Changes to popular service before move to a new home
There will be temporary changes to our Local Studies and Archives Service this winter, as the service prepares to move to its new home in the redeveloped Spindles centre.
The current base at 84 Union Street will close to the public on 30 November 2023. A new temporary home for the service will then open in March 2024 within Oldham Library, prior to the move to Spindles when the new permanent archives centre is created in 2025.
Moving to a new site is a huge task and the council will have to reduce some of its archive services until this work is done.
Users of all Oldham libraries will still be able to enjoy free access to family history websites, including Ancestry and FindMyPast, as well as to census information from 1841 to 1921 online on our public computers.
From March 2024 the council will be able to offer the popular Local Studies service in the main library, with access to newspapers on microfilm and a fantastic range of local history publications.
For more information click here
I have asked why the reply I have now got is:
The Union Street building is actually on the critical path for the delivery of the new performance space. Consequently there is a requirement secure vacant possession of the asset early in the new year in order to undertake detailed and invasive site investigation and enabling works. The completion of Spindles Phase 2 is currently scheduled for completion December next year and therefore this has resulted in the requirement for a temporary location.