NYC Death and Birth Indexes

Apparently about 15 months ago the Department of Health removed the birth and death indexes that were formerly available in the NYPL at 5th Ave and 42nd Street. These indexes ran through 1982. When I inquired I was emailed:

Those birth certificate and death certificate are not for the public , only the birth certificate holder and the parents can request the birth certificate and only family members can request death certificate.

Esther Moreno
Community Assistant
NYC Dept of Health and Mental Hygiene
125 worth Street, Rm 125
New York, NY 10013

Now I inquired about the indexes and not the certificates.

Dear Department of Health,

I just returned to my hotel room rather disappointed and perturbed.

I stopped by the Milstein room at the NYPL and confirmed that they no longer hold the indexes for births and deaths through 1982.

Could you inform me what the current policy is in terms of viewing the indexes for these births and deaths between 1910-1982 and 1950-1982, please?

Many thanks,

Kevin Cassidy

I noticed online that Reclaim the Records has filed suit.