Shropshire Archives

Sadly, a lot of Record Offices are in the same position. They seem to be an easy target for cut-backs, along with local libraries.

Ann

 

I know our local archive office are worried about losing their jobs. I suppose we just need to support them as much as we possibly can.

 

What a shame if we lose these archives. Perhaps volunteers may take over the running of them.

 

No one's going to read this but it needs saying anyway.

As a former professional librarian with some experience of archives at a national level, I sincerely hope not, gillyflower.

Volunteers have an important place but only those with serious professional skills can really make these resources available effectively. "Volunteerism" is a current political fad but it is a disastrous path. Unfortunately until we stop electing philistines they'll keep destroying our heritage because there are no dollars in it for them. But we will keep on doing so and then beat out breasts when these resources are lost or no longer practically available. As an example I can say that it's no longer possible to carry out any effective research in the London Borough of Croydon since they effectively destroyed their excellent Local Studies Library.

The only trouble is that it's happening everywhere in the public sector in the UK. It is now a very serious problem for those who want to have access to the materials to which we need access, to do our work and pursue our individual and community interests.

On the other hand there is some amazing work going on with developing access to archival and other materials - not least those who are making locally available resources commercially available at a national level.

However I don't believe our local and national heritage should only be available for those who have enough money to pay for it and thank goodness we still have institutions who believe in this.

An exemplar in this field of which I know a bit is the British Library who have transformed access to library materials over the last couple of decades. The work they are doing at the "cutting edge" is amazing - but their funding is peanuts. Their work, and that of other major archival resources, cannot be "done" by volunteers.

[Sorry gillyflower - I'm not getting at you…I feel this deeply and you laid a fuse I couldn't resist igniting).

 

Don't worry - I know you wasn't getting at me.I agree entirely - volunteers can only do so much to help, they cannot aspire to perorm the work of a particular professional. Too much reliance is now placed on volunteers.

 

The Derbyshire Record Office in Matlock must have a slush fund then, as it has just undergone a £4 million (unless they went over budget) makeover. They're open every day, Monday to Friday, from 9.30 to 5 p.m - longer hours than before - as well as every Saturday morning, when before it was some Saturdays dotted throughout the year.

 

Thanks Stoneface. Saturday mornings could be very useful.

 

Late arrival at this party, but as someone who would have liked to use the Shropshire Record Office but who does not live in Shropshire, it is now almost impossible to make a worthwhile visit. I work full time, so I'd need to take a day off work to come, travelling about two or three hours each way. The opening hours are now so short that very little can be achieved in the relevant time period. From my perspective it would be better to have one day a week with a longer opening period, say 10-7, or a complete Saturday, so that people who have to travel some distance and/or who work, can achieve as much as possible during their visit. And I agree with others that there is a marked difference between Counties, which seems very inequitable.

We do need professionals to run archives of course, but many of us professionals have to work on Saturdays either regularly, or periodically. Why not archivists?

 

What's needed is to get more politicians interested in genealogy i.e. doing the research themselves, once they have a vested interest, Record Offices and archives might be considered important. It seems three main things motivate politicians, votes, vested interests and Perks.

 

So Findem, perhaps we could research a few of these persons & send out little hints as to their heritage or lack- & so awaken a yen to prove or disprove our stories.
Bags I NOT.

 

As another former professional librarian I can only agree. It is so sad to see my old library struggling as more and more professional jobs are cut, and many branches are threatened. Also "redundant" reference books are sold off because "it's all on the net". Good volunteers can be a valuable resource but need a structure to work within.

It is good to hear of areas where things are improving. Let us hope this trend spreads!

 

As a volunteer in a local Library I was given only the dregs to participate with.
It meant more chat time in the office for the local Librarians but not having a degree, I was not given anything of consequence to help with. ie sorting & shelving returned books.
Rather like double checking FreeBmd entries.
Am I a 2nd hand person? Duh!

 

Interestingly enough the shelving of returned books etc is about the most important job in any library.

The selection of materials is clearly important as is the proper cataloguing of an item. The item then needs to be serviced to make it ready for lending or reference and then it has a unique place on the shelves so that anyone can find it. However, if it's not in the right place at the time someone wants to find the item then all the other costly and interesting processes that got it to the shelves in the first place are wasted.

Making accurate shelving an interesting job is a good test of a librarian's management skills. .

 

Good of you to say that Flook. I did find many normal print in large print section even incorrect signage on book spines which had sent them to wrong section.
Guess how often a Librarian couldn't find a book which had been pla ed on reserve?
Often books were signed in without the smallest check for damage missing pages loose or broken spines.

I guess those Librarians were too busy to check which is why they had volunteers to do the running around.

If I could still get down to the lower shelves & upright myself again-I'd still be doing same job.

 

I'm with you there Wendy.

 

I have developed a soft spot for Shropshire Archives- they recently sent me a list of all the furniture & equipment in my g g grandfathers farmhouse in 1866.
Where else could I find such a thing?