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Introduction and Background
Arizona
- The Context
From
an economy once dependent on mining and
agriculture, particularly copper, cotton
and cattle, Arizona is now a more service-oriented
(tourism, manufacturing) state. Measuring
335 miles wide and 390 miles long, Arizona
is the sixth largest state in the United
States, and possesses great geographical
and climatic variety. Predominantly rural,
the state's 15 counties comprise 113,909
square miles. Despite its rural nature,
56% of Arizona's population lives in the
metropolitan areas of greater Phoenix and
greater Tucson, and a total of 76% of the
state's population lives within the two
counties where those cities are located.
Population
People
often move to Arizona because of the climate
and the diversity of life styles. Arizona
offers a tremendous variety of cultures,
and is a winter haven for visitors, young
and old alike. Between 1980 and 1990, Arizona's
population increased 34.9%; third behind
Nevada and Alaska. By 1990, Arizona's distribution
by race included:
NOTE:
Those of Hispanic Origin (of any race)
made up 18.8 % of the state's overall
population in 1990.
From
1994 to 1995, the state's population
grew at the rate of nearly 4%, but
most of the growth since 1990 occurred
in the two counties of Maricopa and
Pima. With their population centers
of Phoenix and Tucson, these two counties
accounted for over a half-million new
people of our total 4,217,940 population.
The
State has a large constituency of retired
senior citizens: 17% of its population
is over 60; and 13% is over 65. As
with other border states, Arizona is
heavily influenced by its increasing
Mexican-American population. In addition,
there are 250,000 Native Americans
living in Arizona on 20 reservations
inhabiting 31,250 square miles -- 27%
of Arizona's land area.
Arizona
- Children and Poverty
In
April, 1996 the National Center for
Children in Poverty at the Columbia
University School of Public Health
released a comprehensive national report
on state initiatives for young children.
This report, which tracked poverty
rates for children under age six from
1975 to 1994, documented that 72,528
(21.5%) of the 337,904 children under
six in Arizona live in families with
incomes at or below the poverty level.
Even though Arizona does have a state-funded
pre-kindergarten program, the State
does not provide supplemental child
health insurance or supplemental aid
to the federal Head Start program.
However, in 1995 Arizona instituted
a preschool program and three preventive
family support initiatives.
By
the county, the percent of Children
below the poverty level in Arizona
are:
1990
Census Estimates: County Income
and Poverty
Percent Below the Poverty Level
|
COUNTY
|
CHILDREN
UNDER 5
YRS. OLD
%
|
CHILDREN
5 TO 17
YRS. OLD
%
|
CHILDREN
TOTAL UNDER 17
YRS. OLD
%
|
| Apache |
55.2 |
49.5 |
52.4 |
| Cochise |
33.7 |
25.9 |
29.8 |
| Coconino |
31.9 |
24.1 |
28.0 |
| Gila |
34.2 |
22.3 |
28.3 |
| Graham |
40.2 |
29.0 |
34.6 |
| Greenlee |
12.4 |
12.6 |
12.5 |
| La
Paz |
37.5 |
35.7 |
36.6 |
| Maricopa |
19.9 |
15.7 |
17.8 |
| Mohave |
26.2 |
19.5 |
22.9 |
| Navajo |
46.1 |
36.1 |
41.1 |
| Pima |
26.9 |
21.3 |
24.1 |
| Pinal |
37.8 |
30.3 |
34.1 |
| Santa
Cruz |
29.5 |
36.3 |
32.9 |
| Yavapai |
23.1 |
16.4 |
19.8 |
| Yuma |
26.1 |
28.9 |
27.5 |
|
| STATE
AVERAGES |
32.0
% |
26.9
% |
29.5
% |
The
Arizona State Library, Archives & Public
Records
The
Chief Library Agency
The
first Arizona Territorial Legislature established
the Territorial Library in 1864. Following
statehood in 1912, the second State Legislature
created the Arizona State Library in 1915.
In 1937, the Arizona State Library and Archives
was formed as part of the legislative branch
of state government. Reflecting increased
responsibilities, the name was changed to
the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public
Records in 1976. The Director of the Agency
is appointed by, and responsible to, a legislative
board comprised of the President of the Senate,
a representative of the Senate appointed
by the President, the Speaker of the House,
and a representative of the House appointed
by the Speaker.
Today,
the Department serves the information needs
of Arizona citizens by providing access to
contemporary and unique historical resources
through its divisions:
Arizona
History and Archives:
The Arizona History and Archives Division
identifies, acquires, cares for, arranges, describes, and makes available the
permanently valuable public records of Arizona. It provides leadership and assistance
to organizations and individuals responsible for historical records. The Archives
promotes historical research and encourages the study of Arizona history through
workshops, exhibits, tours, and collaborative efforts with educational and historical
institutions. Holdings date from 1864 to the present. Services include:
Services include:
- appraisal of public records to determine
historical value dissemination of information about records in the Archives
consultation to government agencies and the public on preservation of documents,
disaster preparedness and recovery
- administration of archival programs.
Braille and Talking Book Library:
In Arizona it is estimated that more
than 55,000 visually and physically disabled people are eligible to use free
services offered by the Braille and Talking Book Library Division. We currently
serve one-fifth of the eligible population. The Library of Congress designated
the Division as Regional Library in 1969.
Services are available to
persons who cannot hold, handle, or read conventional printed material because
of visual or physical disability. The services can be used by those with
either permanent or temporary disability and are available to individuals
or institutions serving such persons. Services include:
- Loan of recorded books and
magazines Distribution of equipment to play recorded material Loan
of Braille books and magazines
- Free mailing privileges to
return borrowed material
Donating
nearly 40,000 hours of work annually, a cadre of volunteers narrates and
monitors recorded books and magazines, repairs playback equipment, provides
home delivery to new patrons, and performs clerical and professional tasks
that enable the Division to meet the highly specialized information needs
of its patrons.
Library Extension:
Through the Library Development Division,
the Agency takes a leadership role in coordinating statewide planning and
development of library services. A staff of professional library consultants
works closely with libraries to help define and meet the wide variety of
information needs that exist in the state. Services include:
- Administering federal grant
programs for public library development, public library construction
and interlibrary cooperation, and administering state grants-in-aid
for county and metropolitan library development
- Providing county and statewide
programs of continuing education for librarians, trustees, and Friends
of the Library groups
- Planning and coordinating
special statewide programs including the Summer Reading Program for
students and other young people, and other humanities and public
awareness projects
- Coordinating and supporting
interlibrary cooperation through the Arizona Network (AZNET), which
is an online system of borrowing and loaning between libraries, and
a statewide telecommunications network with access to Internet
- Providing consulting services
relating to library construction, automation, and other needs as
requested
Museum:
The two institutions that compose
the Museum Division are the State Capitol and the Hall of Fame. Both of
these Museums are housed in rehabilitated historic structures. The Capitol
Museum, in the original Capitol building, presents exhibits and programs
on government in the Arizona Territory and early statehood days. The Arizona
Hall of Fame Museum, originally the Phoenix Public Library, honors Arizona
men and women who lived or settled in Arizona and brought this state to
maturity, contributing throughout their lifetimes to the state's development
and progress. During the past year, more than 28,000 children from 556
schools toured these two facilities. Services include:
- Museum and Capitol complex
tours Museum exhibits Education programs
- Commemoration of special state
events
Public
Records:
The Records Management Division is
responsible for establishing standards, procedures, and techniques for
effective management of the public records of Arizona's state and local
government units. The Division operates from a state-of-the-art records
center capable of housing over 190,000 cubic feet of state agency records.
Services include:
- Consulting, training, and
education in records management for state and local government agency
personnel
- Developing record retention
schedules for state and local government agencies
- Maintaining and accessing
inactive state agency records
- Housing state agency master
copies of microforms and computer tapes in a climate-controlled vault
- Microfilming selected state
agency documents and Arizona newspapers (In conjunction with the
State Library's U. S. Newspaper Project.)
- Processing and duplicating
microfilm of current and active records for state agencies
Research
Library:
The Division's collection, consisting
of the materials in the Research Library in the State Capitol and of the
State Law Library in the Arizona State Courts Building, serves the informational
needs of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of state government
in addition to the Arizona legal community and the general public. Services
include:
- Collection of over 900,000
print volumes and 380,000 microforms in the subject areas of Arizona
and the Southwest, Federal and State Documents, Law, Genealogy, and
Reference
- Legal collection of more than
90,000 print volumes and 234,000 microforms
- Resource sharing services
to Arizona libraries through the Arizona Network (AZNET)
Boards
and Commissions:
The Department directs and coordinates
the activities of the following boards and commissions:
- State Historical Records Advisory
Board, under the National Archives Program for Grants to the States,
makes proposals to and advises the National Historical Publication
and Records Commission on state historical records priorities; the
Department Director serves as State Coordinator as appointed by the
Governor
- Board of Library Examiners,
authorized by Arizona Revised Statutes (A.R.S.) § 11-906, passes
upon the qualifications of persons desiring to become county librarians
- State Board on Geographic
and Historic Names, authorized by A.R.S. § 41-835 and § 41-836,
evaluates proposals for changes in, or additions to, names of geographic
features and places of historical significance in this state. It
designates the most appropriate and acceptable names and the spelling
of these names for use in maps and official government documents
- Historical Advisory Commission,
authorized by A.R.S. § 41-1352, encourages research, writing,
and teaching of Arizona history and aids in the preservation of cultural
resources
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Updated: 11/24/2006
