be maintained,” Kemp said. “I greatly appreciate Governor Deal’s leadership and recognize the difficult decisions that had to be made in order to identify this funding. He has proposed a plan that supports Archives not just this year, but for years to come.”
Deal’s budgetary commitment allows Georgia State Archives to maintain its current access hours.

Hat Tip and Thanks: Records Preservation and Access Committee (Federation of Genealogical Societies)
See Also: On September 13 we mentioned that Governor Deal Had Pledged to Keep the Archives Open
 

Filed under: Archives and Special Collections, Funding, Jobs, Libraries, Management and Leadership, News, Preservation