"On 10th August, the Archives and Records Assoc (UK&I) announced the development of a new Archives Card for England and Wales, having secured the commitment of 41 public and private bodies that will make the project financially viable.
"The new Archives Card will enable local researchers to use one personalised card to explore the richness and variety of local archives and record offices from Northumberland to Dorset, and Ceredigion to Norfolk. The new Card will take six months to develop and will then require a short period for testing and ensuring that the required equipment and materials are dispatched to participating services. It will then launch formally in April 2019.
"The new Card will be free to individuals who register for it online. Registration and applications will start in 2019. The ARA will announce details on precisely when — and on how — to do this later this year."
You can see more information on the new scheme here. The Record Offices of Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex have all committed to the ARA Archives card. We will pass this information on (including in the Newsletter) when it is available.
... BUT SUFFOLK "DO DIFFERENT" ... [to borrow a Norfolk expression!]
Suffolk Record Office has not signed up to the new Archives Card. Instead, "they are currently developing their own readers’ ticket to replace the CARN system. Their new website has a function which enables them to produce a Suffolk Record Office ticket, which is under development with Suffolk County Council IT support. CARN tickets will continue to be accepted until the new system comes into operation." We will keep you posted on the progress of this alternative initiative here and in our Newsletter.