<div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><span id="m_-8135999143580557126m_3611716365985270613gmail-docs-internal-guid-64ea78be-7fff-0374-2077-fa946f2aabe7"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">January 2<span class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small">7, 2</span>026</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"><b>Dear site users, friends, and donors: </b></span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">I write to provide an update on the California Digital Newspaper Collection (CDNC). </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Last year, more than 1,000 private donors joined the Office of the Governor and the State Legislature to support the CNDC in its moment of profound need. Individual gifts alone exceeded $145,000! </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">These donations have been essential to the ongoing work of preservation and access. With the financial support of our donors, in combination with an </span><a href="https://ebudget.ca.gov/2025-26/pdf/Enacted/BudgetSummary/FullBudgetSummary.pdf" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">ongoing General Fund allocation</span></a><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> to sustain the California Newspaper Project, we have secured staffing, restored vendor support and site reliability, purchased new hardware, enhanced cybersecurity, and completed an urgent backup of data at risk of permanent loss. A large collection of microfilm reels, some at imminent risk of deterioration, has been transferred to the University of California library system for proper cataloguing and storage. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Additional accomplishments include restor<span class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small"></span>i<span class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small">ng</span> relations with the </span><a href="https://www.loc.gov/ndnp/" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">National Digital Newspaper Program</span></a><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">. We have responded to inquiries from select county libraries and historical associations across the State who were dismayed that the project appeared to be on the brink of going dark. Finally, we have made steady progress <span class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small"></span>in exploring new partnerships with other California institutions <span class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small"></span>t<span class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small">hat</span> share <span class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small"></span>a <span class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small"></span>co<span class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small">mmitment</span> <span class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small"></span>t<span class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small">o</span> <span class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small">open-</span>access resources <span class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small"></span>do<span class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small">cumenting</span> the life, history, and culture of the Golden State. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">While the past few months have included some unwelcome and unearned frustrations among long-time friends and site users, the future of the California Digital Newspaper Collection is looking bright. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">I thank you — our community of genealogists, local historians, academic researchers, librarians, and fellow Californians  — for patiently and passionately supporting the project during a rough patch. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">As we look towards significant new investments in data backup and cybersecurity, you are invited to remain at our side<span class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small">,</span> working towards stability, sustainability, and growth. I extend a warm invitation to make an additional <span class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small">gift </span>(or perhaps your first!). </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><a href="https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/48303/donations/new?a=1a&amt=200.00" target="_blank"><font face="arial, sans-serif">Give Now</font></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Thank you once again for your engagement and commitment to preserving our shared rights to a free press.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Warm regards,</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><b><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Daryle Williams</span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"><br></span></b><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Professor and Dean</span></p><br></span></div>
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