Dear RMA members,

A vital research resource that many of us have used, the BBC Written Archives, is proposing to seriously restrict access to materials.  The BBC’s new policy for the Written Archive Centre in Caversham is to allow access only to files that have already been vetted, making it impossible to consult new material crucial to original research — see here.

A group of researchers has already written to the BBC chairman (see attachment here) and their representatives are due to have a meeting with the Director of Archives next Monday (28 April).  They believe that personal letters from other academics explaining how they value the established services of the Written Archive Centre and how they are concerned about the changes would be very helpful.  

If you feel able to do so, please write a letter to heritage@bbc.co.uk before Monday.