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We’re just lousy Lincoln stewards

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Illinois

* Read this and this.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 10:53 am

Comments

This just makes me sad.

Comment by Anon Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 11:04 am
Disturbing and confusing on many levels. Thanks Rich!

Comment by illini Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 11:05 am
OMG! Breaks my heart to see this happen to our heritage in this state. The staff at the library have been great to work with on my little projects over the year. Two organizations I belong to have their archives housed at the library.

Kathryn Harris is a top notch librarian –some of you may have seen her channel Harriet Tubman at historical events–who has endured a lot these past few years in regards to cutbacks at the library.

I do not know about the inner workings of the Lincoln Project but their work in invaluable to historians and others digitizing the Lincoln papers.

Comment by Nearly Normal Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 11:05 am
this is brutal stuff….but expect more of this not less in the near future. no money is no money.

gonna have to increased revenue and decreased expenditures and many more choices like this will have to be made….

very sad we have reached this point after many years of shortsighted governance.

Comment by salvador dali Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 11:10 am
Hard to get worked up about this, sorry Rich. This is a University that fritters away much more than $300,000 on a bloated and severance packages for failed administrators. And they’re shutting down this project because the State of Illinois won’t send them a check? And not to sound even more callous, but it’t not like those 150 year old papers are going to be destroyed. This is a delay in the copy room. BFD. U of I, if this is so important, use some of your own resources to get it started again. Stop gouging the Illinois taxpayer.

Comment by phocion Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 11:12 am
Meant to say “projects over the years.” It’s been a couple of years since I have had a genealogical/historical project that necessitated the use of the library. Kathryn Harris and her staff were extremely helpful when I did drive down to use their resources.

The newspapers are on reels of microfilm and need newer, better readers–if they still make them. In fact, many of the microfilms need to be replaced as they are now scratched and hard to read.

Although many newspapers are now available digitized on your computer for a fee, many smaller local papers are not. Their collection is still the largest one for Illinois newspapers.

Comment by Nearly Normal Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 11:13 am
Serious question: Why hasn’t Governor Rauner fired Amy Martin and Eileen Mackovich? You basically have two Quinn holdovers fighting like children, ignoring their responsibility to manage operations, and making the Governor look. Is there any upside to allowing this insanity to continue?

Its long past time to clean house, IMO.

Comment by ILPundit Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 11:14 am
Tony Leone makes sense when he says the ALPLM should be put under SOS. Maybe the Governor’s office can keep the museum and put the library under SOS.

Comment by Casual observer Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 11:15 am
Keep the Governor’s office out of the library and museum. Clean house and get professionals in there not patronage job holders, not friends of Mike Madigan or any one else!!

Comment by Nearly Normal Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 11:19 am
Turn it over to the Feds to run. The library is devoid of qualified management. Not since the first ALPLM Director has there been a qualified person at the helm. A sorry state of affairs.

Comment by Pacman Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 11:31 am
If history is any judge, I expect that Podeschi has been fired by Rauner already.

Comment by Anon Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 11:37 am
Meh, museums, history, Lincoln, who needs them? Why honor the corrupt past?

Rauner was elected, he said, to save the state. We’re in Year One A.B.

Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 11:39 am
==“We apologize for the inconvenience we have caused, as we are short staffed.”==

How many people have been laid off this year to cause these developments?

Comment by Formerly Known As... Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 11:42 am
It’s disgraceful. Our greatest President and favorite son and this is the way we educate the public on his deeds?

Comment by Stones Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 11:45 am
This is depressing. Illinois cultural heritage is burning as a result of Rauner’s march to gut unions.

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 11:45 am
Yet another Illinois program that mentions losing federal matching funds. If we don’t see to it to get available matching funds, they will go to other states, we can’t get those dollars back.

Comment by DuPage Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 11:47 am
How terribly sad!!

Comment by gallerywalker Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 11:51 am
Phocion, U of I has the same problems endemic to higher ed around the country, but it’s not “gouging” taxpayers, and any parent paying a tuition bill or working stiff paying a student loan understands the lie of expecting the U to “self-fund” state contract work.

Comment by crazybleedingheart Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 11:51 am
Sound like a perfect opportunity for some of us retirees to volunteer help.
Anyone know if that’s an option?

Could call but apparently there’s hardly anyone left to answer the phone! /s

Comment by Finally Out (and now very glad to be) Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 11:53 am
Check out some other state assets and I think you could change the headline to read simply: We’re just lousy stewards.

But I am kind of surprised no national figures have called us out over the crummy way we treat the Lincoln collection we own.

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 11:57 am
At least Springfield has the portrait of a young Abe Lincoln painted on the wall of the Alamo.

Agree that this shouldn’t be a patronage holdover. Be nice to have experts oversee the digital operation and management of the facility.

Comment by Almost the Weekend Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 11:58 am
Gov hates museums

Comment by Ghost Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 12:02 pm
Sell the naming rights: Bruce Rauner presidential Library and Museum, featuring Abe Lincoln. Freedom Pac state museum. Uline old state capitol. Diane Rauners Dana-Thomas house and day care.

Comment by Langhorne Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 12:13 pm
Phocian. U of I is not the same as UIS, they have separate budgets.

I’m at the former, and I’m as disgusted as anyone with our leadership and their scandals. It was not like this when I started. I trace the start of the downfall to the 1990s when “CEO culture” was lionized and replaced sound academic values and ethics in our administration. To be fair, there were external pressures, such as dwindling state support and politicized Boards of Trustees, that hastened the decay.

Comment by X-prof Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 12:15 pm
Just so I understand, on one hand we have an OEIG investigation into misuse of funds, and on the other hand we have a case of professional negligence in blocking hiring at the Lincoln Library.

But the Director of the agency is still there.

And we fired Linda Saterfield for answering a question before a legislative committee.

I think some accountability is in order

Comment by History Buff Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 12:32 pm
Have to give Illinois Times credit — they’ve been thorough on this mess. Sad to read, but kudos to them.

Comment by Blago's Luxurious Grey Mane Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 12:45 pm
@Blago…: Agreed. Would be nice to see a bigger outlet dig in.

Comment by History Buff Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 12:47 pm
==This is a delay in the copy room. BFD==

Wow. You are completely clueless here. It’s hard to even respond with a rational comment to that kind of nonsense.

This is about history. Apparently you don’t care about being good stewards of that history. Go back. Read the stories again. Maybe you’ll get it this time.

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 12:50 pm
GOMB says the ALPLM headcount is about the same as it has been for years. 65 right now, 68 for 2014, 71 for 2013, 65 for 2012.

ALPLM also expects fewer visitors than in 2012 iirc.

Was ALPLM closing parts of the library early in 2012 as well ==due to being short staffed==? If not then, why now?

Comment by Formerly Known As... Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 12:53 pm
We have the wrong person running the Library and she just got rewarded for her political connections by severing ties with the IHPA.

This person is absolutely clueless, but connected.

Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 12:56 pm
Rich, do you think Rauner is tanking the library because he knows it is important to Madigan?

Comment by Mama Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 12:57 pm
@VanillaMan — The ties to IHPA haven’t been severed yet — and in my opinion, both the IHPA director and the library director share equal amounts of blame (IHPA handles all hiring for example). How this has been able to go on for this long is just astonishing, especially given how easy the fix would be.

Comment by ILPundit Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 12:59 pm
Mama-

That is an excellent question

Comment by History Buff Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 1:00 pm
I’m confused by the idea that we take such pride, as we should, in Lincoln, and yet when it comes to preserving his heritage, history, we in Illinois can’t get our act together to ensure the Lincoln history is preserved.

We in Illinois are the caretakers. It should be a labor of pronounce pride, and with deep reverence.

Yeah, it’s that important.

This equally breaks my heart, frustrates and angers me, and clearly puts into perspective that to some, there is indeed a price, even at the price of losing who we all are.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 1:05 pm
As a long time patron of the library I find it to be a shadow of what it once was - even before it moved into its new facilities.

Comment by Kerfuffle Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 1:09 pm
Willy, you are so right. You always seem to say things better than I can ( when I agree with you )!

Comment by illini Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 1:12 pm
It doesn’t seem like the IHPA director is doing anything (other than pointing fingers) to protect this project. Maybe there’s a more worthwhile cut to be made here…

Comment by Slartibartfast Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 1:31 pm
Volunteers cant help; those are union jobs only union worker s are allowed to pereform.

Comment by anon Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 1:36 pm
Willy - I did not mean to imply that we do not agree most of the time, but occasionally we are on different pages. I can not come close to responding to your thoughtful comments.

My offer still stands to buy the cannolis if you want to venture to Southern Illinois and make a visit to a certain perennial candidate ( who seems to have dropped off the radar ). We all miss him.

Comment by illini Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 1:44 pm
It’s obvious this is because Lincoln was pro-Union.

Comment by Cheryl44 Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 1:51 pm
Great one, Cheryl44. LOL

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 1:53 pm
- illini -,

No worries. It’s all good, thanks got your kind words.

It’s really up to Jason. I mean, if he makes it a 3rd go-round, I may have to get down and see him in action on his “home turf”…

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 1:54 pm
“… for your… ”

Dumb phone.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 1:55 pm
If I had to guess, I’d say that the ALPLM is another Rauner hostage (just like the Illinois State Museum). ALPLM director Machevich is a Madigan “appointee,” while IHPA is headed by a Quinn appointee (Martin) now beholden to Rauner. Sure, the directors of IHPA and ALPLM have been in a power struggle, but what’s happening now is going on above them. Positions aren’t being filled at either IHPA or ALPLM because the governor doesn’t want them filled. Just to continue the hostage analogy: Rauner would rather the hostages die than have them ransomed.

Comment by 4th Street Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 1:55 pm
Cheryl’s on it. Lincoln was the all-time union boss.

Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 1:57 pm
==When first conceived, Leone said, the presidential library was supposed to get funding from the institution’s private nonprofit foundation, which is now struggling to pay off a loan used to acquire artifacts for the museum.

“The foundation has failed to establish an endowment,” Leone says.==

Borrowing too much? Failing to set up the endowment? @ILPundit and @NearlyNormal nailed it.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 2:06 pm
==Volunteers cant help==

@anon - ALPLM has 500+ volunteers.

@Cheryl44 - comment of the day.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 2:08 pm
=== they’re shutting down this project because the State of Illinois won’t send them a check? ===

Reread the story, and read between the lines. They were ordered - threatened really - to stop work on the project.

4th Street nailed it.

Comment by Juvenal Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 2:12 pm
OW 1:05 - I couldn’t say it better. My husband is working on a book on Lincoln’s legal career, and those resources are so very valuable. It’s heartbreaking to see this legacy hobbled by a political squabble.

Comment by Archiesmom Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 2:18 pm
@4th Street Do you really think Rauner wants to keep a Blago appointee with ties to Tony Rezko in his administration? Why would he want that?”

Comment by CornHolio Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 2:20 pm
=== salvador dali - Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 11:10 am: this is brutal stuff… ===

Yes, it’s a problem. But, brutal? Seriously?

The papers aren’t going anywhere. They aren’t in danger of being destroyed. The state is in crisis, right? Right? Or isn’t it?

Children’s daycare at risk - THAT is a crisis.

Is there not 1 single program that is NOT sacred? Is there not 1 single program that can be safely shelved for the short term until Illinois can get on sound footing again?

Now, I’m not saying the current administration is doing that, mind you. It’s just that over the years since I have lived in Illinois (60, with a few years in Wisconsin) and the 25 years as a state employee, I have seen this go on. So many folks, here and elsewhere, sounding the alarm about how bad things have gotten, how there is structural problems in this state that are causing severe difficulty. How, if something serious isn’t done, the state could truly be in a financial pit out from which it will be difficult to climb.

But we can’t suspend this program without the professional mourners gathering around, wringing their hands and gnashing their teeth?

Seriously, some folks here have simply lost their minds.

Comment by dupage dan Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 2:36 pm
- Archiesmom -,

Thank you for your kind words.

I hope you let us all know when the book comes out. Please.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 2:54 pm
Let’s expand a bit.

ALL of IL politicians, the ones WE elected, are lousy IL stewards.

Comment by sal-says Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 3:00 pm
In regards to the library I can’t help but wonder if this could provide an opportunity to change the way things are structured (if there was any will at the Capitol to fix the government). The Secretary of State already has the State Library and the State Archives. Why not spin off the library to him and let the IHPA and the ALPM focus on running museums and historical sites? Same thing w/ the Papers. It seems like that would be a better fit with the Archives anyway.

Comment by MyTwoCents Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 3:55 pm
the story of that loan is so troubling. talk about bad stewardship…

Comment by Soccermom Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 3:59 pm
-CornHolio- Why keep a Quinn appointee in place at IHPA? It appears that the director isn’t interfering with Rauner’s agenda. Why dirty up one of his own people when the governor can simply ignore the IHPA director? It appears that Rauner would rather ruin the ALPLM and IHPA than have them responsibly serve the taxpayers who account for most of their funding.

Comment by 4th Street Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 5:05 pm
IMHO the only way the Library will be saved is to give it to the feds or the Smithsonian. I can’t think of anything the state’s doing better now than 10 or 20 years ago. Maintaining the infrastructure? Taking care of those in need? Ensuring affordable education? Public Health? It makes me ashamed I wasted over 30 years doing what I could to make this state a better place to live and work.

Comment by Past the Rule of 85 Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 6:01 pm
The jobs at the library are not union. I have volunteered there. The problem is that because the collections are so specialized, there is a limit to what a person with no training can do.

When I volunteered a few years ago, they were ECSTATIC to have a professional librarian volunteering. I could do so much more than a regular volunteer. I could staff service desks, I could do work behind the scenes, etc. A volunteer who has never worked in a library, let alone a specialized library, will simply require too much training to make it worthwhile.

Comment by A Librarian Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 6:17 pm
“A Librarian”: you are mistaken; most positions at the ALPL (=the Presidential Library, not the Presidential Museum) are union positions. The supervisory positions are most often Merit Comp. Volunteers are allowed in the Museum but technically are not allowed in the Library. And herein lies tone of the major problems: there is a significant difference between the activities/functions of the Museum and the Library. Please read the IT article closely and you’ll see what I mean. Springfield is incredibly fortunate to have both the Library and Museum here. Finally, add the looming closure of the Illinois State Museum to the list of lost treasures.

Comment by Insider Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 8:52 pm

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