Drop-in Help Sessions
Are you thinking of visiting Claremont for the first time and would like someone to show you around? Are you stuck with your research and would like advise on where to go next? Would you like help on using the resources at Claremont? Or maybe you would just like a friendly chat with other members. If so, the Section holds drop-in Help Sessions on Tuesdays (except weeks where there is a public holiday) between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. when members of the committee will be on hand to help you.
British Library
Relocation of Low-use Collection
In January 2009, the British Library will start a programme of moving their collection of low-use items. This will be the largest programme of moves that have been undertaken since the opening of St Pancras in 1998. The transfer of low-use items to a new storage facility in Boston Spa, West Yorkshire, will take place in phases. This first phase will see 10.6% of their total collection transferred to Boston Spa. During the first phase, these collections will not be available to readers. The embargo period will start in January 2009 and last for a minimum of nine months. This period of restricted access will not affect St Pancras’ high-use material such as rare books, manuscripts, maps, sound archives and music scores.
The collection moves are taking place as the British Library needs to vacate current leasehold storage buildings. Firstly they fail to provide adequate environmental conditions. Secondly, the Library does not have the opportunity to extend the leases. The moves will allow the British Library to rationalise their collection storage, provide future growth space, and continue to act as guardians of the national collection.
The planned closure of the newspaper library in Colindale, and the transfer of the newspaper collections, form part of Phase Two of the Collection Moves programme, starting at the end of 2009. The material stored at Colindale will be transferred on a staggered basis, and will only be unavailable to Readers whilst in transit. This is expected to be a matter of weeks. Moving the hard copy collections to the state-of-the-art storage conditions in Boston Spa will considerably improve their lifespan. Microfilm will be stored, and available, at St Pancras.
More information on this can be found at:
http://www.b1uk/news/2008/pressrelease200807.html
The background to the Colindale Newspaper Migration Strategy can be found
at:http://www.ffhs.org.uk/news/news070604.php
http://www ffhs. org.uk/news/news 071016 .php
Maggie Loughran, Joint Administrator, Federation of Family History Societies
E-mail: admin@ffhs.org.ukx
North Yorkshire c r o
North Yorkshire County Council Record Office at Northallerton is open from Monday to Friday and on the first Saturday of each month from 9.30am to 4.15pm, except for 5th April which is their annual Open Day. Appointments are necessary for Saturdays. Tel 01609 777585.