Wednesday 29 October 2014

Library hours cuts in Northern Ireland

The current budget crisis in Northern Ireland, if not resolved soon, is likely to see an impact on services for family historians in the very near future, with some cost-saving changes in public sector institutions already implemented. A proposed budget cut is currently being proposed of some £872 million, with some 13% of departmental budgets being proposed for the Departments of Culture, Arts and Leisure, and the Department of Employment and Learning - the two departments responsible for libraries and archives. If the budget is not agreed by this Friday, Stormont will lose a £100 million emergency loan from the Westminster government.

The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (www.proni.gov.uk) has yet to announce how or if it may be affected, but the Libraries NI website has announced a new timetable of revised opening hours for the Province's libraries, effective from November 3rd 2014, designed to save £1.4 million in running costs (its required budget cut being 4.4% of its previous budget).

The full announcement is available at www.librariesni.org.uk/News/Pages/Temporary-changes-to-library-opening-hours.aspx, with the revised temporary opening hours for each library now listed at www.librariesni.org.uk/News/Documents/24_Oct_2014/LNI_Opening_Hours_from_03Nov2014.pdf - in many cases the opening hours have been cut, or will be operated on a different pattern.

Chris

Now available for UK research is the new second edition of the best selling Tracing Your Family History on the Internet: A Guide for Family Historians, whilst my new book British and Irish Newspapers is also now out. And please consider purchasing the great new version of Caledonia by The Libations at 79p via www.caledonia2014.com - all profits go to help fund Scottish foodbanks

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