Provincial archives prepares for move to The Rooms

Tourism, Culture and Recreation Minister Paul Shelley today announced that in continuing its preparation for moving to The Rooms, the Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador (PANL) will reduce its hours of operation. Effective immediately, PANL will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and will remain open, with full service, on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4: 15 p.m., and on Wednesday evening from 6:30 p.m. to 9:45 p.m.

"In order to prepare for the final stages of the move to The Rooms, there will need to be some disruption of service," said Minister Shelley. "We recognize that many archives clients depend on access to conduct legal and other time sensitive research, and that some depend on research for their livelihood. We have therefore decided to reduce hours incrementally, rather than close completely for a longer period of time."

The full closure of the Provincial Archives, beginning next spring, will enable staff to relocate the Reference Room furniture, equipment, and reference materials from the Colonial Building to the new Reference Room at The Rooms. The move to The Rooms will enable PANL to provide improved on-line searching capability for distance clients, as well as an improved physical environment for on-site clients. The Rooms, with a 4,600 square foot research room, more than doubles PANL�s available research space, which will greatly benefit PANL�s on-site clientele - the legal professionals, writers, artists, genealogists, film makers, academics, local historians and the general public.

"I am confident that clients will not only enjoy the improved level of service and the comfortable surroundings at The Rooms, but will also be enthralled by the breath-taking view of the harbour and the narrows which the Reference Room affords."

The Provincial Archives is committed to preserving Newfoundland and Labrador�s archival records, from both government and non-government sources, including photographs, maps, architectural plans, electronic records, and film footage for its on-site and distance clients from within the province, the rest of Canada, the United States and even Europe. Its collection includes over 400,000 photographs, some 50,000 maps, records and diaries of colonial secretaries, governors and prime ministers, post-confederation government records, and merchant and business records of the colony and country.

Media contact: Tansy Mundon, Communications, (709) 729-0928 or (709) 685-1741.

2005 01 04                         10:40 a.m.