1. United States
2. Iowa
3. Letter

The preservation of Iowa's historical records and public access to these invaluable collections is paramount. Budget cuts to the State Historical Society of Iowa (SHSI) severely threaten the long-term viability of maintaining Iowa's unique documentary heritage housed across multiple locations. The planned closure of the SHSI's Iowa City research facility by the end of 2025, relocating materials to Des Moines, risks compromising the integrity of collections amassed over 168 years. These include irreplaceable diaries, letters, photographs, maps, oral histories and more that chronicle Iowa's role in our nation's narrative. Drastic staff reductions have already occurred, leaving insufficient personnel to properly manage and facilitate public research across both library sites. Further operational defunding will only exacerbate issues like outdated cataloging systems and inadequate space for compact shelving needed to absorb incoming materials. As elected officials entrusted with upholding Iowa's legacy, you must intervene to guarantee the following: continued funding for skilled library professionals to process new acquisitions and provide open research hours; transparency in decision-making impacting SHSI's reorganization or digitization of collections; and adherence to the institution's mission of preservation for current and future generations. Iowa's extraordinarily rich heritage and identity is too precious to let disenfranchisement and indifference dismantle this priceless resource.