Victory in Downsview!

Almost too good to believe. I received an email from Keisha Banhan, Senior Manager at the Archives of Ontario today which sounds super flattering--due to my concerns and in order to meet my needs and enhance my experience (and a bunch of other superfluous reasons) they are extending hours! (On the other hand, it is addressed to Sir or Madam, so maybe my whining was not the prime mover of this welcome change after all.)

I am writing with regard to your earlier correspondence about the hours of operation at the Archives of Ontario. We have heard your concerns. As a result, we have reviewed our hours of operation and archival reference services.

Effective February 8, 2011, the Archives of Ontario will extend its hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays to 8 p.m. and on Saturdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Select services will be available during the extended hours, including:
registration, reference services, microfilm viewing and printing, and viewing of
previously ordered materials. Orders placed during extended hours will be
processed the next business day. The Exhibit Gallery will also be open.

We are extending our hours of operation to better meet your needs and
enhance your experience at the Archives of Ontario. By extending our hours we
also hope to attract new audiences and further showcase Ontario’s public and
private archival records

It's enough to make you believe in the value of complaining when you are invited to. Even if my complaint was not the tipping point, at least it got me an announcement letter.

I hope they will publicize it more widely, but in any event you read it here first (unless you complained too.)

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