iMuseum: "It's absolutely our intention to reinstate online newspaper service" 

Speaking to Manx National Heritage as access to digital archive to cease

The ceasing of online access to the iMuseum's digital newspaper archive is 'absolutely' a temporary measure.

That's from Manx National Heritage's Head of Collections after it was announced that the service will end from 12 October.

It's said the aging software and infrastructure used to support it has 'reached the end of its operational life'.

It means researchers and local historians will no longer be able to access the 150-years' worth of papers so readily.

Instead they'll only be able to scour the digital archive using microfilm, a process said to be much more painstaking and less user-friendly than the online portal.

Read more HERE.

Whilst there are hopes the service will eventually be reinstated, Head of Collections Kirsty Neate admits the iMuseum as a whole has 'had its problems in the last year or so'.

Speaking to Manx Radio, Kirsty says: "We're looking at our wider digital infrastructure to make sure that going forward we can provide a better service, better access." 

On the future of the online digital newspaper service, she says: "It is our intention, always has been our intention, to make this service available in the future and actually to improve it."

Despite those reassurances, the cost of reinstatement is yet to be established, and Kirsty is unable to give even a ballpark figure at this stage.

To add, she says: "I think it is important to remember that things like this do require significant investment, and it's not just one-off. You have to continue to invest in the infrastructure. 

"It's just like a building, you have to continue to invest in the infrastructure to make sure that it stays in good condition, it's fit for purpose and meets modern standards in information management."

To users of the service, Kirsty says: "We absolutely appreciate and we do understand because we're users and researchers of that service as well. 

"We are looking into this, we have people looking into what the solutions might be. I'm not going to make any promises today about timing, but we are looking into it and it is important for us." 

Listen to the full interview with Kirsty Neate via the Manx Radio Newscast below: