National Archives to close on Mondays

[John Savage]

Hi All,

It seems there is a plan afoot to close the National Archives at Kew on Mondays, in order to save money.

A petition to 10 Downing Street has been started and if you wish to sign up:

https://www.petitions.number10.gov.uk/MondayArchive

Rgds
John

[Robert]

I have a better way to save money : close Parliament.

John, the link is broken.

[m_w_r]

... the link is broken.

Try this one:

Click Here.

Regards,

Mark

[Chris]

I have a better way to save money : close Parliament.

John, the link is broken.

petitions.number10.gov.uk/MondayArchive

[Mike Covell]

Thanks for the new link. I have signed it.

[John Savage]

Hi Mark and Chris,

Thanks for providing a link that works. I am afraid that sometimes the technology gets too much for me.

Perhaps I should be closed on Mondays!

Rgds
John

[Robert]

Thanks Mark and Chris.

[The Grave Maurice]

Does it really matter that much? During this recession, cultural institutions all over the world find they must cut back on their hours of operation owing to lack of funds. And, when I've gone to the NA, it's never been what one could call crowded. So why not just go on another day? The economy will, as it always does, eventually get better.

[Chris]

And, when I've gone to the NA, it's never been what one could call crowded.

I assume you haven't needed to use a camera stand in the Map and Large Document Room recently.

[The Grave Maurice]

You're quite right. I don't use a tripod, just a digital with high-speed capability. And I'm not sure that I've ever been in the Map Room. Anyway, the last time I was in the NA, it didn't have a lot of people in it.

[Chris]

The Map and Large Document Room is where medieval/early-modern and large documents are seen. It is often pretty full on weekdays, and there's particular pressure for the limited number of camera stands (these are fixed stands to which you can attach a camera, not tripods) and also for things like ultraviolet lamps, electric sockets and even ordinary electric lamps.

And of course, the advice "just go on another day" isn't much help to those who currently go there every day.

[The Grave Maurice]

Ah. Thanks for the info. It never occurred to me that someone might go there every day. However, unless you are an archivist in the employ of the NA, I suggest that you might want to think about getting a life that doesn't involve taking pictures of "medieval/early-modern and large documents" five days a week.

[Chris]

Ah. Thanks for the info. It never occurred to me that someone might go there every day. However, unless you are an archivist in the employ of the NA, I suggest that you might want to think about getting a life that doesn't involve taking pictures of "medieval/early-modern and large documents" five days a week.

Thanks for your advice, but as my life doesn't involve doing that, it's misplaced.

But just to illustrate some of the work that is being done, here's a link to the Anglo-American Legal Tradition website:

http://aalt.law.uh.edu/

The website currently hosts 3 million images of medieval and early-modern manuscripts, with another 3 million to go. It has indeed involved a number of people taking images of documents five days a week in the Map and Large Document Room, but so far from having been produced by employees of the National Archives, it's been done without a penny of public money from the UK.

[The Grave Maurice]

Fascinating. I agree that an enormous amount of good work is done there by many researchers. But your point continues to elude me. The National Archives, because of the economic situation, will be now be closed on Mondays. We'll all, until times get better, just have to deal with that fact.

[Chris]

But your point continues to elude me. The National Archives, because of the economic situation, will be now be closed on Mondays. We'll all, until times get better, just have to deal with that fact.

The points I'm making are simple:
(1) Contrary to your impression, some reading rooms and some facilities at the National Archives don't have a tremendous amount of slack to take up.
(2) For those who effectively work full time at the National Archives, your advice "just go on another day" isn't much help.

If I understand correctly, at present this is simply a proposal, which is currently open for consultation:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/changes.htm

The National Archives is currently inviting comments on its plans, to be sent to this email address:
archivesconsultation@nationalarchives.gov.uk