SAD news and a sign that the State of Iowa Governor and her top administrators are disregarding public requests to reverse the decision to close the State Historical Society of Iowa.

Starting on Monday morning around 7:00 a.m., Iowa Prison Industries inmates from Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, will arrive in Iowa City to remove materials from the building.  There is no definite answer to where the materials will end up but the timeline is set.  Visit the State Historical Society of Iowa website for details. https://history.iowa.gov/research/collection-iowa-city#iowa-city-branch-transition-timeline

Soon the public will lose access to thousands of rolls of microfilm, 10,000 bound volumes of original newspapers, a massive clipping file relating to World War II and Korea that is unparalleled in the nation hundreds of historical journals from regions of the nation Iowans came from, family histories, and much more.

Please be watchful and hold these official accountable. This bold move is happening in the face of a court hearing where we petitioners are asking for an injunction to block removal of materials from the building.

Are the newspapers going to a private firm for commercial purposes after public ownership for over 100 years?

Will the historical journals end up at the shredder? Have no suitable alternative homes been found?

How long will the public wait for answers to these questions, and how many years before the materials are accessible to the public again?

Is there sufficient professional staff to carry out these tasks so rare, fragile items are protected in transit? 

Can these administrators be trusted?