I’d like to think we’re all feeling some sympathy for the unenviable position in which Northamptonshire Archives finds itself.



I don't know how the staff there are feeling about all of this, but I guess their position as employees of the Council rather limits what they can say publicly.  



Personally, I agree with Tamsin.  The principle of charging for access is not one that rests easily with me, and I find the structure of the free vs charged opening hours particularly worrying.  It is not enough to say that you can work around the free hours - anyone wishing to spend the day at the Archives will now have no choice but to pay.



In seeking 'our support', I'd question how we choose to interpret that.  Time and time again, we have seen archivists glumly accept their fate, and carry on trying to deliver an excellent service in the face of overwhelming odds.  



Do we do that here, or could our support not take the form of a fight?  Has ARA responded to this?  Does TNA have an opinion?  Many of our users are highly literate and skilled communicators - can we not harness their support?



Maria



 

-----Original Message-----

From: Archivists, conservators and records managers. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Tamsin Bookey

Sent: 27 July 2017 10:36

To: [log in to unmask]

Subject: Northamptonshire Archives Services





This mail originated from outside our organisation - [log in to unmask]





Dear all,



Besides valid concerns about precedent and so on, I am particularly concerned about the impact on the frontline workforce. If all 'free' visits are constrained into shorter and few time slots, it could get very busy in the search room on those mornings. This spells an increase in stress for staff, and potentially a reduction in quality of customer service for those users who cannot afford to pay.



Furthermore, the very fact of this new system being announced may well lead to an increase in demand - the service I now manage, Tower Hamlets Local History Library & Archives, was in the news in 2008 as it was considered under threat, and statistically it was the busiest year we have ever experienced due to the rumours and publicity that was circulating.



This change is likely to have a negative impact not only on the council's own staff but also on people on low incomes or anyone who is without financial support from a workplace to fund their study. This could include many deprived and consequently vulnerable county residents who would benefit in many ways from personal engagement with their local or family history. 



I hope the Councillors who presumably approved these fees and charges formally are aware of these risks. The new system being proposed replicates the class stratification we are seeing nationwide in this era of austerity and this is not something I personally or professionally can support.



Tamsin







-----Original Message-----

From: Archivists, conservators and records managers. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Daniel Williams

Sent: 27 July 2017 09:57

To: [log in to unmask]

Subject: Northamptonshire Archives Services



STATEMENT ON NORTHAMPTONSHIRE ARCHIVES AND HERITAGE SERVICE OPENING HOURS



Northamptonshire County Council is responsible for making sure that limited and reducing local government resources are used as effectively as possible. In the current financial climate, it has no option but to look at how best to remodel service delivery with reduced budgets.



The Archives Service changes to opening hours that will be implemented from 21 August show a commitment to maintaining free public access to archives. The service will continue to be free for on-site visitors from 9am to 1pm Tuesday to Thursday and one Saturday morning each month. 



Customers have said that they most need and want online access to resources; numbers visiting the service in person have fallen dramatically in the past two years. This has been taken into account in this revision to opening hours and the intention is that outside the core opening hours, the service’s limited staff resources will be redirected to the work of digitisation and developing on-line access to archives. 



In order to mitigate the impact on research of the changes, the service has in fact extended the times during which people can choose to visit. These additional hours are chargeable but are offered in order to support researchers and not otherwise.  



This is a bold step in difficult times and we seek your support as we work to ensure that researchers can enjoy and learn from our rich collections now and into the future.



Contact the list owner for assistance at [log in to unmask]



For information about joining, leaving and suspending mail (eg during a holiday) see the list website at https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=archives-nra



*********************************************************************************

Working Together for a Better Tower Hamlets Web site : http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk



London Borough of Tower Hamlets E-Mail Disclaimer.



This communication and any attachments are intended for the  addressee only and may be confidential. It may contain privileged and confidential information and if you are not the intended recipient, you must not copy, distribute or take any action in reliance on it. If you have received this E-Mail in error please notify us as soon as possible and delete this E-Mail and any attachments. This message has been checked for viruses, however we cannot guarantee that this message or any attachment is virus free or has not been intercepted or amended. The information contained in this E-Mail may be subject to public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Unless the information is legally exempt from disclosure, the Confidentiality of this E-Mail and your reply cannot be guaranteed. 



If your request relates to a Freedom of Information enquiry, please resend this to [log in to unmask]

************************************************************************************



Please consider your environmental responsibility: Before printing this e-mail or any other document , ask yourself whether you need a hard copy.





Contact the list owner for assistance at [log in to unmask]



For information about joining, leaving and suspending mail (eg during a holiday) see the list website at https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=archives-nra



This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and intended solely for the addressee and may also be privileged or exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the addressee, or have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender immediately, delete it from your system and do not copy, disclose or otherwise act upon any part of this e-mail or its attachments.



Internet communications are not guaranteed to be secure or virus-free. The Barclays Group does not accept responsibility for any loss arising from unauthorised access to, or interference with, any Internet communications by any third party, or from the transmission of any viruses. Replies to this e-mail may be monitored by the Barclays Group for operational or business reasons.



Any opinion or other information in this e-mail or its attachments that does not relate to the business of the Barclays Group is personal to the sender and is not given or endorsed by the Barclays Group.



Barclays Bank PLC. Registered in England and Wales (registered no. 1026167). Registered Office: 1 Churchill Place, London, E14 5HP, United Kingdom. 



Barclays Bank PLC is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (Financial Services Register No. 122702).



Contact the list owner for assistance at [log in to unmask]



For information about joining, leaving and suspending mail (eg during a holiday) see the list website at

https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=archives-nra