Response to 7th National Survey of Customers

We’ve taken all your suggestions and criticisms from recent surveys – shown them to our staff and members of our User Panel – and these are our responses. We would like to thank everyone for taking part in the surveys, especially people who made detailed comments.

7th National Survey of Visitors to British Archives: November 2007

• The website needs to include a map of Bedford, directions of how to get to the Archive, and whether there is parking available.
• Information re car parking - website does not explain how to get in. 

BLARS response: All this information is normally on our website. Unfortunately, this information was removed – without our knowledge - by IT staff at the instigation of a corporate officer who was concerned that our information outlining the problems facing the disabled who wish to use our services reflected poorly on Beds County Council overall. We put in a complaint about this action immediately and the site was restored. We are certain that this will not happen again.

• Parish register microfiches; some are impossible to read. 

BLARS response: a fair comment. In December 2007 we placed a notice by the self-service microfiche readers advising users to tell us if fiche were illegible as we can provide alternatives, or, as a last resort, produce the original registers.

• Probably not very important, but the gaffer tape stuck on the carpet on the stairs and landing does not create a wonderful first impression and is possibly a safety hazard
• Facilities for both staff and visitors need updating
• Better area for eating lunch etc
• Refreshment area downstairs is rather cramped; I realise we can use your restaurant area, but precious research time is lost re needing to locate to the main building.  
• No obvious area to take refreshments
• Cramped! Access is poor; needs refurbishment
• A separate room for visitors to sit and eat their lunch [is needed]
• The facilities require some updating
• Water and coffee facilities on the same floor [required]
•  Lunch area to eat could be improved

BLARS response: we agree with all your comments. We continue to press for much-needed improvements to our facilities, but unfortunately the Riverside Building has not been a high priority in the refurbishment work on the County Hall site. At the time of writing there is a Council commitment to this building as the long term home for the ArchiveService and an acknowledgement of the need to extend and improve our facilities within the building. In the short term we are hopeful that this will soon produce some improvement to the general environment for visitors and will look again to see if we can create some space on the first floor for visitors to eat their lunch.

• Larger photocopier for maps

BLARS response: many of our maps are large and fragile and cannot be photocopied without risking damage. We do have access to the Countryside Access Service’s printer but, as with other off-site specialist printing facilities, it cannot be used for many of our holdings because of the risk of damage to the maps by the feeding process required in using them. We do offer digital photography as an option – both our own and visitor’s own use of cameras on the premises – and this may be the best means of copying for larger maps

• Space to hang up coats

BLARS response: there are coat hooks inside the long blue lockers in our lobby area. We will advertise them to new visitors.

• Despite having made many complaints about the car parking - there has been no improvement. A brief e-mail indicated that my complaint had been received and nothing further. It needs to be brought to your attention that in the limited car parking area allotted, 3 parking areas for 'disabled' parking have been designated. I have yet to see any of these in use.

BLARS response: we sympathise, but we have no direct influence over car parking policy and, given the demand, we cannot guarantee anyone a space. We agree that the ‘disabled’ spaces are poorly sited, but we were not consulted over the number or location. This is an issue that our User Panel is likewise concerned about and we do what we can to try to influence what happens and to explain to visitors the options available to them. We have just revised our Access Leaflet (March 2008) to try to improve our advice.

• Signs to access the building are not clearly lit, i.e. from car park to upper level, door press button outside unlit at night.

BLARS response: Sorry, but the Building Superintendent takes the view that it is not practical to illuminate the signs. Even if they could be illuminated they would be vandalised almost immediately

• Continued expansion of website
• Website needs promotion. I didn't know it exists!

BLARS response: The website has expanded rapidly and now comprises 25% of the entire Beds County Council’s pages. Our Service Plan has many targets around continued expansion too. The website is promoted in our hard copy literature and can be easily found on internet search engines and from links on other sites. Since the survey the County Council has increased the ways in which our site can be accessed more easily from the County Council’s front page.

• Integrated service with Archives, Local Studies and Heritage all in the same building

BLARS response: We couldn’t agree more and this is supported very strongly by our User Panel. This ideal has been achieved in other counties. Any future national funding bid would need to consider creating a greater local history and heritage resource and provide an opportunity for this to be considered.

• Change day off from a Thursday to a Monday and one more day for long opening hours please. 
• Change closed day to a Monday not a Thursday.
• You need larger premises, open on Thursdays
• Thursday closing is a real problem for visitors coming for several days from far away. Monday closing is far better. 
• Thursday closure is very inconvenient if you want to research for more than three days yet come from afar. 
• Possible Saturday opening for people that work during normal office hours

BLARS response: following budget cuts, we changed our opening hours from 9-5 Monday to Friday in April 2006, closing on Thursday (our quietest day) but extended opening hours on Mondays to 7pm. We’ve been using Thursdays  to carry out new forms of outreach work (which is now an important part of our work) and concentrate our resources on developing our website which is available 24/7. We don’t have enough staff, after cuts in recent years, to increase our hours but we could consider some changes to the hours when we are open. The changes have not reduced our visitor numbers and Mondays and Fridays have become regularly and almost predictably busy. We continue to monitor the arrangements.

• 50p per photocopy is a bit much. 
• 50p per photocopy is an exorbitant price. 

BLARS response: we have compared our charges with other archive services (they are similar) and also undertaken a recent (Jan-Mar 2008) survey with visitors about the ’value for money’ of our charges. Our User Panel – an advisory group of representative users - is involved in this process and in setting our charges annually taking account of their experiences as users of other services. Also, the money from photocopies is an important source of income for us which directly benefits the service. You do have the choice of taking your own digital photographs for free if you don’t want to pay for copies.

• Another 1-2 computer places for websites. 
• More plug in outlets for lap top computers.

BLARS response: We plan to We WeWeget another couple of PC terminals in the search room if possible, and advertise the fact that we have access to Ancestry.com. This will also help us with some of our plans for outreach and helping family historians who are new to the hobby.

• Labelling of catalogues with title (e.g. Registers of Electors) instead of just a reference.

BLARS response: Sorry, it’s not usually possible to do this as most catalogues contain several collections with lengthy titles and there isn’t room on the spines. Please ask staff if you are unsure which catalogues to use

• County Council Security officer today did not know public were allowed to park in RO car park. On a previous occasion a number of staff said she couldn't tell me anything about car parking as she came to work on a bicycle. If you don't park in the customer car park it is not obvious how you are supposed to get in or even where you are. There is virtually no signage outside and if you don't know the entrance is upstairs you've no hope of finding it. 

BLARS response The security staff are introduced to the Services in the building so this should not happen again. We do often discuss car parking issues at staff meetings as they are a frequent source of customer comment and feedback. All Archives staff should therefore be well aware of the options. This is what we seek to ensure. In response to another complaint, we improved the signage for the door button by providing a picture of it (January 2008). Signage can never please everyone but it is an issue on which we and the User Panel are always receptive to suggestions for improvement

Value For Money and Targets  Survey: January to March 2008

• Concessions for senior citizens?
• I am a part-time MA student at and should qualify for the 25p rate [only applies to full-time students]. Students like myself on PT post-grad course should qualify for reduced rates

BLARS response: Sorry, but we’ve no plans to offer concessions to senior citizens or part-time students. Council policy from 1 April 2008, is to offer discounts to people, across the age range, in receipt of state benefit and support, the most disadvantaged members of society. Our discount to full-time students will remain as a local concession.

• The service should be free (comment on charge for research by staff, marked ‘very poor’. [All other boxes marked poor, but VFM overall marked ‘good’]. Comment at end: this is an essential public service and should be free – it keeps access open to all.

BLARS response: Our Service is free at the point of delivery. We only charge for optional extras – for photocopies or commissioned research, for instance – and we will be offering discounts to a wide range of people of all stages if they are in receipt of state benefit from 1 April 2008

• Wi-fi internet access in the archive room would be good

BLARS response: This is not something we had considered and will look into it. We will take advice from our colleague in Library Services who are experienced with this technology.