When the archive staff return from Christmas tomorrow, two things will have changed. First, the senior archivist, Jane Brunning, won't be there. She retired at the end of December and is not replaced. She was effectively part of the council "saving" for financial year 2015/16. That leaves just one active, operational, professional archivist.
The other thing is that the archive won't be open to the public any more, not on Tuesdays and not on Wednesday mornings (it was not open on Mondays in recent times). This also is part of the council savings for 2015/16.
It allows staff to digitise their collections for more to see online. A good move, surely. Former Denbighshire head of economic development, co-editor and part author of The History of Ruthin Gareth Evans thinks not. He's not been backward in coming forward to criticise the council to open a day and a half less per week. Digitisation is fine, he feels, but it will take more than 2½ days a week (it could take 25 years) and the restricted opening times will put off those who wish to use the service. In any case, you cannot replace the consultation of original documents, he adds.
He is further concerned about a new manager who, he believes, will adopt "a robust destruction policy which is a horrifying prospect for those of us who value these memories of our past." Presumably, he refers to the loss of modern records which, in decades to come, would become the bedrock of the developing archive.
But Evans would say these things, wouldn't he. He's currently engaged in writing a book on Rhuthun/Ruthin's buildings so, for him, the archive is presumably of major use.
While not being able to comment on the "robust destruction policy", let's look at some usage statistics.
The old Denbighshire county council opened its archive in Rhuthun/Ruthin in 1971. During its first year, there were a little over 3,000 visits to consult records therein. This was fairly consistent in the early years of the archive. 1974 successor Clwyd county council kept the archive alive in addition to the former Flintshire archive at Hawarden. It was to Hawarden that all the 1974-1996 Clwyd material went.
The numbers of visits made to the archives each year during the first decade of this century tended to be just over 2,000. This has been consistent over recent years. In fact, the numbers for 2014 are believed to be at that very level.
In other words, as the post-1996 Denbighshire archive continually collects material, the fewer people wish to use it. Also, remember three other things.
What the stats indicate to me is that increasingly people can find what they want online. This is particularly true of family history research—the main reason otherwise to go to an archive.
My guess is that between Roger Edwards and Evans, they both account for much of the 2013/14 visits! OK, that's an embellishment but it will be interesting to see what effect the new hours will have. Could the archive keep a note of occupancy rates as well as overall visit numbers, perhaps? That way, the "cost to serve" is much lower (assuming those who consult the archive continue to do so but over fewer days per week).
None of this is ideal but I am sure Evans will get used to it.
It allows staff to digitise their collections for more to see online. A good move, surely. Former Denbighshire head of economic development, co-editor and part author of The History of Ruthin Gareth Evans thinks not. He's not been backward in coming forward to criticise the council to open a day and a half less per week. Digitisation is fine, he feels, but it will take more than 2½ days a week (it could take 25 years) and the restricted opening times will put off those who wish to use the service. In any case, you cannot replace the consultation of original documents, he adds.
He is further concerned about a new manager who, he believes, will adopt "a robust destruction policy which is a horrifying prospect for those of us who value these memories of our past." Presumably, he refers to the loss of modern records which, in decades to come, would become the bedrock of the developing archive.
Mural within the Denbighshire archive
But Evans would say these things, wouldn't he. He's currently engaged in writing a book on Rhuthun/Ruthin's buildings so, for him, the archive is presumably of major use.
While not being able to comment on the "robust destruction policy", let's look at some usage statistics.
The old Denbighshire county council opened its archive in Rhuthun/Ruthin in 1971. During its first year, there were a little over 3,000 visits to consult records therein. This was fairly consistent in the early years of the archive. 1974 successor Clwyd county council kept the archive alive in addition to the former Flintshire archive at Hawarden. It was to Hawarden that all the 1974-1996 Clwyd material went.
The numbers of visits made to the archives each year during the first decade of this century tended to be just over 2,000. This has been consistent over recent years. In fact, the numbers for 2014 are believed to be at that very level.
In other words, as the post-1996 Denbighshire archive continually collects material, the fewer people wish to use it. Also, remember three other things.
- First, the population of the archive area's catchment has increased by between five and 20 per cent since 1971. Towns in particular gave grown.
- Secondly, the number of people who have access to a car has increased steeply over this same period: access to Rhuthun by public transport though better than we all tend to imagine nevertheless will have been a barrier in 1971.
- There has been a significant upswing in people tracing their family history. Genealogy was a virtually unknown hobby in the 1960s and even 1970s. Now, it's popular.
What the stats indicate to me is that increasingly people can find what they want online. This is particularly true of family history research—the main reason otherwise to go to an archive.
My guess is that between Roger Edwards and Evans, they both account for much of the 2013/14 visits! OK, that's an embellishment but it will be interesting to see what effect the new hours will have. Could the archive keep a note of occupancy rates as well as overall visit numbers, perhaps? That way, the "cost to serve" is much lower (assuming those who consult the archive continue to do so but over fewer days per week).
None of this is ideal but I am sure Evans will get used to it.
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Denbighshire