Changes have been announced to the opening hours of the Manx National Heritage library and archives reading room at the Manx Museum.

The library and archives reading room will be open from Wednesday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm, from August 1.

The hours differ from those of the Manx Museum and so researchers and enquirers are advised to plan their research visits accordingly.

MNH said the alteration will enable the library team to work behind the scenes on cataloguing, collections care and delivering a programme of events.

Researchers have an appetite to know more about what is held in the library and archives.

MNH archivist Wendy Thirkettle explained: ’Our library team welcomes thousands of visitors to our Reading Room each year.

’From August this warm welcome will continue while freeing up the team to work behind the scenes and improve finding aids to the wonderful resources in our care.’

She continued: ’There is a recognised demand for school groups and others to visit and learn more about the library and archives and to attend ’How to’ sessions for family history and other types of research.

’We look forward to offering new activities whilst providing a sustainable regular service to existing researchers and new visitors.’

The collections managed by the library and archives include printed, manuscript, photographic, cartographic and multimedia resources.

As well as holding ecclesiastical, business, and some governmental records the repository stores archives of archaeological excavations, societies, authors and some families.

Among these are the papers of the Dukes of Atholl and Earls of Derby relating to their former rule of the Island and the papers of the Quayle family of Bridge House, Castletown.

Over recent years assorted digitised newspapers and photographs have been released to iMuseum (www.imuseum.im)

The iMuseum also hosts descriptions of Manx printed matter and selected manuscript deposits.

Users range from enquiries from students and family historians to those conducting conveyancing searches and those attempting to trace information about one-time internees held in the island.