Forums Forums Wirral Information Wirral info TRANSFER OF IMPORTANT RECORDS, from our Libraries.

The following message was posted by "Wendy Bennett
COMMITTEE MEMBER of Wallasey Group, FHS of Cheshire"

"Without consultation and warning, our group heard of this a few weeks ago, Wirral Archives have arranged the movement of many reference and research items from the Libraries, to be held there in future.

Directories, photographs, Cammell Laird collection, Microfiche, Films ( burial records, censuses, newspapers) which are all used by family historians all the time will no longer be available Freely to everyone.

The libraries have reasonably free parking in and around the libraries. They have longer opening hours including late nights. . Also they have ample computers and microfiche/film readers available too as they have the space, as well as plenty of space.

The libraries are also the places that we, as Family History Groups (Wallasey, Bebington, West kirby and Birkenhead) all use to consult records to help people research their family tree.

My group Wallasey, hold help desks every month at Earlston Road ( who will also be losing their resources) and the availability of these resources are VITAL to us to help people. A lot of these resources are NOT available on the internet and may never be.
We shall also be holding a help desk at Moreton Branch once their work has been done.
We have plenty of room at the library, together with Pc's and books etc.

THE WIRRAL ARCHIVES
The parking next door is limited to regulars who have reserved and paid for their place irrespectivecof whether they use it every day. So you would have to pay for parking elsewhere probably with a bit of a walk too.
Their opening hours are 9.30 to 4.30 approx.
They have limited places for people.
They have limited PC'S and fiche readers.
Also staff may be limited too.

All this could also lead to certain libraries closing down as footfall reduces. We have been told that our help desks have helped the footfall increase at Earlston Road.

By taking all this away, and not all resources have to be kept in temperature controlled conditions, it will make it very difficult for us to help people efficiently at the library. It may even end our help desks.
It will also have an effect on the well being of people who make a specific journey each month to the libraries for these resources.

Wirral Archives I believe want to digitise many records, which isnt a bad thing, however I believe that once that is done then it will cost money over the internet for copies. That will probably be more than the 30p or 50p paid now for photocopies etc

It not a bad idea to have many things under one roof but not everything needs to be there. Many counties have resources in a few places.

WHAT CAN YOU DO
If you are concerned about this PLEASE WRITE TO YOUR COUNCELLOR expressing your feelings about this.

Our group are already doing this.
No apologies for the long post, it is very important people know the implications of this move. No groups who use these records were consulted about the repercussions of this action as it will have a knock on effect for us and many many others."

I have followed this up by speaking to the Reference Section of Borough Road library, and they are just as unhappy at the turn of events. I have contacted all three of my local Council officals and I am still awaiting their response.

Please now is the time to contact your council members. Wirral Archives have already arranged the vehicles to remove the resources, OUR resources!!

Doing to the libraries what the Govt is doing to the Post Office by stealth. Steal a bit, and a bit and a bit ..........till theres hardly a reason to be there.

For those who may not know how to find your local councillor's contact details, click on the blue print 'Contact details and surgery arrangements for each councillor'.

http://www.wirral.gov.uk/my-services/council-and-democracy/your-councillors/contact-your-councillor

Thanks so much for this notification Oxton Hill.
I will be contacting those concerned to list my disappointment in what they are doing to our Archives and Genealogy related documents, photos and records.
Wirral Archives is not accessible if you do not know exactly what you are looking for and wish to browse, that is not an option as they ask you for your required documents registers etc when you phone for an appointment.
Birkenhead Library has accessible documents,census and records, you can browse and search at your leisure. No time limit if they are not busy.
Wirral Archives do not offer that service. You only have access to the documents you request.
There is also no where to park at Wirral Archives, no buses run near by anymore...it is just not accessible at all.
I will register my feelings.
Thanks again.

Reply recieved today:
You may have heard that it is proposed to transfer archival material from our Reference libraries to the Wirral Archives Service which has been identified as the most appropriate home for them to meet archival standards.

I would like to invite you to a consultation meeting on Friday 5th April 2013 at 1.30pm in Wirral Archives (Cheshire Lines Building). As well as being a forum to present the reasons behind this proposal there will be an opportunity to tour the Archives, including the Strong Room, where the archive material will be stored.

I would like to point out that there is no intention to close any reference library but only to transfer material (such as photographs, street directories, electoral registers and parish registers on microfilm) to the correct facility; reference material currently held in Archives will be transferred to Birkenhead Reference Library.

We are also looking to increase partnership working between ourselves and Wirral Archives and as part of this to provide more archive and library resources online and to expand availability rather than limit it by having to travel to the archive or Central library.

If you are interested in attending please let me know (preferably by email) as soon as possible at:

[email protected]

0151 666 3147

Regards

Peter

Peter Aspinall
Principal Librarian
(0151) 666 3147
[email protected]

My reply back to him, today.
Dear Mr Aspinall

I would have liked to attend your 'consultation' meeting, however holding down a full time job, will not allow me to on a weekday.

A major reason to oppose this transfer, given that you don't open at the weekend. (nor given the Council finances are you likely to).

I have used the micro-film & fiche at Borough Rd. library for near on 20 years or more, yet suddenly there is this urge to move archival material to the 'Wirral Lines Building'.

I would be interested to see the footfall at Wirral Lines compared to Birkenhead & Wallasey Libraries.

I will pass on this email to all the relative groups I can, so that I hope the views of those who actually use the resources, rather than the so called 'guardians' of it, can indeed have their voice heard at this meeting.

May I suggest if you are so keen to have things such as parish registers on microfilm, you purchase your own set from Chester Record Office, rather than pillage the boroughs libraries.

I see you received the same e-mail as I did to attend on the 5th April. All P.R.

I'm all for digitising the various records and pics if they did an exchange between them, even to borrow from the Cheshire Archives as well.
Keeping the same records in places, the Libraries and archives, would be a backup if for some reason something happened in one of them to destroy them.