Lancashire Archives cuts hours for public access

From Lancashire Archives (http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/libraries-and-archives/archives-and-record-office.aspx):

Please note that from Monday 4 July 2016 Lancashire Archives will be open as follows:

* Monday CLOSED
* Tuesday 9.30-5.00 – open until 7.00pm on the second Tuesday of each month
* Wednesday 9.30-5.00
* Thursday 9.30-5.00
* Friday 9.30-5.00
* Saturday 10.00-4.00 on the second Saturday of each month only

The reduction from 42.5 to 30 hours each week reflects a significant reduction to the archive service budget and the loss of several staff. These stem from the county council's need to make significant financial savings, both to offset the Government's cuts to its funding and to account for cost pressures brought about by high demand for services. Additionally, the fall in archive visits from 12887 in 2005 to 5504 in 2015 means that we have to do things differently. The phrase 'use it or lose it' starts to become real.

Mondays will be spent on essential tasks such as cleaning new accessions, answering enquiries, and digitisation. At the moment I intend to continue document production on demand and throughout lunchtime (except on Saturday) but this will be kept under close review and I can't rule out further reductions in opening hours or a document ordering system in the future.

Following the user consultation, which identified a surprising amount of support for an evening opening, I have decided to open on one Tuesday evening each month. This will be fully staffed and I hope that it will be well supported by archive users. Saturday opening will remain as at present, so that there is an opportunity for people who work Monday to Friday to use the service.

I am sorry to introduce these cuts and I sincerely hope that they will not cause major problems to archive users, but will instead encourage you to make the most of the time when the searchroom is open .

Jacquie Crosby
Archives Service Manager
Lancashire Archives
Lancashire County Council
01772 533028
www.lancashire.gov.uk

(With thanks to the Federation of Family History Societies Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/FederationFHS/posts/1117954911605693)

Chris

For details on my genealogy guide books, including A Decade of Irish Centenaries: Researching Ireland 1912-1923, Discover Scottish Church Records (2nd edition), Discover Irish Land Records and Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis, please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html.