It’s been a great year for the northeast. 2018 was they year of The Great Exhibition of the North, which appeared in Newcastle and many other cities. Part of the regeneration of the northeast has included money from the European Union’s ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) and, of course, from the various British lotteries. Now, Gateshead Central Library hard work has paid off and it’s been granted £500,000 for its historical archive. The grant is £499,200 to be precise and it will improve access to its history collection of the area.
How Will the Gateshead Central Library Spend £500k?
The grant was subject to a plan submitted in due course to the Heritage Lottery Fund administrators. As revealed in the plan, Gateshead Central Library will use these funds to improve visitor services. The main focal point though will be dedicated space for their historical archives named the Gateshead Archive. It will contain all of the historical records in the charge of the local authority including maps, historical records, newspaper archives, and much more. But the real improvements will come in the form of the new digital archive services. Users will be able to search current archives for more information much faster than ever before.
Everything kicks off in January 2019 and will last for the next 18 months. By summer 2020, it will become the best, most advanced and user friendly historical archive in the northeast. It’s harnessing a new desire for people to connect with their past – direct ancestors and local pride about an area’s contribution to the country over the centuries. The northeast is certainly not short of contribution nor of national pride. This is one of the many different types of project that the Heritage Lottery Fund is proud to support. Please keep reading our site for such stories. You never know, we might next bring you news of a project in your local area!