Nova Scotia Archives Extends Hours and Services

People wanting to research the history of the province will soon have more options for accessing this information, thanks to a number of enhancements at Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management.

Brian Speirs, provincial archivist, announced today, May 19, that the archives is extending its hours and expanding its services in response to client requests.

"The Nova Scotia archives is the leading source of information for documents outlining the history of our province," said Mr. Speirs. "These improvements will make our heritage more accessible for everyone."

Starting next week, the Public Archives Building, located at 6016 University Ave. in Halifax, will extend its hours of operation to include Wednesday evenings until 9 p.m. This will make it easier for people who work during the day or who live outside the city to visit the Archives.

In addition, the archives has upgraded its on-site Internet services. The community access program facilities include six new computers and a workstation equipped for the physically challenged, and all public areas of the building now have wireless connectivity for visitors with laptops and personal communications devices.

"People's schedules are changing and internet resources and online messaging are now a routine part of research," said Mr. Speirs. "We are working to improve our service to the public by responding to these changing needs."

Over one million people use the services of the archives each year. More than 15,000 visit the Public Archives Building in person, while one million visit the Archives' website.

Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management acquires, preserves and makes available the province's documentary heritage. More information on hours of operation and services is available on the website at www.gov.ns.ca/nsarm/ .