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  • 28 Mar 2020 by APG Webmaster

    At a special meeting of the APG board held Thursday, 26 March 2020, we made the difficult, yet unanimous, decision to cancel our 2020 PMC in Portland, scheduled for mid-October. Financially, our penalty for canceling this far in advance is one we can endure. The risk of waiting too long to cancel is too great for us to chance. With so many uncertainties, and a large number of genealogical events and programs being canceled or delayed, we felt this was the best and most certain way to manage our situation.

     

    We are currently evaluating options related to an alternative form of conference or webinar series for us as genealogical professionals that might be assembled in lieu of an in-person gathering. Further information will be forthcoming. We look forward to preparing and presenting an outstanding conference, in whatever form, as we are able.

     

    Thank you for your continued support of APG. We are grateful to the prospective speakers for their understanding of this difficult choice. Thanks to Judy Muhn and her committee for the work already committed. Thanks to Kathy Hinckley, our Executive Director, for her help in making the conference work go smoothly and efficiently, as well.

     


    Be safe, and stay healthy.


    David McDonald

    President, APG

  • 24 Mar 2020

    Dear Friends and Fellow Members of APG:

    With regret, but resolve, APG has decided it must forego its participation in the planned conference at Salt Lake City in May, to be presented by the National Genealogical Society. We will neither host a booth nor sponsor a luncheon there, in keeping with recent guidance around reducing group sizes and social distancing necessary to combat the spread of COVID-19.

    You all know the precautions to take to minimize risks for transmission of the disease. Please take them seriously. Wash your hands. Clean your keyboards and handheld devices. Maintain your distance from others in public settings. Eat healthy foods. Drink plenty of fluids. Rest. (Use the enforced downtime to work on projects you've long been delaying or ignoring.) Be attentive to changes in your health and in those with whom you share close quarters.

    Be safe. Be well. Be whole.

    David McDonald, President

  • 06 Mar 2020

    See below information from the National Coalition for History, copied in full from their website: http://historycoalition.org/2020/03/02/ask-your-house-member-to-sign-letter-in-support-of-increased-funding-for-nara-and-nhprc/.

    APG encourages all of its members in the US to reach out to their Representatives in Congress to support this important initiative to fund the National Archives. Time is of the essence - please reach out to your Member of Congress by this Tuesday, March 11th! It will take just 5 minutes of your time, but is vitally important to the records and agencies we use as professional genealogists!

    Ask Your House Member to Sign Letter in Support of Increased Funding for NARA and NHPRC.

    March 2, 2020

    The National Coalition for History (NCH) has worked with Congressmen John Larson (D-CT), Don Young (R-AK), and Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) to seek support for additional funding in the upcoming fiscal year (FY) 2021 budget for the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).

    They have circulated a "Dear Colleague" letter to their fellow representatives urging them to show their support. The letter will be sent to the chair and ranking member of the House Financial Services Appropriations Subcommittee which has jurisdiction over NARA and the NHPRC's budgets. Please click on this link <http://historycoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/NARA-Dear-Colleague-FY-21-final.pdf> to see the letter which has already been sent to House members.

    We are requesting the House Appropriations Committee to provide at least $395 million for NARA's operating expenses in FY21 and at least $7 million for the NHPRC. NARA's operating expenses budget in constant dollars has remained stagnant for over a decade, even as its responsibilities have increased. When adjusted for inflation, NARA's budget has decreased by 10% since 2012. NARA today has fewer employees than it did in 1985.

    We need you to contact your representative and ask them to sign on to the letter in support of additional funding for NARA and the NHPRC. We have prepared a one-page briefing paper that summarizes the funding challenges facing these two agencies that are so vital to historians, archivists and other stakeholders. Click here <http://historycoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/NARA-Issue-Brief-FY-21-1.pdf> to access an on-line version.

    The simple truth is Members of Congress are unlikely to sign on to the NARA "Dear Colleague" letter unless they are asked to do so by their constituents! Please help us in this effort by reaching out to your representatives to seek their support.

    How to Contact Your Congressperson

    To contact your representative, you can use one of these two options. No matter which means of communication you choose, please personalize your message as to your background or interest in history. If you are employed in the field, mention the institution where you work in your congressional district. You can also use the Dear Colleague letter as talking points.

    Send a pre-written message directly to your House member. Our colleagues at the National Humanities Alliance have created a concise letter that goes directly to your House member. You can add additional language if you want, however we have made it as easy as possible for you to have an impact. Click here to go to the letter, fill in basic contact information, hit send and your message is on its way. When you enter your zip code the system directs your letter to the Member of Congress from your district automatically.

    Make a phone call. All Members of Congress can be reached through the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202)224-3121. If you feel comfortable doing so, make a phone call. If you speak to a staff member, be sure to get their name and email address so you can forward them a copy of the National Archives/NHPRC Dear Colleague letter. If you get voice mail leave a message and ask them to support the Larson/Young/Pascrell letter and increased funding for NARA and the NHPRC.
    To sign on or for more information, tell them to contact Michael Dunn with Rep. Larson Michael.Dunn@mail.house.gov, Dylan Sodaro with Rep. Pascrell Dylan.Sodaro@mail.house.gov, or Kem Crosley with Rep. Young Kem.Crosley@mail.house.gov. PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THESE STAFF PEOPLE YOURSELF!