The Reading Room, ARA Cymru/Wales' new virtual book club!

Prynhawn da pawb,

We’re thrilled to invite you to the first session of The Reading Room, ARA Cymru/Wales' new virtual book club! This free, online event will take place on 16th December 2024 at 7:00 PM (GMT), and we’d love for you to join us as we launch this exciting new series.

In this first session, we’ll dive into the theme of decolonising archival practices by discussing the role of community narratives in reclaiming and reshaping historical accounts. Our reading will be "Archival Dignity, Colonial Records and Community Narratives" by Jeannette A. Bastian & Stanley H. Griffin, a thought-provoking paper that sheds light on the importance of community-led storytelling in archival work.

Event Details:

Date: 16th December 2024
Time: 7:00 PM (GMT)
Location: Zoom (link provided upon registration)

To join, simply reserve your spot on Eventbrite, and we’ll send the paper to you in advance. Don’t miss this chance to be part of a unique literary journey!

This event is for ARA Cymru/Wales members only. Click here to reserve your spot on Eventbrite here, and we’ll see you on Zoom for an inspiring discussion.

Preservation and Conservation AGM - Meet the committee

P&CG will be holding an annual meeting covering the ARA year 1 October 2023 to 30 September 2024 on Monday 9th December 2024 on Zoom. It will be recorded for minute-taking purposes

We will be presenting an annual report and financial statement for the year and confirming officers for the coming period. Come and meet us all!

Tickets are free for ARA members, please book a place here. To avoid disappointment, please register by Friday 6th December.

You will be sent a zoom link to the meeting by the end of the preceding week.

Whilst any other business can be raised at the annual meeting, we would appreciate advance notice of any other significant issue.  Emails to secretary Rachel Marsh, preservationandconservation@archives.org.uk by 4th December.  

Christmas Networking Event

ARA South East & London and the Section for New Professionals invite you to join them for a Christmas networking event!

We are delighted to announce our Christmas get-together sponsored by Max Communications, leading providers of digitisation, conservation, and archiving services. Come and enjoy Italian nibbles (including vegetarian and vegan) and mix your own Aperol Spritz or Bellini in the festive surroundings of Serata Hall, where we have reserved a section on the ground floor. 

• When: Wednesday 27th November, 6pm-8pm 

• Where: Serata Hall, 207 Old St, London, EC1V 9NR (Ground floor in the bar area)

Tickets are free for ARA members but are strictly limited, please register here.

To avoid disappointment, please register by Wednesday the 20th of November. Any further questions can be sent to arasoutheastandlondon@archives.org.uk.

 We very much look forward to seeing you!

Webinar 3: Storage, materials and enclosures

Trainer: Lorraine Finch ACR and featuring a 10 minute case study provided by Julie Bon, Head of Collections Care at the National Library of Scotland

Friday 15th November 2024 - Online event

10:00 – 11:00am

This is the third of a series of three webinars which forms part of ARA’s new Collections Care Toolkit. The webinars are funded by The National Archive and free to attend.

This webinar will end with a 5 minutes Q&A with Lorraine Finch ACR and features a 10 minute case study provided by Julie Bon ACR, Head of Collections Care at National Library of Scotland.

Please note: this webinar will be recorded, but the question and answer session at the end will not be recorded.

Webinar 3: Storage

Deciding what storage enclosure to use for what type of paper based archive material can be confusing. Come along to our webinar on storage enclosures and be confused no longer. This practical and interactive collections care webinar on the storage of paper based archives has been created specifically for archivists and those working in archives without in-house conservation support.

In the session, led by accredited conservator Lorraine Finch, we will examine the general guidance for storage enclosures, the types of paper, board and plastics which can be used for the storage of paper based archives, the criteria these materials should fulfil and what to use for what. This session includes a case study presented by Julie Bon from the National Library of Scotland with time for you to ask your questions about this real life example of good storage practice. 

By the end of this session, you will be able to:

●        Outline good practice for storage enclosures.

●        State what requirements storage enclosures should meet.

●        Identify suitable storage enclosures for paper based archive materials.

About our trainer:

Lorraine is an accredited conservator with 30 years experience in the conservation of archives and photographic material. After working in archives in the UK, she set up LFCP to provide conservation and preservation services, and bespoke training to institutions. LFCP now works to accelerate sustainability action in the sector through knowledge sharing, resource creation and research.

Lorraine was a Trustee of the Institute of Conservation where she worked to produce the Icon Ethical Guidance, develop Professional Standards and conservation apprenticeships. She is Chair of the Icon Sustainability Group. For many years, Lorraine was part of the committee of the ARA Preservation and Conservation Group and was Chair of the ARA Film, Sound and Photography Group.

The event is free for ARA members and non-members.

Please book your place on Eventbrite here.

Information on how to join the session will be sent to attendees a couple of days ahead of the event.

If you have any further questions about this event, please get in touch with Chris Sheridan at: chris.sheridan@archives.org.uk

Introduction to Disability and Access

An event from ARA South West

In person at Kresen Kernow/ 'Cornwall Centre' home to the Archives and Cornish Studies Service of Cornwall Council, Little Vauxhaul Redruth TR15 1AS

Friday 8th November - 1015-1530

Costs:

Members: £35 / Non-Members £50

Learn how to widen access, develop inclusive practices and support engagement with histories of disability.

An in-person training event led by Philip Milnes-Smith and lida Saarinen.

Sessions include:

• Introduction: Taboos, Tropes, and Models of Disability

• The Long view: History of Disability

• Telling Disability Histories

• Disability and the Workforce

Panel Discussion including representatives from disAbility Cornwall and Kresen Kernow, exploring how archivists can support the development of disability history, and the access and use of archives by disabled people by organisations working and learning together.

Tour of building with discussion of accessibility and work with The Sensory Trust’s resources led by Deborah Tritton, Archive Services Manager, and Tamsin Mallett, Collections and Development Manager, Kresen Kernow

Philip Milnes-Smith

Philip Milnes-Smith is a disabled archivist employed at Shakespeare’s Globe but with some freelance practice including in disability history. As the Chair of the Accessibility Working Group of the Diversity and Inclusion Allies set up to be a critical friend of the Archives and Records Association, he is co-ordinator of, and regular contributor to, the Accessibility and Archives blog. He set up the Disability Collections Forum in 2022 for those working in libraries, archives and museums, to share and develop good practice.

Iida Saarinen

Iida Saarinen is a disabled archivist and public records officer working for National Records of Scotland. A Finn on a very prolonged Scottish adventure, she was previously engaged in the academic study of history and higher education teaching, but has since found her place in the recordkeeping sector. With a particular interest in equity, diversity and inclusion, Iida is a Diversity and Inclusion Ally for Archives and Records Association, a Diversity Officer for ARA Scotland, and a member of Disability Collections Forum.

Note: lunch is not provided. We are expecting the Arch Café at Kresen Kernow to be open. You are also welcome to bring a packed lunch.

Timings

We are aware that people may need additional time for travel to attend. As such registration is from 10:15 - 10:30am, with the first session starting at 11:00am after the tour. We will finish the day at 15:30.

ARA SW Regional Meeting

The ARA SW regional meeting will be held this day at 13:00 and can be attended remotely. There is no charge to attend this meeting - please choose ARA SW meeting ticket when booking.

Travelling to Kresen Kernow

Kresen Kernow is situated on the edge of Redruth, just off the A30. We have six accessible parking spaces and limited general parking, all free of charge. If we are busy, there are plenty of other car parks nearby. Please note, we lock the car park gates overnight.

We strongly support using public transport where possible. We are a fifteen minute walk from Redruth railway station (with direct trains across Cornwall and to London Paddington), and a local bus stop is situated at Tesco Redruth, less than five minutes’ walk away. Several buses stop near Kresen Kernow, usually including Go Cornwall Bus numbers 34 and 49, and Hopley’s coach number 315, but we recommend checking current routes and timetables. Taxis also operate from outside the railway station.

A short walk along the stream on the town side of the building leads directly to the town centre where there are a number of shops and cafes. Please note, although there is signage in the town centre directing visitors to the building (including finger posts and town maps), we do recommend that walkers to or from the railway station check a map.

Accessibility guides

A short pre-visit film about using Kresen Kernow is available on YouTube channel.

ARA SW is very thankful to Kresen Kernow (‘Cornwall Centre’), who is hosting this event. Kresen Kernow is home to the world’s largest collection of documents, books, maps and photographs related to Cornwall’s history. Everyone is welcome to visit and explore these amazing collections. Kresen Kernow is a state-of-the-art archive centre built in the shell of the former Redruth Brewery, which opened in 2019. As well as 14 miles of shelving to store over 1.5 million of Cornwall’s treasured archives, the centre has research and exhibition spaces, learning rooms, preservation and digitisation studios. Visitors can carry out research, pop in and browse the library and exhibitions, or take part in our varied activity programme featuring workshops, courses and fun family events.

Webinar 2: Integrated Pest Management

Trainer: Lorraine Finch ACR and featuring a 10 minute case study provided by Rhiannon Griffiths, Gwent Archives

Friday 18th October 2024 - Online event

10:00 – 11:00am

This is the second of a series of three webinars which forms part of ARA’s new Collections Care Toolkit. The webinars are funded by The National Archive and free to attend.

This webinar will end with a 5 minutes Q&A with Lorraine Finch ACR and features a 10 minute case study provided by Rhiannon Griffiths, Gwent Archives

Please note: this webinar will be recorded, but the question and answer session at the end will not be recorded.

Webinar 2: IPM

Watch out, watch out, the bugs are about… and are eating your paper based archive materials. What can you do about this? Come along and find out in this webinar. This collections care webinar will look at  Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and is created specifically for archivists and those working in archives without in-house conservation support, and find out.

In the session, led by accredited conservator Lorraine Finch, we will examine what  IPM is, the principles of IPM, what pests need in order to thrive, the common pests found in paper based collections, monitoring for pests and dealing with them. The session includes a case study presented by Rhiannon Griffiths from Gwent Archives and the opportunity for you to ask your questions about this real life example of IPM.

By the end of this session, you will be able to:

●        State what IPM is.

●        Explain the principles of IPM.

●        Describe what pests need in order to thrive.

●        Identify common paper pests.

●        Understand how to monitor for pests.

●        Outline how to deal with pests.

About our trainer:

Lorraine is an accredited conservator with 30 years experience in the conservation of archives and photographic material. After working in archives in the UK, she set up LFCP to provide conservation and preservation services, and bespoke training to institutions. LFCP now works to accelerate sustainability action in the sector through knowledge sharing, resource creation and research.

Lorraine was a Trustee of the Institute of Conservation where she worked to produce the Icon Ethical Guidance, develop Professional Standards and conservation apprenticeships. She is Chair of the Icon Sustainability Group. For many years, Lorraine was part of the committee of the ARA Preservation and Conservation Group and was Chair of the ARA Film, Sound and Photography Group.

The event is free for ARA members and non-members.

Please book your place on Eventbrite here.

Information on how to join the session will be sent to attendees a couple of days ahead of the event.

If you have any further questions about this event, please get in touch with Chris Sheridan at: chris.sheridan@archives.org.uk

Archiving Now: Staying Social in the Digital Era

Join our online event to meet your new ARA Cymru/Wales Team and participate in a discussion on navigating social media platforms.

Online - Monday 30 September 2024 - 1.00pm to 1.45pm

Booking and delegate fee:    Free for All. Please sign up here.

Please book your place by Thursday 26th September 2024

Joining instructions will be sent 48 hours before the start date.

Go on the B of the Bang!

Speakers: Véronique Reuter, Paul V. Dudman, Susan Barton, Jen Grasso and Reynold Leming.

Online - Thursday 19 September 2024 - 10.00am to 12.20pm

Archives and Records Association’s Section for Business Records Summer Seminar 19th September 2024 10am-12.20pm

Join us for our annual Summer Seminar on the 19th September!

The event will be split into two sections, with the first half focusing on The Olympics and Sports, with guest speakers from various archives:

•  International Council of Archives’ Section of Sports Archives will be telling us how they promote sports archives and as they have just finished, what will happen after the Paris 2024 Olympics and how business records are managed in France.

•  University of East London will be showcasing the British Olympic Association with a glimpse into what they include and how they have been involved with the Paris 2024 Olympics and Sport in Your Futures.

•  University of Leicester will be taking about the Special Olympics Collection, which was the result of a partnership project between De Montford University and University of Leicester.

•  University of Brighton Design Archive will present Olympics materials which have been taken from a variety of collections such as the ICOGRADA Archives. This includes posters from the 1970s – 2000s.

•  The second half will focus on Metadata with a presentation by Reynold (Ren) Leming, of Informu Solutions Ltd and Vice-Chair of External Engagement, IRMS.

About our Speakers:

•  Véronique Reuter (ICA Section of Sports Archives); from 2012 to 2017 she was Librarian at the French National Library, where she compiled French sports websites, focusing on the websites’ legal deposit. In 2018 and 2019, she was a documentation specialist-archivist at the French Ministry of Culture, Inter-Ministry Archive Service; she created a research guide for sports archives in France, on the website FranceArchives, in partnership with the French Ministry of Sports’ History Committee. Since 2020, she is archivist in Centre de recherche et de restauration des musées de France in Paris. She is secretary of the sport archives section of International council archives.

•  Paul V. Dudman (University of East London); has been the Archivist at the University of East London (UEL) Archives for over two decades. Paul has worked on several archival civic engagement projects exploring issues surrounding the ethical documentation of migration narratives and the role of theatre as means of performing and representing narratives as a tool for empowerment and social change. Paul is the Editor for the journal Displaced Voices: A Journal of Archives, Migration and Cultural Heritage and co-convenor of the IASFM Working Group on the History of Forced Migration and Refugees: An International Working Group for Archiving and Documentation.

•  Councillor Susan Barton (University of Leicester – Special Olympics Collection); is an honorary visiting research fellow at De Montfort University where the paper-based Special Olympics collection is held in Special Collections with other sports history archives.

•  Jen Grasso (University of Brighton Design Archive); is the Digital Content Systems Co-Ordinator at the University of Brighton Design Archives. Her role focuses on the dissemination of Design Archives collections across multiple platforms as well as handling digital preservation. Her interests lie in the intersection between analogue and digital technologies, and the use of technology to democratise culture and heritage. 

•  Reynold (Ren) Leming (Informu Solutions Ltd and Vice-Chair of External Engagement, IRMS); is the founder and co-owner of Informu Solutions. He has been involved in documents and records management for the last 25 years. He was elected in 2020 as Chair of the UK Information and Records Management Society (IRMS).

Booking and delegate fee:          Free for ARA members. Please sign up here.

Please book your place by Monday 16th September 2024

Joining instructions will be sent 24 hours before the start date.

Data Protection: Refresher

Trainer: Naomi Korn Associates

Online - Wednesday 18 September 2024 - 13.30pm to 14.30pm

Are you looking to refresh your knowledge of key data protection principles, or are you new to the subject and eager to learn?

This webinar, hosted by ARA and delivered by Naomi Korn Associates, is designed for everyone, from seasoned professionals to newcomers in the field. It offers a thorough introduction to essential data protection concepts and practices.

During this engaging session, our expert speaker will guide you through the fundamental principles that underpin data protection laws and regulations, essential compliance requirements (such as key policies, training requirements and documentation), a refresher on data subject rights and give practical tips and strategies for effectively identifying, managing, and responding to data breaches. The webinar will conclude with a 10-minute Q&A segment, providing you with the opportunity to ask questions or seek clarification.

Webinar learning outcomes

• Overview of Data Protection Principles

• Key Data Protection Compliance Requirements

• Data Rights Update

• Top Tips for handling data breaches.

The learning outcomes map to the following areas of ARA’s competency framework;

• Developing self and others

• Using and managing information systems, records and data

• Appraising and disposing of records

• Acquiring and accessioning of archives

• Providing (intellectual) access to the content of records and archives onsite and online
  

  Find our more and book here.

Booking and delegate fee:          £55 for ARA members. £90 for Non-members

Please book your place by Monday 16th September 2024

Joining instructions will be sent 24 hours before the start date.

Practical Digital Preservation: Write-Blockers and Pre-ingest

Trainer: Simon Wilson

Friday 13 September - 13.30 to 16.30pm

ARA South East and London is hosting this face to face training event delivered by Simon Wilson at Hampshire Record Office.

This session will begin with the lesser-spotted write-blocker and a practical demonstration of how it can support your pre-ingest tasks including appraisal and transfer from legacy media. There will also be discussions on pre-ingest and how you might use your digital asset register and Key Performance Indicators to support your digital preservation advocacy work.

The focus will very much be on the practical over the technical aspects of digital preservation. There is no assumed prior knowledge or experience with time and opportunity for questions and discussion.

Booking and delegate fee:          £25 for ARA members. £50 non-members

Please book your place here before Wednesday 4th September 2024

If you have any further questions about this event, please get in touch with the South East and London region at: arasoutheastandlondon@archives.org.uk

Webinar 1: Agents of deterioration

Trainer: Lorraine Finch ACR

Friday 13th September 2024 - Online event

10:00 – 11:00am

This is the first of a series of three webinars which forms part of ARA’s new Collections Care Toolkit. The webinars are funded by The National Archive and free to attend.

This webinar will end with a 5 minutes Q&A with Lorraine Finch ACR.

Please note: this webinar will be recorded, but the question and answer session at the end will not be recorded.

Webinar 1: Agents of deterioration

Have you ever wondered why your paper based archive material falls apart and what you can do to reduce this? Then this is the webinar for you. This collections care webinar will cover the 10 agents of deterioration in paper archives and is created specifically for archivists and those working in archives without in-house conservation support.

In the session, led by accredited conservator Lorraine Finch, we will examine the 10 agents of deterioration, how they impact paper based archive material, going through simple steps that you can take to reduce their effects. Illustrated throughout with case studies and examples of the damage caused by those dastardly agents. Bring your questions about your collections because your interaction is positively encouraged.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the session, you will be able to:

●        Name the ten agents of deterioration.

●        Understand how the ten agents of deterioration cause your paper based archive materials to fall apart.

●        Outline the simple steps you can take to reduce the rate of deterioration that they cause.

About our trainer:

Lorraine is an accredited conservator with 30 years experience in the conservation of archives and photographic material. After working in archives in the UK, she set up LFCP to provide conservation and preservation services, and bespoke training to institutions. LFCP now works to accelerate sustainability action in the sector through knowledge sharing, resource creation and research.

Lorraine was a Trustee of the Institute of Conservation where she worked to produce the Icon Ethical Guidance, develop Professional Standards and conservation apprenticeships. She is Chair of the Icon Sustainability Group. For many years, Lorraine was part of the committee of the ARA Preservation and Conservation Group and was Chair of the ARA Film, Sound and Photography Group.

The event is free for ARA members and non-members.

Please book your place on Eventbrite here.

Information on how to join the session will be sent to attendees a couple of days ahead of the event.

If you have any further questions about this event, please get in touch with Chris Sheridan at: chris.sheridan@archives.org.uk

Digital Preservation Games - fourth event

Are you interested in digital preservation? Do you like games? If so, then this event is for you!

Hosts: Sean Macmillan (King’s College London), Francesca Mackenzie (The National Archives), and Megan Guest (The National Archives, Archives Records Association)

Monday 8th July 2024 from 18.00 to 20.00pm (online)

Sean Macmillan (King’s College London), Francesca Mackenzie (The National Archives), and Megan Guest (The National Archives, Archives Records Association) are hosting a free games event with a focus on digital preservation.

There will be a selection of games to play, and this event is open to everyone of all skill levels and knowledge of digital preservation. Feel free to attend regardless of whether you are an expert in the area or have only just begun to learn about digital preservation.

The event is free, but numbers are capped, so please do sign up early! Monday 8th July – online event: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/digital-preservation-games-virtual-event-tickets-841368013377

If you have any questions please contact Sean Macmillan at sean.macmillan@kcl.ac.uk

Decolonising and inclusive collections knowledge sharing (webinar 2)

Wednesday 3 July - Online event

10:30am – 12:00pm

Contact: arasoutheastandlondon@archives.org.uk

At these two knowledge sharing webinars hosted by the ARA South East & London Region, fourteen speakers will share their experiences of decolonising collections and inclusivity in collections. The talks will be followed by a Q&A session with our speakers. Members and non-members are welcome to attend both webinars or just one.

PROGRAMME

• 10:30 Welcome and Introduction

• 10:40 – 11:40 Speaker presentations

• 11:40 – 12:00 Questions

• 12:00 Finish

THE SPEAKERS

Clare Hunt will speak on behalf of the National Museum of the Royal Navy about the legacy of colonialism in armed forces museums and the importance of working closely with communities.

Zoë Viney Burgess will be presenting on behalf of Wessex Film and Sound Archive on their recently completed Inclusive Cataloguing Resource Pack. Thanks to Resilience funding from the British Film Institute (BFI) Wessex Film and Sound Archive (WFSA) has spent the last 12 months developing an Inclusive Cataloguing Resource Pack for film and sound. The pack has been developed to address the shortfall in guidance available to film archives around cataloguing demographic characteristics. Audio visual sources present a unique challenge to cataloguers. Where text/document based archives might grapple with the appropriateness of language deployed in extant records, audiovisual content faces a double challenge: to tackle the issue of outdated or offensive language used in written/on-screen sources but also to manage the subjectivities, variable experience, knowledge and confidence that cataloguers bring to their work and how this is translates into metadata. Without words to describe visually discernible characteristics– they become invisible to catalogue users. WFSA’s approach aims to grow the confidence of cataloguers, and invite further research into the collections as more records become visible through their metadata.

Miidong P. Daloeng will present on the decolonisation project at the National Library of Wales. The Library developed a “Wales and the world” calendar that highlights various cultural, religious, awareness and diversity events globally, with significance to Wales and items available in the Library. The project has brought to light what has been available but unexplored and most importantly, it has cast light on areas for improvement in the Library’s collection development.

Simon Wilson has recently completed research for Archives and Records Council Wales into offensive language in archival finding aids. He will share the methodology adopted (using AntConc linguistic freeware) and the approach towards identifying terms already being used within the service’s finding aids.

Pamela Forde will present on behalf of The Royal College of Physicians. RCP collections cover the time period of Britain’s colonial exploitation, including items directly linked to that exploitation and which reflect the values and language of oppression. RCP created a decolonisation working group to re-examine their catalogues and other finding aids in the Summer of 2020. Pamela will speak about the decolonisation programme, how far they have come, what they have achieved, their approach, and what is still to come.

Lesley Shapland will talk about her provenance research in the context of the British Library's Race Equality Action Plan (REAP) and its stated aim to become "a more representative and diverse organisation that is welcoming and empowering for everyone".

Susannah Gillard will share the experience of the British Library/Qatar Foundation Partnership (BLQFP) in decolonising and increasing the accessibility and inclusivity of collection content held by the British Library. The BLQFP is a collaboration between the British Library, the Qatar National Library, and the Qatar Foundation, which began in 2012. It has consisted of a large-scale bilingual project to catalogue and digitise archival material relating to the Gulf and wider Middle East from the India Office Records and Private Papers, visual arts, audio and maps collections, and Arabic scientific manuscripts. Susannah will also discuss how the project’s cataloguing and translation teams, in particular, have attempted to deal with problematic and offensive language and attitudes present in India Office Records and Private Papers included in the project.

The event is free for ARA members and non-members.

Please book your place on Eventbrite here.

Information on how to join the session on Teams will be sent to attendees a couple of days ahead of the event.

If you have any further questions about this event, please get in touch with the South East and London region at: arasoutheastandlondon@archives.org.uk

Decolonising and inclusive collections knowledge sharing (webinar 1)

Wednesday 26 June - Online event

10:30am – 12:00pm

Contact: arasoutheastandlondon@archives.org.uk

At these two knowledge sharing webinars hosted by the ARA South East & London Region, fourteen speakers will share their experiences of decolonising collections and inclusivity in collections. The talks will be followed by a Q&A session with our speakers. Members and non-members are welcome to attend both webinars or just one.

PROGRAMME

• 10:30 Welcome and Introduction

• 10:40 – 11:40 Speaker presentations

• 11:40 – 12:00 Questions

• 12:00 Finish

THE SPEAKERS

Sally Kent has undertaken work for Cambridge University Library to develop guidelines around inclusive descriptive practices in the archive catalogue, identifying problematic historic language and general issues of inadequate description.

Sian Woodward & Kirsty Kerr will speak about the case study "Cataloguing the ‘Oriental’ in the Museum of Domestic Design & Architecture’s Silver Studio Collection" which explores a project that introduces fresh perspectives to improve cataloguing practices by examining the historical and recent use of the term ‘Oriental’ in MoDA’s Silver Studio collection. By linking heritage sector debates with practical cataloguing, the study highlights the opportunities and challenges of embedding meaningful changes in core practices.

Ellie King has worked on the Inclusive Cataloguing Policy at The Keep and will share experiences of the process over the last two years and developments since.

Philip Milnes-Smith will be speaking about decolonising and inclusivity through subject guides. The archivist leading on decolonising and inclusive practice work at Shakespeare’s Globe successfully bid for a TNA Research and Innovation Grant in autumn 2023.  The project is producing subject guides to finding disability, gender, queerness and race in the collections (including in the plays themselves) which are to be published this autumn and updated annually.  In this presentation, he explores the thinking behind these new finding aids, and shares aspects of the process, including recruiting and working with an intersectional Inclusion Advisory Panel of volunteers with lived experience.

Helice Koffler will be speaking about the Watson Library, Metropolitan Museum of Art project to enhance holdings of works by and about Indigenous American, Hispanic American/Latinx, and Asian American/Pacific Islander artists. The presentation will also focus on the project's outreach with living artists and communities and the work to create a substantial number of name authority records for artists not previously represented.

Victoria Cranna will speak about the Decolonising Principles that have been adopted by the Archives Service at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Covering five areas: archival practice, cataloguing practice, dissemination, education and inclusivity. Victoria will also give an update on the work of the ARA Diversity and Inclusion Allies and the inclusive cataloguing group.

The event is free for ARA members and non-members.

Please book your place on Eventbrite here.

Information on how to join the session on Teams will be sent to attendees a couple of days ahead of the event.

If you have any further questions about this event, please get in touch with the South East and London region at: arasoutheastandlondon@archives.org.uk

Recordkeepers Unite: ARA meets IRMS (ARA South West)

Speakers: Rob Bath, Dorset History Centre, Viv Cothey and Preservica

Face to Face and Online - Monday 17 June, Great Western Hotel, Taunton, 9.30am to 15.30pm.

Archivists and records managers need to work together to ensure the integrity of our archival record from creation through to future use. But how do we do this?

In this joint training event with IRMS SW we will exploring the following questions:  

• How can the professions work more effectively together? Who else do we need to work with?

• How can we advocate for resources and change within our working contexts?

• In terms of digital preservation what do we need to prioritise? What are the best ways of communicating and managing risk? 

• What communication strategies and skills do we need?

• When IT suggests Sharepoint as a records management or digital preservation solution, how do we answer?

• How can we ensure that creators understand and know how to make good records? – when they use Office 365 or put everything in the cloud?

• Can retention schedules/digital preservation workflows be integrated with Sharepoint/Outlook office?

• Do we all need to become digital archivists? 

Speakers (full agenda tbc):

• Rob Bath ‘Approaches to Retention in Microsoft 365’

• Dorset History Centre – Panel discussion

• Viv Cothey ‘Digital preservation in the Archive: how to get started, what to focus on, some myths’

• Introduction to Preservica

Cost:
Free to attend in person for ARA members, spaces limited. A vegetarian buffet lunch will be provided.

All day remote attendance for ARA members is available and can be booked via Eventbrite.

ARA SW Regional meeting (lunchtime 12:30-13:00) - if you wish to attend only this part remotely, please email: southwest@archives.org.uk

Non-ARA members in person attendance - £35

Non-ARA members virtual remote attendance (whole day) - £10

Bursaries:
ARA SW can provide travel bursaries for ARA members without organisational support. Please email: southwest@archives.org.uk

For more information and to book your place please see Eventbrite page:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/recordkeepers-unite-ara-meets-irms-tickets-888306176687?aff=oddtdtcreator

Digital Preservation Games - third event

Are you interested in digital preservation? Do you like games? If so, then this event is for you!

Hosts: Sean Macmillan (King’s College London), Francesca Mackenzie (The National Archives), and Megan Guest (The National Archives, Archives Records Association)

Thursday 23rd May 2024 from 18.00 to 20.00pm (in person at King’s College London Archives)

Sean Macmillan (King’s College London), Francesca Mackenzie (The National Archives), and Megan Guest (The National Archives, Archives Records Association) are hosting a free games event with a focus on digital preservation.

There will be a selection of games to play, and this event is open to everyone of all skill levels and knowledge of digital preservation. Feel free to attend regardless of whether you are an expert in the area or have only just begun to learn about digital preservation.

The event is free, but numbers are capped, so please do sign up early! Thursday 23rd May – in person at King’s College London Archives: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/digital-preservation-games-tickets-841363860957

If you have any questions please contact Sean Macmillan at sean.macmillan@kcl.ac.uk

Managing third party copyright

Trainer: Dr Ellie Pridgeon

Copyright in context is a series of three one-hour online training events. Each session is aimed at those looking for an introduction to the subject, or to refresh a basic understanding of copyright. They are designed so that delegates can attend sessions during their working day. Delegates can also choose to attend individual sessions or all three events.

Each session provides a focus on real-life case studies and practical examples, providing delegates with essential tools, skills and confidence to manage copyright effectively in their workplace.

The sessions consist of PowerPoint presentation by the speaker with a short question and answer session at the end. The sessions will be delivered via MS Teams.

Course learning outcomes

Course 3: Managing third party copyright. This session will consider how heritage organisations are dealing with third party copyright material in their collections (Thursday May 23rd 2024 - 1pm-2pm including 10 minute Q&A)

ARA competency framework

The learning outcomes map to the following areas of ARA’s competency framework Understanding, interpreting and complying with legislation and/or regulation

• Managing risk and/or business continuity

• Developing self and others

About our trainer: Dr Ellie Pridgeon is director of Consultant Archivist, an organisation that specialises in providing advice and support to the heritage and records management sector. Ellie has provided expert advice and services to organisations and individuals in the UK and beyond. Ellie is a digital heritage expert who also works with physical collections.

Delegate fees:

ARA Members £55. Non members £90

Book your place here.

Information on how to join the session on Zoom will be sent to attendees a couple of days ahead of the event.

If you have any further questions about this event, please get in touch with Chris Sheridan at chris.sheridan@archives.org.uk.

Going Freelance

Trainer: Simon Wilson

Online - Tuesday 21 May - 12.00pm to 14.30pm

Simon Wilson RMARA is an established archives consultant. In this webinar Simon will provide an overview of key considerations for anyone thinking of moving from employment to consultancy.  He will also share his top tips and reflections. Topics include:

• Being self-employed: finance/tax/insurance headline considerations and pointers

• Freelance mindset: selling yourself, thinking like a business, imposter syndrome

• Looking for work: what, where and deciding how much to charge

• Multi-skilling: wearing many hats (marketing/HR/accounts etc) all the time

The webinar will include a support pack for delegates to review and reflect on some of the topics discussed with links to further reading/resources.

Learning outcomes

Delegates will have a deeper understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing self-employment.

The learning outcomes map to the following areas of ARA’s competency framework;

• Working with aims and objectives

• Managing and using financial and other resources

• Developing self and others

• Working with people

• Managing risk and business continuity

• Undertaking marketing, advocacy and outreach activities to reach new communities, inform employers and other stakeholders

About our presenter: Simon Wilson RMARA has over twenty-five years experience of working in archives, libraries and museums across the higher education, local government and charity sectors. With considerable experience of managing information securely with a track record of providing strategic direction, team leadership, collaborative partnerships and innovation.

Booking and delegate fee:          Free for ARA members. £60 non-members

Please book your place via Eventbrite before Sunday 19th May 2024. Joining instructions will be sent 24 hours before the start date.

Copyright, digitisation & social media

Trainer: Dr Ellie Pridgeon

Copyright in context is a series of three one-hour online training events. Each session is aimed at those looking for an introduction to the subject, or to refresh a basic understanding of copyright. They are designed so that delegates can attend sessions during their working day. Delegates can also choose to attend individual sessions or all three events.

Each session provides a focus on real-life case studies and practical examples, providing delegates with essential tools, skills and confidence to manage copyright effectively in their workplace.

The sessions consist of PowerPoint presentation by the speaker with a short question and answer session at the end. The sessions will be delivered via MS Teams.

Course learning outcomes

Course 2: Copyright, digitisation and social media. This session will examine different approaches taken by heritage organisations when carrying out digitisation projects and using content on social media platforms (Thursday May 16th 2024 - 1pm-2pm including 10 minute Q&A).

ARA competency framework

The learning outcomes map to the following areas of ARA’s competency framework Understanding, interpreting and complying with legislation and/or regulation

• Managing risk and/or business continuity

• Developing self and others

About our trainer: Dr Ellie Pridgeon is director of Consultant Archivist, an organisation that specialises in providing advice and support to the heritage and records management sector. Ellie has provided expert advice and services to organisations and individuals in the UK and beyond. Ellie is a digital heritage expert who also works with physical collections.

Delegate fees:

ARA Members £55. Non members £90

Book your place here.

Information on how to join the session on Zoom will be sent to attendees a couple of days ahead of the event.

If you have any further questions about this event, please get in touch with Chris Sheridan at chris.sheridan@archives.org.uk.

Introduction to copyright

Trainer: Dr Ellie Pridgeon, MSc

Copyright in context is a series of three one-hour online training events. Each session is aimed at those looking for an introduction to the subject, or to refresh a basic understanding of copyright. They are designed so that delegates can attend sessions during their working day. Delegates can also choose to attend individual sessions or all three events.

Each session provides a focus on real-life case studies and practical examples, providing delegates with essential tools, skills and confidence to manage copyright effectively in their workplace.

The sessions consist of PowerPoint presentation by the speaker with a short question and answer session at the end. The sessions will be delivered via MS Teams.

Course learning outcomes

Course 1: Introduction to copyright. This will include an overview/refresher of copyright and the UK heritage sector (Friday May 3rd 2024 - 1pm-2pm including 10 minute Q&A).

ARA competency framework

The learning outcomes map to the following areas of ARA’s competency framework Understanding, interpreting and complying with legislation and/or regulation

• Managing risk and/or business continuity

• Developing self and others

About our trainer: Dr Ellie Pridgeon is director of Consultant Archivist, an organisation that specialises in providing advice and support to the heritage and records management sector. Ellie has provided expert advice and services to organisations and individuals in the UK and beyond. Ellie is a digital heritage expert who also works with physical collections.

Delegate fees:

ARA Members £55. Non members £90

Book your place here.

Information on how to join the session on Zoom will be sent to attendees a couple of days ahead of the event.

If you have any further questions about this event, please get in touch with Chris Sheridan at chris.sheridan@archives.org.uk.

Northern Region in person event

Speaker: Gary Brannan, Keeper of Archives and Research Collections, Borthwick Institute for Archives

In person event - Tuesday 30 April and Wednesday 24 April 2024 - 2.00pm to 3.30pm

Borthwick Institute for Archives, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD

Tuesday 30 April 2024

TOUR AND TALK ON THE COLLECTIONS AT THE BORTHWICK INSITUTE FOR

ARCHIVES AND CHALLENGES FACING UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES

The Borthwick Institute for Archives is in Zone 3 Campus West, accessed from University

Road. When you arrive, please proceed to the Borthwick Lifelong Learning rooms on the top

floor of the Burton Library. Signage will be put out on the day and there is a lift available

which will take you to outside the learning rooms.

• 2pm Meet and introductions

• 2.10 Tour of the Borthwick Institute archive and library

• 2.40 Crisis, what crisis? Current challenges in higher education archives. Gary Brannan, Keeper of Archives and Research Collections, Borthwick\Institute for Archives

• 3.00 Questions

• 3.15 ARA Northern region update

• 3.30 Close

Information on transport, parking and the campus map is available at

https://www.york.ac.uk/about/transport-maps-parking/

There is a pay and display car park in Zone 3 Campus West.

For those coming from the station, take either the 66 or 67 bus which go from a stop on the other side of the road from the station.

As this is a relatively short meeting we are not providing refreshments but there is the Library café in Zone 3

We would be grateful if you could indicate if you would like to come. Email davidmander@clara.co.uk

Digital Preservation Games - second event

Are you interested in digital preservation? Do you like games? If so, then this event is for you!

Hosts: Sean Macmillan (King’s College London), Francesca Mackenzie (The National Archives), and Megan Guest (The National Archives, Archives Records Association)

Thursday 18th April 2024 from 18.00 to 20.00pm (online)

Sean Macmillan (King’s College London), Francesca Mackenzie (The National Archives), and Megan Guest (The National Archives, Archives Records Association) are hosting a free games event with a focus on digital preservation.

There will be a selection of games to play, and this event is open to everyone of all skill levels and knowledge of digital preservation. Feel free to attend regardless of whether you are an expert in the area or have only just begun to learn about digital preservation.

The event is free, but numbers are capped, so please do sign up early! Thursday 18th April – online event: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/digital-preservation-games-virtual-event-tickets-841364372487

If you have any questions please contact Sean Macmillan at sean.macmillan@kcl.ac.uk

SfNP Research Showcase #2

Speakers: Natalya Uemlianin-Stone, Emily Hughes, Phoebe Brunt and Joseph Hettrick

Tuesday 16th April 2024 from 12.30 to 1.30pm (online)

Following on from successful events in previous years, the New Professionals Research Showcase is back for 2024 where we will hear from new professionals on research undertaken in the past year. This event offers the opportunity for new and established professionals alike to engage with early career research through talks and a short Q&A.

The Speakers and their topics:

• Natalya Uemlianin-Stone - "Networked Archival Description: Problems and Potentialities in the Local Authority Archive"

• Emily Hughes - "An Archive for Sex Workers: Legitimising Narratives and Counter-Memory from Institutions to the Digital"

• Pheobe Brunt - "Access in the Archive: Assessing the Physical Accessibility of Archives in the UK"

• Joseph Hettrick - "The Restoration Tower of London Records Office 1660 - 1707"

Booking information: This event is free and you can book your place here.

A link to the event will be sent out the day before the event.

Copyright in Context: Ireland

Trainer: Dr Ellie Pridgeon

Thurs 11th April 2024 - 11.00am to 15.30pm.

ARA, Ireland's Copyright in Context workshop will take place in person on Thursday, 11 April 2024 at the National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin.

We are pleased to offer a one-day in person training workshop that will outline copyright in context for the two legal jurisdictions on the island of Ireland.

The focus will be on Irish Law with comparison of key differences to UK Law as it applies in Northern Ireland for those who may work cross border. It will also highlight any key differences between Irish law and other UK and international jurisdictions.

Using practical case studies this training event will address copyright issues as they apply to digitisation and social media. It will also explore the subject of third party copyright.

The training will comprise of three sessions, at approximately 45 minute duration each. Opportunity will be afforded to allow round-table discussions and ask questions.

Programme, 'Copyright in Context: Ireland', Thursday 11 April 2024

11:00-11:15 Attendees arrive at the National Library of Ireland

11:15-12:00 Session 1: 'Introduction to copyright in Ireland'

12:00-12:15 Group Discussion 1

12:15-13:00 Session 2: 'Copyright, digitisation and social media'

13:00-13:15 Group Discussion 2

13:15-14:00 Lunch, not included

14:00-14:45 Session 3: 'Managing third party copyright'

14:45-15:15 Group Discussion 3, Questions and Answers

15:15-15:30 Informal Networking and Close of Event

The workshops will be delivered by Dr Ellie Pridgeon, director of Consultant Archivist, an organisation that specialises in providing advice and support to the heritage and records management sector.

Group discussions will be facilitated by ARA Ireland, to provide attendees with an opportunity to informally discuss copyright issues after each session with their group peers. Groups will shortlist questions for the Q&A at the end of the workshop.

The workshop will be followed shortly by the ARA Ireland AGM.

Delegate Fees

• ARA Members: 100 EUR

• Non-ARA Members: 120 EUR

Please book your place here

We regret that the workshop venue is not accessible to wheelchair users. ARA Ireland apologises for this, and is working hard to ensure all future events are fully accessible.

ARA, Ireland's AGM 2024 will take place in person on Thursday 11 April 2024.

Please see the seperate Eventbrite registration page for the ARA AGM 2024. The AGM is free for all to attend. A link to the registration page will be sent by e-mail to ARA Members.

There will be an opportunity to network informally with other ARA members before and after the AGM.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Please note: AGM will take place in person and event registration is essential for catering numbers.

We would kindly ask you to book a place so that we have an idea how many to expect. Please cancel your registration if you are no longer able to attend .

SfNP Research Showcase #1

Speakers: Jasmine Hide, Aiden Chan, Felicity Crowe and Takatso Nawe

Tuesday 9th April 2024 from 18.00 to 19.00pm (online)

During the New Professionals Research Showcase 2024, we'll hear from new professionals on research they have undertaken in the past year. This event offers both new and established professionals to engage with early career research through talks and a short Q&A.

The Speakers and their topics:

• Jasmine Hide - “Translating Theory into Practice: Postmodernism and the Description of LGBT+ Records in UK Archives”

• Aiden Chan - "On Utopianism: (Re)Imagining Time and Memory in Queer Archives"

• Felicity Crowe - "Libyan Perspectives in the BILNAS Archive"

• Takatso Nawe - "The Evangelist and his Manuscripts: A Case Study of Michael Cassidy and African Enterprise in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa"

Booking information: This event is free and you can book your place here.

A link to the event will be sent out the day before the event.

Communications of Archives in Public History

Speakers: Professor Alan Lester, Lorna Steele-McGinn and Dr Philip Milnes-Smith

Monday 18th March 2024 from 10.00am to 12.00pm

The Archives for Learning and Education Section are planning a series of three events in 2024 on the communication of archives as public history. The stories within archives are communicated to individuals and groups in the reading room, in learning activities, and through informal presentation and publication in, for example, webinars and blogs. The sessions will consider the impact of public histories and showcase examples of these activities.

The first event will be held using Microsoft Teams on Monday 18th March from 10am to 12pm.

Our speakers and topics for this session are:

Professor Alan Lester: “Researching, Talking and Writing About British Colonialism in a Time of Culture War”

Academic historians of colonialism have been caught up in a political maelstrom that we could never have anticipated just a few years ago. In the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement and the backlash against it, with much of the press labelling us 'anti-British', and with the publication of a best-selling moral justification of the Empire dismissing us as 'anticolonial' fanatics, our specialism has left the ivory tower to settle at the centre of the culture wars. In this talk he will set out the challenges that those of us who pursue truthful, evidence-based research using primary sources now face, and how some of us are seeking to adapt and respond.

Lorna Steele-McGinn: “A good use of time: taking archives into prison”

For the last five years, the Highland Archive Service has run workshops in HMP Inverness in partnership with Fife College, who deliver offender learning programmes in all of Scotland’s prisons. Working with remand, convicted, enhanced and protection prisoners, they have looked at documents relating to the First and Second World Wars, crime and punishment, mental health, and slavery. This partnership has enabled them to speak about mental health archives with those who have been resident in secure mental hospitals, to discuss stories of crime and the justice system with those who are immersed in it today, and to reflect on the impact of war with prisoners who have seen military action in recent years. These sessions have used archives as a conduit to create a space for open conversation and each has influenced the way they communicate their collections to audiences with varying life experiences subsequently. 

Dr Philip Milnes-Smith: “How would I know, why should I care?”: Public history of those who fall in the gaps between our records

Understandably, archives struggle to disgorge records that either were never created or, if they did once exist, no longer survive, whether that loss was accidental, or the documents were simply not deemed important enough to preserve. While it is right that we acknowledge the limitations arising from gaps and silences, that should not condemn us to telling stories only about the white men, often presumptively non-disabled and straight, who are much better represented in our collections.  Drawing on experience telling more inclusive histories across a range of projects and outputs, Philip Milnes-Smith shares his learning from each about responsibly reconstructing under-documented lives and making them publicly accessible.  

During the session there will be the opportunity for questions and discussion with the speakers. The event costs £10 for ARA members and £15 for non-ARA members. To book a place, please register on Eventbrite by Monday 11 March 2024. Information on how to join the session will be sent to attendees ahead of the event.  Please note that the event will be recorded and the recording will be made available to ARA members only via the ARA website.