Close Arizona's genealogy library? Good idea

To understand why government constantly expands, remember this: Citizens asked for every service it provides. It’s easier to please voters by adding stuff than risk angering them by jettisoning something that has outlived its usefulness.

So three cheers to Secretary of State Michele Reagan for going against that grain.

Reagan is closing down the state’s lightly used genealogy collection, consolidating its more popular holdings with the state archives in a single location. The rest will be put in storage or offered to outside groups, of which there are many.

Genealogists protested, as one would expect. But the numbers support Reagan’s move.

The genealogy collection averages three visitors a day. The only person in Arizona Republic photographs taken at the library Tuesday was a librarian. The room was otherwise empty. Many of the holdings have not been touched in years.

It’s hard to justify keeping the place open. Yet genealogists, like anyone else enjoying a service at taxpayer expense, passionately complained. But in doing so, the only supported Reagan’s move. The governor’s office reporting getting 93 emails; Reagan received 50. That’s little more than a whisper.

We’re not in the group that believes government is the problem. Much of what it does improves quality of life. But a program that made sense in the past may have outlived its usefulness. Not everything has to go on forever.

Private business figured that out long ago. It’s a practice government should adopt, because sometimes you serve customers or constituents best by letting go.