Iowa academics worried about Historical Society's future

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IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — History department leaders from 11 Iowa colleges and universities are raising concerns about cuts to the State Historical Society of Iowa.

The Iowa City Press-Citizen (http://icp-c.com/1D18Eyj ) reports the society used to have a staff of 20 in 2000, but has only retained three people this year. Public visiting hours at the group's centers in Iowa City and Des Moines have also been cut from five days a week to three.

Some academics believe the reduced hours are a signal the centers will be closed.

In the letter to Gov. Terry Branstad and other state officials, the history department leaders stressed the importance of the society's role in preserving the state's heritage.

"The records in the SHSI are irreplaceable," the academic leaders wrote Tuesday. "Because of their fragile state, they can be destroyed as easily by neglect as by a bulldozer. And they are useless unless they are open and accessible to those committed to writing Iowa's history."

The academics are asking state officials to staff the Des Moines and Iowa City centers with professionals to manage the collections and assist the public, as well as keep the libraries open five or six days a week. They also want accessibility to the collections to be expanded through digitization.

The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs says the decrease in hours is necessary to do a comprehensive analysis of the state's collection.

"We are glad to see these higher education institutions and history professionals across the state share our passion and commitment to preserving Iowa's history," Jeff Morgan, public information officer for the Department of Cultural Affairs, said in an email. "We look forward to seeing how we can engage with these key stakeholders and other Iowans invested in our state's history as we move through our Collections Planning process."

A spokesman for Branstad said the governor had not yet reviewed the letter.

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Information from: Iowa City Press-Citizen, http://www.press-citizen.com/