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News in brief

Smaller news items, including a £4.8m development project to improve and update the Bishop's Palace next to Wells Cathedral.

Twenty-five years on

We take a look at what was in Local History Magazine 25 years ago, including 'Does your local history really need a museum?' and two articles about health care in pre-NHS days.

A new archives policy, sort of

The government has a new archives policy, which our news editor describes, at best, as 'woolly'. Local historians need to know about these latest developments.

A debate local historians cannot ignore

Yet another consultation about public libraries has come along and a glossy book published to coincide with it leads our news editor to exclaim 'God help our local libraries!' He urges local historians to become involved, writing: 'There is much in this very important, albeit deeply flawed, library consultation for local (and family) historians to think about before arguing the case for local studies and the place of 'heritage' in our local libraries'.

Webwatch

Websites we have found recently (16 December 2009) including one about Christmas at the Co-op.