SNIP <<< And I wonder how much of the collection will have been digitised/filmed by the time Colindale closes? The DoVE project has been mentioned. Do we think BL will do better? They labour under the same harsh financial constraints as TNA and ONS...>>>>>>> Thank you Jim http://www.bl.uk/news/2007/pressrelease20070301.html Press release everyone ought to read. http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/features/frontpage/save.html As I understand it Some newspapaers are in poor condition and are not available anyway. That is about 15% Another 19% are high risk and will be withdrawn from use - It is understood that approx 34% of the collection is already on microfilm or digital copies have been made. In less than 1% of cases neither the original document nor a copy is able to be supplied. (By the time the Library closes they will need to make digital copies of the rest to be able to provide the same level of service people enjoy now. Unlikely-due to lack of time / funding ) They hope to be able to assist readers by tracking down the material from another source - e.g. local libraries usually hold the town newspapers . The press release tells us the 100 employees will be found work elsewhere- great What they cannot replace is the knowledge these people have accumulated due to hands on experience. If digital access is eventually available online - wonderful - I would love that as it is unlikely I will ever get to London again in this lifetime. Wendy Warwick List Admin

An article in a recent "Ancestors" magazine suggests the DoVE project is a year behind schedule. This puts launch at least a year AFTER the FRC closure... The same article inferred that ONS has problems with its vastly expensive computer system for registrations. When will they ever learn by previous mistakes? Or listen to what FHSs have told them? ONS has a lucrative income from selling copy certificates at £7 each (much more per cert than in Scotland - where they do not seem blighted by so many delays and computer system cock-ups!). Colindale does not have access to this level of income; so yes, I can see only a very small portion of their holdings being filmed and made available...unless American big business moves in there, too. Jacqui ----- Original Message ----- From: Wendy Boland To: JIM CLAY Cc: warwick@rootsweb.com Sent: Saturday, September 08, 2007 12:53 AM Subject: [WAR] Colindale Library closure SNIP <<< And I wonder how much of the collection will have been digitised/filmed by the time Colindale closes? The DoVE project has been mentioned. Do we think BL will do better? They labour under the same harsh financial constraints as TNA and ONS...>>>>>>> Thank you Jim http://www.bl.uk/news/2007/pressrelease20070301.html Press release everyone ought to read. http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/features/frontpage/save.html As I understand it Some newspapaers are in poor condition and are not available anyway. That is about 15% Another 19% are high risk and will be withdrawn from use - It is understood that approx 34% of the collection is already on microfilm or digital copies have been made. In less than 1% of cases neither the original document nor a copy is able to be supplied. (By the time the Library closes they will need to make digital copies of the rest to be able to provide the same level of service people enjoy now. Unlikely-due to lack of time / funding ) They hope to be able to assist readers by tracking down the material from another source - e.g. local libraries usually hold the town newspapers . The press release tells us the 100 employees will be found work elsewhere- great What they cannot replace is the knowledge these people have accumulated due to hands on experience. If digital access is eventually available online - wonderful - I would love that as it is unlikely I will ever get to London again in this lifetime. Wendy Warwick List Admin ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to WARWICK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.485 / Virus Database: 269.13.9/994 - Release Date: 07/09/2007 16:40