Dear Editor
Recently one of your correspondents suggested Durham County Council had ‘closed’ the DLI. This is incorrect. With the DLI Museum receiving almost £300,000-a-year in subsidies, councillors took the difficult decision to focus resources on bringing the DLI Collection to people in new, more engaging ways. The approach taken has been backed both by the Arts Council and the Army Museums Ogilby Trust as an example of innovative and sustainable approach to important collections. After only ten months, more people have seen or heard about the service, sacrifices and lasting legacy of the brave men and women of County Durham, than in the previous year.
The first of five temporary exhibitions, Somme 1916: From Durham to the Western Front, brought over 30,000 visitors to Durham University’s Palace Green Library. In addition at the Gala around 5,000 people were transported to the First World War trenches and back again by what visitors described as an “incredible,” “superb” and “deeply moving” immersive experience, 1916: No Turning Back. A further 1,636 turned out to see the specially commissioned Fighting Bradfords play, with 549 enjoying the Durham Hymns within the Cathedral and 625 watching screenings of the Battle of the Somme film. Educational sessions around the collection continue to be popular involving over 100 schools and 3,000 plus children, further widening access to the stories.
The DLI Collection is now housed in the DLI Research and Study Centre – a much more spacious and suitable location, alongside the Durham Learning Resources and Library Support Services at Sevenhills. This has already received in excess of 100 hours volunteering a week and wider students and family visitors able to access the collection to follow their research. Members of the pubic are able to visit by emailing dlicollectionenquiries@durham.gov.uk, or simply pop in on a Tuesday or Thursday between 10am and 3pm when specialist advisors will be there to help. There is more to come too, with the DLI collection gallery opening on March 11th, where we expect to extend access to the collection further with this free gallery. ‘Courage, Comrades and Community’ will bring the story of the Durham soldier to an even wider audience, opening at Palace Green Library, in the heart of the county’s UNESCO World Heritage Site. This modern gallery, with modern interpretation boards, interactives, film and displays will further help engage audiences of all ages.
In addition to the new exhibition visitors can, whilst at Palace Green, call into the Barker Research Library to request to view medals from the DLI Collection. Items from the DLI collection can also be viewed online at http://bit.ly/DLIdigi, as well as the informative Durham at War website hosted by and curated by the Durham County Record Office. The travelling exhibition was in Newton Aycliffe Library on Friday 17th February and advertised in the Newton News. In summary, by focussing on the DLI Collection and working with groups and partners like the DLI Trustees, Friends and the University the local authority has found a positive way forward and extended access to the collection. Cllr Neil C. Foster Cabinet Member Regeneration, Economic Development Arts & Culture.
