We would be grateful if list members could bring the following to the
attention of anyone who may wish to use the Devon Record Office during 2004:

The move of the Devon Record Office to new and improved premises in Exeter
is now less than a year away and the planning and preparation for this is
gathering momentum. While we plan to concentrate on maintaining the fullest
public searchroom service possible until the office closes for several
months in the summer and autumn of 2004 to implement the move, it is
inevitable that staff will need to give priority to organising this
complicated removal operation and, as a consequence, other public services
will have to be curtailed to a certain extent.

In particular, no large photocopying and private microfilming orders will be
undertaken and the delivery times for other photocopy orders, including
those requested in the searchroom, are likely to lengthen. We will endeavour
to deal with basic enquiries (post, fax, e-mail and telephone) as at present
but all research requests involving more than one short check in a single
source will need to be referred to our research service, minimum charge £10
(any individual requesting regular limited searches will be asked to use
this service). Exhibition work, talks, courses and other outreach work will
be suspended until after we open in the new premises although Service Points
will continue to be visited by staff at least until the existing office
closes. Potential depositors of records should note that, if they can keep
them safely until late 2004 or early 2005, this will enable us to deal with
them and store them more effectively than if we have to process them during
the period when we are organising the move.

These arrangements will be kept under review and any changes will be
announced as far in advance as possible. It is inevitable that, with
limited resources, we are having to take this action but it is short term
and will lead, when we move to our new building, to significantly improved
facilities and an enhanced service designed to meet the needs of a wide
range of users.

Details of the closure period and services available during it will be
announced as soon as possible.

For information on the move plans and the new building itself, see our web
pages (address below).

Brian Carpenter
Archivist
Devon Record Office
Castle Street
Exeter
Devon
EX4 3PU
United Kingdom
Archives Tel: +44 (0)1392-384253
Archives Fax: +44 (0)1392-384256
Conservation Tel: +44 (0)1392-385659
Web Page: http://www.devon.gov.uk/dro/homepage.html