The National Archives and Records Administration plans to close its Chicago facility, a sprawling building on the Southwest Side that houses transcripts from the Trial of the Chicago 7, maritime records for the Great Lakes region and documents on tribal nations.
Impact on Researchers
Local researchers worry that the potential loss of Chicago’s staff would mean the erasure of institutional knowledge and relationships they have built over time. The archives is frequented by people who need records that directly impact their lives, including people seeking their own naturalization records to prove citizenship status.
Ellen Driscoll, a professional genealogist, often visits Chicago’s NARA facility to retrieve certified census records or certified naturalizations for clients looking to obtain dual citizenship. She has also researched maritime records to help locate U-boats that sank in Lake Michigan.
Concerns Over Digitization
Only a small percentage of Chicago’s vast repository of records have been digitized, according to NARA’s website and people familiar with the facility. Driscoll has gotten to know the staff in Chicago over the years, which has helped in her job of tracking down elusive documents. If that human connection disappears, Driscoll said she fears she will be forced to deal with what she described as an unreliable online system.
Original reporting: Block Club Chicago — read the source article.
