Arlene H. Eakle, 7 March 2022 Hello my genealogy friends and clients—

Arlene H. Eakle, 7 March 2022

Hello my genealogy friends and clients—
2022 is well underway. And this letter was originally designed as a Holiday greeting and an update on the status of our Genealogy Library Center, LLC. Life caught up with me and Covid-19 put me in bed for several weeks. So, although I recovered from the initial infection and a second round of more than a week in bed, some residual symptoms still persist. “Brain fog” and fatigue—two fellas that are still trying to block my genealogy achievements!

However, my feelings of being overwhelmed from the fire which hit my building in downtown Tremonton UT July 13th 2021, have given way to increasing excitement about what we can accomplish in this New Year. And, surprise! The discovery of the real strength of our Library building and its invaluable contents:

  1. 2022 is the 50th Anniversary of Family History for Fun and Profit—our best-selling genealogy research guide. We are now discussing a celebration event which you’ll hear more about in the coming weeks.
  2. The Genealogy Library Center now has a new office in our building, with books from several collections being organized and shelved for direct research access—it’s amazing what a good cleaning and re-organization will do.
  3. A new copier-printer, and soon, a new computer system, are being installed. We write and publish genealogy how-to books as well as family histories in-house. This part of our operation will now be streamlined for greater productivity.
  4. We currently have almost 90 titles in print. A major effort to update the research guides is underway, so users will be able to find current research access to genealogy resources.
  5. Our genealogy library non-profit documents are being updated and refiled, as well as the legal documentation for the building itself and the LLC on which it is based. In 50 years, so much change takes place that the re-do almost seems like the first time.
  6. Across the whole west side of the Library building a new fire wall is being constructed. The original wall, built of cement, bricks, and cinder blocks has been removed, almost at a block at a time. The roof supports, part of the original wall, have been preserved. The old ceiling tiles revealed a sturdy and lovely network of Douglas fir trusses—we plan to have this interior wood exposed without tiles. Once the wall is completed, a new white acrylic roofing system will replace the old roof, badly damaged by water during the fire. The materials are on order now so they will be ready to install when the weather warms up.
  7. Three new furnace/air conditioning units must be installed to replace those destroyed in the fire—the building is currently bone-chilling cold.
  8. The Library contents—more than 100,000 books, microfilm and fiche, maps, artifacts, along with a fire-place heated study area, including study tables and lamps—are awaiting the physical transformation of the building. We have more than 7,000 linear feet of library shelving stacked and ready to fill. These contents are safe on shrink-wrapped pallets ( which protected them from smoke and water damage during the fire and its aftermath that completely destroyed the adjoin historical building).
  9. One office, two restrooms, and many walls also need attention from water and fire-caused damage. These will be the last to be repaired.

2022 is before us–We have so much to be thankful for—the ancestors recorded in that building surely must have held it up with their hands and faith that the contents were protected from damage! Your favorite genealogist, Arlene Eakle http://arleneeakle.com

PS Stay tuned as we unroll our New Year plans and make our Genealogy Library Center functional and productive. And thank you for all your well wishes!

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