March 18, 2009

Dear Governor Kulongoski,

I am writing on behalf of the Northwest History Network concerning the closure and uncertain future of the Oregon Historical Society research library. For a quick synopsis of the situation, please see:  http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/Save-the-OHSRL-and-staff. As of this afternoon, 624 people had signed the resolution and commented on the library’s importance.

Are you aware that the Oregon Historical Society collections are held in the public trust? The Society’s recent actions threaten that trust. For that reason, and because the collections are vitally important for the study and dissemination of state and regional history, the Northwest History Network and the signers of these resolutions call on you to convene a task force to study the situation and propose a sustainable solution that maintains an accessible and intact research library. Such a solution must involve a public discussion with community stakeholders.

We have reason to believe that the Society no longer views the research library as its core mission, and we believe it might seek ways to part with it. However, the Society has indicated that it desires to keep all or part of the photograph and film collections, believing that these will generate revenue in use and permission fees.  It is vitally important that these collections remain intact and not separated from the personal and business records that accompany them. Since 1898, thousands of people have donated their photographs, business records, and manuscript materials. They did not do so with the understanding that the Society might later find portions of those donations dispensable.

Governor, we ask you to convene a task force of historians, archivists, and community leaders to find a sustainable future for these invaluable collections. Members of the Northwest History Network have begun research on successful models of research library administration in other states, and we would be happy to work with your task force in seeking a solution to this problem.

Thank you for your time,

Kathy Tucker

Director, Northwest History Network

http://www.northwesthistory.org/index.htm