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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">July 2, 2020<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">BC Archives Reference Room to<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">expand its in-person services in late July<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"></span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">VICTORIA, BC–<a name="OLE_LINK5">
</a></span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">The Reference Room of the BC Archives will offer expanded in-person services beginning July 30, 2020, in strict adherence to archival best practices and
following the guidelines of the Province’s “</span><a href="https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/covid-19-provincial-support/bc-restart-plan"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Restart
Plan</span></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">.”
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">“</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">As we reopen to the public in phases, our priority
continues to be the health and safety of our staff and visitors,” said Joanne Orr, Deputy CEO and VP of Collections, Research and International Programs at the Royal BC Museum. “After much study of our space and how archival materials are typically handled,
and following the advice of the Provincial health authorities and WorkSafeBC, we have determined it is safe to expand access to in-person services in the Reference Room.”
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">The Royal BC Museum reopened its second floor to the public on June 19, after closing its doors</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">
on March 17 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will gradually open the rest of its galleries incrementally, throughout the summer.
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">The BC Archives continued to provide archival services throughout the pandemic, with archivists and access technicians offering on-site services for court requests
and legal matters. BC Archives staff have also offered remote services throughout the pandemic,</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"> connecting with researchers digitally</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">To ready itself for reopening, the Royal BC Museum implemented numerous physical distancing measures, engineered controls and administrative changes to help limit
the resurgence of the virus and protect staff and visitors.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">The BC Archives will take similar steps in the Reference Room. As the Reference Room is a high-touch area, staff have carefully considered the expansion of in-person
service, balancing access to materials with the need to protect staff and researchers from possible infection.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">More information about the Reference Room’s expansion of services will be available at
</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><a href="http://www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca"><span lang="EN-CA">royalbcmuseum.bc.ca</span></a></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">
in mid-July. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">The museum’s re-opening schedule follows the Province’s phased approach, which permits museums, art galleries and libraries to re-open under enhanced protocols.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">About the Royal BC Museum<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">The Royal BC Museum explores the province’s human history and natural history, advances new knowledge and understanding of BC, and provides a dynamic
forum for discussion and a place for reflection. The museum and archives celebrate culture and histories, telling the stories of BC in ways that enlighten, stimulate and inspire. Located in Victoria on the traditional territory of the Lekwungen (Songhees and
Xwsepsum Nations), we are a hub of community connections in BC–onsite, offsite and online–taking pride in our collective histories.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">- 30 -<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a name="OLE_LINK1"></a><a name="OLE_LINK2"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Media contact:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Royal BC Museum Media Inquiries
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:news@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">news@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca</span></a><u><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA"><img border="0" width="19" height="16" id="Picture_x0020_3" src="cid:image002.png@01D65058.99A83490" alt="Twitter_logo_blue"></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalBCMuseum">@RoyalBCMuseum</a>
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA"><img border="0" width="18" height="18" id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image004.jpg@01D65058.99A83490"></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/royalbcmuseum/">royalbcmuseum</a>
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA"><img border="0" width="22" height="22" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image006.jpg@01D65058.99A83490"></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/RoyalBCMuseum/">RoyalBCMuseum</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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