December 16, 2010. Slated to move in January 2011, City Archives is suspending its walk-in service as of December 31 until further notice.
December 16, 2010. Slated to move in January 2011, City Archives is suspending its walk-in service as of December 31 until further notice.
Of the 9,000 inquiries handled each year by City of Ottawa Archives, about 20 per cent are walk-ins — researchers, historians and the general public who come to do research without an appointment. Reference staff will continue to respond to enquiries by phone or e-mail throughout the move.
The City's impressive collection of archival records which includes more than two million photographs would stretch 20 km if the 92,000 containers were placed end to end.
City Archivist Paul Henry expects little disruption of service. "We should be moved and fully operational by early April. In the meanwhile we will continue to provide service by phone and e-mail. Response times could be somewhat slower."
While the new $38.6 million state-of-the-art facility at the corner of Woodroffe Avenue and Tallwood will predominantly house the City's new Central Archives, about 25 per cent of the building will be home to a new materials centre for the Ottawa Public Library.
To contact the Central Archives' reference desk, the public can phone 613-580-2857 or e-mail archives@ottawa.ca.
[from This Week in Heritage, newsletter of the Council of Heritage Organizations in Ottawa, 16 December 2010]