Forum topic: Council planning changes to local study/local history facilities
Council planning changes to local study/local history facilities
PGC Webmaster
11 Sep 2015 23:25 #1636
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Enfield residents are being invited to comment on proposed changes to the Council's "heritage resources" which are intended primarily as a cost-cutting measure, but at the same time would provide increased online access to these resources.
The Council is proposing to digitise the materials stored at the Local Studies Centre in Thomas Hardy House and make them available online. The current Monday to Friday drop-in access to the Local Studies Centre would cease and visitors wishing to see materials would need to make an appointment. This would free up staff time for the digitisation effort.
A linked proposal is that the Enfield Museum at the Dugdale Centre should relocate from the ground floor to the first floor, freeing up space on the ground floor for other uses (presumably either another council service relocated to Dugdale or another commercial use - hopefully of the same quality as the cafe and Eco wine bar). Visitors would be able to view the museum exhibits throughout the extended opening hours at the Dugdale Centre - it's now open until 11pm on Tuesdays to Saturdays.
These changes would bring both benefits and losses. On the plus side of the equation: 24/7 online access to local history resources and evening viewing of the museum collection. On the minus side: there is no real substitute for handling actual historical objects; it's inevitable that some materials will be poorly suited to digitisation; not all material will have been put online when access by appointment only begins; there will doubtless be a reduction in the number of specialist staff employed in the two facilities; the relocated museum will presumably be smaller.
It's sad to see the services that local councils have built up over the decades being whittled away by a government that is supposedly promoting "localism".
You can read the consultation document online and complete an online questionnaire. The deadline is 18th October.
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Petition opposes changes to local study/local history facilities
PGC Webmaster
25 Sep 2015 01:26 #1637
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TO: ENFIELD COUNCIL
Please drop your plans to "digitalise" Enfield Local Studies Centre and Archives and do not make it appointment only service or reduce resources. Experienced researchers will always want to view original documentation and novices need the help of the knowledgeable staff to find what they seek. Digitalising will be very expensive, if not impossible and Ancestry.co.uk will not be free online outside the library. Many of the archive items will be covered by copyright - so not possible to digitalise them without permission. All this, and limiting access to defined appointment only will severely diminish the value of this archive.
Why is this important?
The extensive resources and experienced staff within Enfield Local Studies Centre and Archives are the heritage jewel in the crown for the Borough of Enfield. The Council is keen to use them to publicise themselves yet with no forethought of true costs plans to render these services virtually unusable. Other archives have tried digitalisation at great expense. This is discrimination against older people and others who do not have access to and cannot afford the internet. Ancestry.co.uk will not provide free access, apart from their free library edition when accessed in a library, certainly NOT at home which would have to be subscription based. This centre also obtains grants to interview local people about their pasts - specifically WW1 and WW2. These intergenerational projects involve the whole community and provides a historical resource for future generations. I have undertaken some of the interviewing so I have witnessed the value of information given and the pleasure local residents have experienced in telling their stories. Please also take part in the council consultation which closes on 18 October 2015. Forms available in local libraries or online at
http://www.enfield.gov.uk/info/867/current_consultations/3896/enfield_local_studies_centre_and_museum
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Petition opposes changes to local study/local history facilities
PGC Webmaster
16 Oct 2015 12:38 #1717
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The petitition reads as follows:
HANDS OFF ENFIELD LOCAL STUDIES CENTRE AND ARCHIVES - NO CUTS!
TO: ENFIELD COUNCIL
Please drop your plans to "digitalise" Enfield Local Studies Centre and Archives and do not make it appointment only service or reduce resources. Experienced researchers will always want to view original documentation and novices need the help of the knowledgeable staff to find what they seek. Digitalising will be very expensive, if not impossible and Ancestry.co.uk will not be free online outside the library. Many of the archive items will be covered by copyright - so not possible to digitalise them without permission. All this, and limiting access to defined appointment only will severely diminish the value of this archive.
Why is this important?
The extensive resources and experienced staff within Enfield Local Studies Centre and Archives are the heritage jewel in the crown for the Borough of Enfield. The Council is keen to use them to publicise themselves yet with no forethought of true costs plans to render these services virtually unusable. Other archives have tried digitalisation at great expense. This is discrimination against older people and others who do not have access to and cannot afford the internet. Ancestry.co.uk will not provide free access, apart from their free library edition when accessed in a library, certainly NOT at home which would have to be subscription based. This centre also obtains grants to interview local people about their pasts - specifically WW1 and WW2. These intergenerational projects involve the whole community and provides a historical resource for future generations. I have undertaken some of the interviewing so I have witnessed the value of information given and the pleasure local residents have experienced in telling their stories. Please also take part in the council consultation which closes on 18 October 2015. Forms available in local libraries or online at
http://www.enfield.gov.uk/info/867/current_consultations/3896/enfield_local_studies_centre_and_museum
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