contact: secretary@sgni.net
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contact: secretary@sgni.net |
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| PROPOSED CLOSURE OF PRONI Between September 2010 and May 2011 |
A press release dated 3rd September 2009 and a "clarification document" dated 30th September 2009 has appeared on PRONI's website. SGNI feels that this is not a reasonable manner in which to manage the transfer of records from the existing premises in Balmoral Avenue, Belfast, to new premises in the Titanic Quarter, Belfast. We feel it should be managed in a manner which limits disruption of public access to these records and is more in keeping with the experience of other national archives in moving their records. Since 1923 the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland has been our national archive. We do not have another one. On 21st September 2009, SGNI wrote to Mr Nelson McCausland MLA, the Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL) in our new legislative assembly. You can read our letter here. OUR COMMENTS (in yellow) ON PRONI'S CLARIFICATION DOCUMENT Here is the text of PRONI's "clarification document" with our comments inserted: "The Public
Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) is concerned to note that inaccurate
and incomplete information is being disseminated about its plans for preparing
and moving the records to a new building, and the effect this will have
on researchers. This note is intended to clarify the matter." Those wishing to visit PRONI, both locally and internationally will judge for themselves how this affects their plans. It will certainly take the income generated by overseas visitors away from the Northern Ireland economy for the period of closure. This action may well put professional genealogists based in Northern Ireland out of business permanently. What business could survive such a long period of not being able to function? "If later, then they will be visiting PRONI in its new premises with its much enhanced research facilities and improved overall service. There are well-known deficiencies in the present service, owing to the age of the building and its inadequate storage facilities. A properly-conducted move and adequate time for testing new systems in the new building will lead to a much better experience for researchers." We
are hopeful that this will be true. The point at issue is what is a “properly-conducted
move”. The 3rd September press release makes no mention of the closure period “between September 2010 and May 2011” being “a worst case scenario”. We believe that not only is this closure not the way to manage a move which we would hope could be done in stages, but that, since it is due to start many months before the completion of the new premises, it could be greatly extended by any delay to the building work. "The compartmentalised nature of PRONI’s Balmoral Avenue stores restricts large-scale movement of people and records, and makes the removal of large amounts of material cumbersome and time-consuming. This time 40 Km of records, amounting to millions of documents, almost all of them irreplaceable, have to be moved to the new building. We are also dependent on the new building being completed and handed over on schedule. A systematic move of the records and their relocation in the new building is a major logistical task." We note here that PRONI are also concerned about “the new building being completed and handed over on schedule” and it seems they do realise after all that there could well be extended delays. We would imagine that PRONI’s stores are fairly representative of archive stores in outdated buildings. Has there not been adequate planning and preparation for this move? Surely this should have taken place years in advance? "PRONI’s first responsibility is for the preservation and security of the records. Temporary on-site closure to the public is in the best interests of the records, to get them prepared and moved methodically and safely." Other national archives have managed their moves between two buildings without denying the public access to the records. We feel this move could be carried out in stages without significant disruption to access and with the retention of the old building for a period of time alongside the occupation of the new. "The successful accomplishment of this task and the subsequent updating of location data will ensure that the records can be retrieved with speed and accuracy in the new building, which will undoubtedly benefit researchers. Other UK record offices have closed for similar or longer periods to expedite moves. Dr Chris Kitching, former secretary to the Historical Manuscripts Commission and the UK’s leading expert on new archive buildings, who is also the external archival expert to PRONI’s New Accommodation Project, considers PRONI’s proposed on-site closure duration to be reasonable. He has given assurance that comparisons are favourable with other archives and libraries in the UK which have relocated.* " You will see the asterix (*) after "relocated" refers to a list at the end of this “clarification document” which demonstrates that PRONI has had to resort to quoting a few county archives in Great Britain. The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland is not a county archive. It is the national archive of Northern Ireland. The proposed closure would shut down genealogy in Northern Ireland for the greater part of a year. Such a closure is seriously detrimental to Northern Ireland’s image abroad. It is not of the same nature as the closure of a county archive in England or Wales. "The temporary on-site closure is also in the best interests of our public because there are considerable health and safety issues when heavy lorries are being brought onto what is a seriously restricted site." PRONI has two separate gates leading to two separate carparks. There are entrances at each end of its long building. We believe public safety and access could be ensured by closing one gate and carpark and providing public access through the other gate to the other car park. "In an effort to mitigate the effects of the closure on customers, PRONI will be providing details for the public on alternative sources for information, and working with partner organisations (for example, discussions are continuing with the Northern Ireland Library Authority) to make available as much information as possible at an off-site location. Researchers should keep checking PRONI’s website www.proni.gov.uk for further information on this. Much of PRONI’s day to day business will carry on as usual. Staff will continue for as long as possible to provide a limited written enquiry service. So, if customers cannot have on-site access to the records, there is the option of using a limited, paid search service for specific enquiries. To facilitate this, the most popular records will be last to move. The annual release of official Government papers under the “30 Year Rule” will also continue as normal." Presumably this is a reference to PRONI's statutory obligations under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI). Surely, in fulfilling this legal requirement which PRONI cannot avoid, it requires the staff to have full access to the records. If the records can be accessed for FOI enquiries, why can the public visiting PRONI not access them? "Sources for genealogical research, both commercial and personal, are not restricted to PRONI. The 1911 Census, which covers all of Ireland, is now available on-line, at no charge, at www.nationalarchives.ie; the 1901 Census for Ireland will also be available before any disruption to PRONI’s on-site service takes place. These are key sources for family history. Another key source, Griffith’s Valuation, is also now on-line, again at no charge, at www.askaboutireland.ie." "Within PRONI, the recent launch of a number of 19th century street directories is another new and free on-line resource for family history research. Others will follow in the coming months, including the surviving fragments of three 18th century Census returns, adding to the PRONI sources already available on-line. There will, therefore, be a range of archive material for researchers to work on while they are unable to access PRONI’s premises." New resources online are, of course, always welcome and the National Archives of Ireland in Dublin have done sterling work in making the census records available in this way, but they represent only a tiny proportion of the records required by researchers - personal and professional - to achieve any meaningful results. The
point, however, is not that some resources are available online but that
Northern Ireland's repository should be fulfilling its obligation to make
all of its records accessible to the public. A small selection of online
resources is not an adequate replacement to such access.
CONTACT DETAILS If you share our concerns and would like to make your feelings known to the Minister, or the Director of PRONI, contact addresses are given below. PRONI contact details : For the attention
of: Mrs Aileen McClintock Email: proni@dcalni.gov.uk - Mark emails: For the attention of Mrs Aileen McClintock Fax: (+44) 028 9025 5999 Or use PRONI's online feedback form and mark for the attention of Mrs Aileen McClintock
Mr Nelson McCausland
MLA or alternatively at: Mr Nelson McCausland
MLA Fax: +44 (0) 28 9025 8906 Email: dcal@dcalni.gov.uk Please mark emails for the attention of Mr Nelson McCausland, MLA |