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Last evening in a meeting held with the volunteers and missionaries of the Mesa FamilySearch Library (formerly known as the Mesa Regional Family History Center) the attendees were essentially told that no decision has been made. The reason the attendees were told to attend the meeting was to hear the decision about the Library from FamilySearch.
The Mesa FamilySearch Library was housed in a building located at 41 South Hobson in Mesa, Arizona. It is one of about 15 very large Family History Centers of over 4600 such FamilySearch operations and has had tens of thousands of patrons during an average year. At the end of November, 2014 the Library was closed for renovation and remodeling and found to have serious water leakage problems with the resultant mold. As a result, the entire collection of books, microfilm and other items was put in metal storage boxes and stored in the parking lot. Because of the extreme heat in Mesa, finally, the stored items were returned to the partially deconstructed building. Although there is a second annex building, it has not been used to continue most of the functions of the old building.
So, the Library is closed until further notice and the missionaries and other volunteers have been given no idea of the final decision to be made. I am trying hard not to make my own speculative conclusions.
Such a sad situation. And, now with the closing of the Arizona State Genealogy Library there are few resources for Arizona researchers.
ReplyDeleteAs a Canadian who sometimes visits Mesa in the winter (obviously) I would be very sad to see the library close. I've always looked forward to using its resources.
ReplyDeleteJim:
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting about this. Information has been hard to come by. The last message posted on the Mesa FamilySearch Library FaceBook page is from May 2015 - and it said nothing of substance. It seems to me that in the last few years FamilySearch has de-emphasized local church family history centers - none in central AZ (as far as I can tell) have capacity to digitally copy microfilm images anymore. That left patrons with the Mesa location. And now...nothing. I understand the march toward digitization and online access, but FamilySearch still has quite a way to go and, because of terms (or lack of terms) of some agreements, some records will never be placed online. I sure hope that sealing the doors permanently is not on the table (mesa). And, while I am completely ignorant of the internal working of the church, I wonder why they cannot at least share the issues with which they are struggling. At least then we'd have an appreciation of the difficulties. Right now I'm wondering where those microfilm rolls I paid for last December 2014 are melting.
I am concerned about the microfilm. Several people were left with open microfilm orders. I suggest contacting the Family History Library for a resolution of that problem. Thanks for you very perceptual comment.
DeleteThis makes no sense at all. Someone is hiding something about this situation and the public will probably never be told the real reason behind this closure.
ReplyDeleteSorry, no big conspiracy. The building is defective and there is an issue about whether to rebuild or refurbish. The long range plans for Family History Centers is also a concern.
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