National Archives limited re-opening 21 July 2020

[seaJane]

In my e-mail this morning:

 

https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/news/coronavirus-update/

 

Due to the limited nature of the re-opening, the free downloads of already-digitised material will continue to be available for the time being.

 

sJ

[Keith_history_buff]

Interesting.. No access to the computers does dictate that downloads will be free for the foreseeable future.

[Tom Tulloch-Marshall]

That looked slightly promising until I got to maximum six documents. My backlog list is largely WO374s and 339s. I'd spent eight times longer traveling than I'd take to photo six files ! It's always struck me that the vast open spaces at TNA wouldn't be a great challenge to socially distance.

Tom

[Derek Black]

Visiting our nations archives has always been a costly exercise for those of us not within a days easy drive of the south east of the UK.
These temporary document limits make it even less worthwhile.

[Airshipped]

It's quite understandable that there'd be time periods put in place in respect of processing and quarantining the files before and after viewing. 

 

For the WO374s and 339s it'd be possible to read and/or photograph a batch of six files in a day.

 

Alas for the Air series it'd be unfair to book six files, as they're often boxed with a half dozen related files. In that regard it'd be wasteful of everyone's time: with the once-weekly limit on a visit it would result in the files being surrendered in the evening for quarantine, as there's no option for the reader to continue with the research on these files on the following morning. 

 

I suppose it'll take a while for them to establish the administrative overhead relative to the user experience etc. 

 

I wouldn't be in a position to visit under these rules but do hope that everyone would show consideration to the staff, who will now also have the issue that they're dealing with a large cohort of people who are in the riskier demographic segment.

[TEW]

One visit per person per week as well as the six document limit.

 

Computers are off but wi-fi with own device still active. As the six documents have to be pre-ordered not sure what you'd do with the device other than download digitised items.

 

TEW

[Tom Tulloch-Marshall]

18 hours ago, Airshipped said:

For the WO374s and 339s it'd be possible to read and/or photograph a batch of six files in a day.

 

With the task I have examining WO374s and 339s (for an author) I am looking for specific documents within the files - and specific items of information. I normally bulk order 30 x 374 and 339 items in advance and fill out the day with other matters. A thinnish file in these series takes perhaps three mins max - a thick one might take ten. The current proposals are therefore absolutely no good for me.

 

Personally I believe that TNA are going completely OTT with this covid19 response. TNA is full of great open spaces and social distancing would be very simple to achieve - much much easier than in a supermarket for example. Document delivery to readers in the main reading rooms is via "cubby boxes" with doors - so absolutely no visitor - staff contact there, and customer-facing staff at enquiry desks, security, etc, are minimal in number and could be very easily screened as supermarkets etc are doing. TNA staff "working from home" would have to be explained in some detail, as such a very high number of TNA staff positions are, on the face of it, un-doable in any form unless they are actually in the building AND there are visitors to be attended to.

 

All in all not very impressive. If they were a commercial enterprise (rather than taxpayer funded) they would be going bust.

Tom

[David_Underdown]

Actually very few staff cannot work effectively from home. Those directly involved in document delivery and conservation are the main areas where there have been some difficulties, otherwise many activities have continued with staff working from home such as providing advice to users etc. A large proportion of staff are not in public-facing roles anyway, as we deal with providing digital services, preserving digital materials, liaison with government, liaison with the wider archives sector in the UK etc etc.

 

On the return to work and reopening, staff also have to be able to safely distance in staff areas, which are not as commodious as public areas. Document retrieval workers are not well paid. This web page (the advice given to other archives) also highlights the considerations in reopening and providing a safe environment for staff and public. https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archives-sector/our-archives-sector-role/coronavirus-update/making-plans-for-re-opening/

[Keith_history_buff]

Normal service appears to have resumed with Discovery about 40 minutes ago.

[AOK4]

3 minutes ago, Keith_history_buff said:

Normal service appears to have resumed with Discovery about 40 minutes ago.

 

Let's make it crash again by having all forum users downloading their free docs...

[keithmroberts]

I appreciate the challenges in bringing the reading room and public access up to speed, and I hope that progress will be rapid, despite the risks of further Covid-19 problems this winter. My research, like that of many others is self-funded, and entirely non commercial. My visits to Kew were not as frequent as in the past even pre lockdown, and mostly related to officers files. To make the best of my time after an 80 minute journey I normally save my queries until I have a decent number, and then photograph the files so that I can examine them properly at home. Even the previously contemplated limit of 12 files in a day was causing me some concern, as I have exceeded that number on quite a few occasions, and the prospect of a limit of 6 files in a day just makes the trip too expensive in terms of fuel and time for this retired  fogey.

 

I'll have to hope that the opening works smoothly, and that the limit is lifted to at least a dozen files and preferably more over time. My journey is doable from the south coast, but for someone living further afield with similar interests the cost of travel is an even greater consideration. For such visitors the inability to attend on at least 2 days must also be important.

I know that it isn't easy to plan, and accept entirely that the safety of staff as well as of visitors must come first, and must just hope that the reopening gives the management confidence to improve the access quickly.

 

 

[Tom Tulloch-Marshall]

Sorry but for my document access needs the opening plan as proposed is completely hopeless - and I suspect that is also the case for an awful lot of readers who access the TNA on more than a "one visit one mission" basis.

Tom

[Keith_history_buff]

Some further info appeared in a mailshot from TNA

 

Quote

Friday 7 August 2020

 

 

We’re very pleased to be able to welcome visitors back into our reading rooms, offering a limited service to visitors who need access to our collection of original documents for their research. Following regular reviews since our initial re-opening in July, we are now able to expand our services and increase our capacity, so that we can accommodate more visitors and give them greater access to our collections.

 

From Tuesday 25 August we will be opening up our second floor map and large document reading room, as well as increasing the number of seats available in our first floor document reading room. Visitors will also be able to order more documents each day (nine instead of six), and we will have a small number of two-day appointments available for visitors wishing to research bulk document orders (between 20 and 40).

 

All visitors are still required to book their visit and order their documents in advance.

 

https://clicks.econnectmail.com/email/S-406@38906@l_GG2Ms8_lm-uo1w88aIpVyfS8CckpjuZFovFf9dQk8.@

 

Those slots that become available on a Monday seem to get snapped up quicker than World Cup tickets. It would be nice to get one visit to Kew under the belt this year.

 

 

[keithmroberts]

Progress, but still insufficient to justify my journey, still less those who needlarge numbers of documents. Let's hope for more progress soon.

[Tom Tulloch-Marshall]

A fellow researcher friend commented today that the current TNA Covid 19 operating system has been deliberately designed to be impractical and unworkable for anything other than extremely casual visitors and was simply a "front" to claim they are open. On the basis of what is available I am simply turning down all original documents / specialised enquiries - even for people I have dealt with for many years.

 

Just this moment copied from the TNA website - "We will also be unable to provide many of our other usual reading room services, including, access to microfilm and microfiche, research advice, record copying and access to our computers." (my highlighting) - so what are all the "working from home" staff doing ??? - "We are open from Tuesday to Friday, between 10:00 and 14:50."

Tom

 

“Withholding information is the essence of tyranny. Control of the flow of information is the tool of the dictatorship.” ― Bruce Farrington Coville.

This post has been censored - so I will add back the detail - following "... for many years", broadly >

People like Tesco, B&Q, Sainsburys, Poundland, Wilko, Waitrose, Wickes etc etc etc etc can operate perfectly good open door policies yet Whitehall Departments and the likes of the TNA and CWGC are almost empty of staff

 

following ... "We are open from Tuesday to Friday, between 10:00 and 14:50." - 4hrs 50 mins work incl breaks on full pay - we are being taken for fools.

Edited 19 August , 2020 by Tom Tulloch-Marshall
cencoring valid information and comment is wrong