AN ARCHIVE for Dartmoor has taken a giant step forward, with a new partnership and plans for a website.
The Dartmoor Trust is establishing a partnership with Devon County Council library services, Exeter University and Dartmoor National Park to set up an archive in two phases.
Firstly, a temporary website will give details of the trust and its aims, together with information on the partnership and the timescale for a permanent site.
This permanent site should then be created around midsummer, with a planned programme for building up the archive.
Philip Sanders, trust chairman, said the link with the two other organisations would ensure the archive would be 'based on the firmest of foundations' after the preparatory work that had been carried out by the trust.
'Our eventual aim is that if someone wants to do some research into Dartmoor from anywhere in the world they will be able to access the archive,' he said.
A range of information will be available, from photos and maps to audio interviews.
The site will also direct people to other sources of information, such as the TSW Film Archive, local museums and record offices.
'We want to be a complementary organisation and not compete with anyone else,' Mr Sanders stressed.
The trust also wants to establish a physical presence to allow people to bring in information for digitising or to obtain computer access to the website and currently has the use of part of the High Moorland Business Centre in Princetown.
'There is a tremendous amount of material available, a lot of it not catalogued. We aim to unlock that,' Mr Sanders said.
The trust already has a substantial number of images and also documentary information.
The aim is to do things relatively slowly and at present the trust is unable to accept any material other than photographs — which they can digitise and return.
They would, however, be interested in hearing from people who have material available for future use.
Further details are available from Mr Sanders on 01822 612265.