Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

I was thinking of going there soon to look at some newspapers on microfilm, but their website tells me they are "closed for 29 weeks" without giving a start or end date. Does anyone know when it will be re-opening?
While it's closed, is there anywhere else I can look at the microfilms of "St Helens Newspaper and Advertiser" and "Prescot Reporter" for late 1863?

The Prescot Reporter should be held at either Huyton or Kirkby Library, try a telephone call to ask.

I didn't know about St Helens Archives, but have asked somebody from the Leigh area if they know anything - their suggestion is to try Warrington.

Thanks Mary
It isn't clear to me what I should try Warrington for. To find out the St Helens re-opening date? Or to find the newspaper microfilms?

I would ask about both, they may hold local newspapers, and they may have insights about the closure.

The Prescot Reporter is on Microfilm at Huyton. 1859 upwards. Spent many hours trawling through this at Huyton.

Thanks, Katie. That's helpful.

They say on the website they are still answering emails do you could email at

localhistory&achivesservices@sthelens.gov.uk

And ask when they are reopening and also about the newspapers on film.

On an aside , does anyone know if the Prescot Observer existed in 1845? Thanks

Prescot Reporter & General Advertiser November 1859 - October 1868
Prescot Reporter & St Helens General Advertiser October 1868 - May 1888
held at St Helens and
Prescot Reporter November 1859 - September 1985
Prescot Weekly Times March 1907 - July 1916
held at Huyton

Haven't found an Observer in our list
https://www.liverpool-genealogy.org.uk/ ... it=library

But none of them in 1845 thanks

I just e-mailed the address given above by Hilary, but it bounced. "No such address". Do I just e-mail the general St Helens council address and let them forward it internally? I will try that and let you know.
Thanks Katie for suggesting Huyton for the Prescot Reporter, and I will be going there soon.

Perhaps use the library general email and ask them to either let you have a direct email address or to forward your enquiry. centrallibrary@sthelens.gov.uk

Found another email on their site

lha@sthelens.gov.uk

Just heard from the Library Support Unit:

Unfortunately at the moment we cannot give an exact date for Central
Library re-opening.
The work that needed doing was put out to tender and has now been started
but until they uncover all of the plaster they will not know how extensive
the damage is to the building.
We are aiming at a date of mid December for re-opening and this will be
advertised on the website and in local media as soon as possible.
I have checked with our local history staff and they say that there is
nowhere else to get the information for that date and the archives are
inaccessible until the library re-opens.

Good to know, anyway. Thanks everyone for their help and suggestions.

It's a shame they haven't made their archives temporarily accessible elsewhere, but hopefully it's not too long to wait.