Keeps you up to date with what is going on in the sector
ARA Publications
Members receive ARA’s suite of publications direct into their inbox and can access current and recent issues in the password protected Member area of the website.
ARA Today
ARA Today is our monthly bulletin containing information on events, campaigns, initiatives in the sector. It also advertises vacancies for voluntary roles with ARA’s sections, groups, regions and nations. We provide information on other organisation’s events and on grant opportunities that are relevant to the sector. As well as providing information to members, ARA Today is also an opportunity for members to disseminate information to the sector and we welcome contributions to this bulletin.
ARC Magazine
ARC Magazine features news and views from across the sector alongside in-depth analysis of the issues affecting our profession, ARC Magazine is an exclusive value-added benefit offered as part of ARA membership. Published six times annually, experts from across the sector explore everything from funding, legislation and new technological developments to diversity and inclusion, workforce development and sustainability.
The magazine also offers opportunities for members to share successes and best practice with others in the sector and to write more extensive feature articles - benefitting both their own and their organisation’s professional reputation.
Past editions of ARC Magazine are made available publicly 6 months after their publication date and a full online archive is available via the Townsweb Past View platform.
Archives and Records
Archives and Records, the journal of the ARA, is issued three times a year to ARA members and contains topical research and articles relevant to archivists, archive conservators and records managers, as well as those involved in the study and interpretation of archives.
Archives and Records aims to represent current professional practices and research. If you are working within the record-keeping sector, planning to develop and grow your career, or just have an interest, Archives and Records makes enjoyable and informative reading. As well as being issued to ARA members, Archives and Records has over 3000 institutional and individual subscribers around the world.
As an ARA member you are sent your own printed copy of the journal. You also get access to our digital back catalogue going back to the very first issue published in the 1950s via the ‘member only’ section on the website which can be accessed using your login details.
As a member you also get access to five other journals published by Taylor & Francis. Selected annually by the ARA this years additional journals are:
Journal of Web Librarianship
Library Collections, Acquisitions & Technical Services
Museum Management & Curatorship
International Journal of Heritage Studies
Heritage & Society
ARA Reports and Surveys
ARA’s Surveys Group runs a number of regular surveys looking at who uses your service.
The Distance Enquiry Survey
The Survey of Visitors to UK Archives
ARA is a lead member of a consortium that produces Workforce Mapping Surveys.
These surveys look at the workforce of the library, archives, records, information and knowledge sector and provide useful information at a strategic level. The 2022 Survey will be published in Summer 2023.
ARA’s regions and groups have also produced a number of reports covering topics such as:
Volunteering
Accessible Learning Toolkit
Diversity and Inclusion resources
Best Practice Guidelines on a range of topics
ARA Pay Review Guidelines
ARA’s pay review guidelines can help you make an informed decision on pay being offered to you, or pay offered in a role you wish to advertise. Our Pay Review Group continues to monitor the job market and make recommendations to improve the pay of those working in the record-keeping sector.
Competency Framework
The ARA’s competency framework is an essential career development tool for all those working and volunteering within the archives and conservation, records management and information profession. It also sets national competency standards in record keeping for the UK and Ireland. Each competency provides examples of how it can be achieved at any of five levels. The examples will help you understand your current level of experience, and help you plan the steps you need to take to progress your career to the next level.
Find out how the framework can help you develop your career and qualify for ARA professional registration here.
Volunteering
As well as a suite of volunteering reports and resources we also offer information on volunteering within the sector and maintain a list of placement opportunities.
The annual Volunteering Service Award, administered by ARA highlights best practice and we host a number of case studies from winning and nominated services here.
Partnerships
Through our partnerships with other organisations members can get free and discounted training as well as preferential booking for some events.
Members are often offered discounts on publications of related books, often authored by our members!