New Kirkby Library

[MaryA]

Well this is the third location Kirkby library has been in my lifetime, I can remember the last one when it was just opened and I was a child, there were queues for the children to be allowed in as there were so many of us waiting, I felt lucky my dad came along and I was able to jump the queue and go in with him. Now that building is boarded up and the old Kirkby Suite has been renovated and inhabited by One Stop Shop and other council departments .... but upstairs on the first floor is our new library!! Lovely and bright and spacious, they still have a gallery as part of it and importantly to us will be the Archives.

It is located right next to the bus terminus so very convenient for anybody visiting, there is a cafe as part of the building and no food or drinks will be allowed inside the archives, lockers available and pencils only in the Archive area.

Now before anybody rushes to go visit - and I know Kathy wants to check something for Prescot - the catalogue is being indexed by the archivists, the chap I spoke to knows Kathy well, and things won't be up and running until mid April. He is going to email me with an update of what will be available. Of course there will be Ancestry and Findmypast on certain machines, but the majority of documents and items will relate to the Knowsley area - BUT the parish registers will remain at Huyton as they are now.

One item I was very interested to note that they will hold is copies of all the Cemeteries films that are held in Liverpool, so even Toxteth Park and the other Liverpool ones, not just those linked to the Knowsley area.

Archives will be open only between 10.00 and 12.00 am or by appointment.

Just don't go visiting expecting all to be available YET, I will post updates when they let me know the Archives are ready.

[daggers]

Sounds good, especially in the face of the threatened cuts and closures. Enjoy it while you can!
D

[MaryA]

Yes it does make me pleased considering the closure of Birkdale and a number of others.