Where would we be without records to research? What if we lost access to the probate or land records of our ancestors? What if the birth or death records were suddenly closed to all except the person the record includes? What if the state legislature did not provide for retention of records before 1920 for your ancestral states?
The Records Preservation and Access Committee is a joint venture that helps preserve, protect, and advocate for access to records. The committee was started by the Federation of Genealogical Societies and today is a joint committee of representatives from FGS, the National Genealogical Society, Association of Professional Genealogists, Board for Certification of Genealogists, and the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies. These groups represent a total of 1.3 million genealogists. It’s a case where our voices can be heard when access or preservation is threatened.
The committee has produced a meaningful brochure and you can view it at websites, including the FGS site. Instructions for ordering a quantity of these is included on the site. Order a quantity to distribute to records keepers and to fellow genealogists.
© 2008, Paula Stuart-Warren. All rights reserved.
