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Community archives: Reaching the parts other don't |
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Community archives: Reaching the parts other don't |
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There are many local history societies with archives which are in need of advice and support if their collections are to be properly conserved and which do not have access to the web or digital storage facilities. Of no less importance are the records, publications and periodicals of local community associations and other local voluntary groups, including campaigning groups and residents' associations. To date not enough has been done by libraries, museums and archives to work actively with local groups at the grassroots level, although in my experience they do respond positively when asked for advice or assistance. All kinds of local groups need to be made aware of the National Directory of Community Archives in the United Kingdom and encouraged to care for and conserve not only their records, but also their newsletters and other publicity material as well. This also includes cataloguing documents and artefacts. There must be simple techniques that can be shared with all local voluntary organisations via their respective umbrella groups. In the absence of paid outreach workers at a county level, able to talk directly to local groups, then the next best thing must be to seek and then train volunteers to cover smaller geographical areas, who can not only talk to community activists but also show them how they can practice basic conservation and storage techniques at minimal cost, until such time as they are ready to deposit their archives with the nearest local studies library or archives office. These volunteer, peripatetic support workers could also plug themselves into the local directories of speakers which exist in almost every county and are used by all kinds of local groups. This is another way to reach not only local activists, but also the members and others who attend their meetings. All too often local records are in the care of one individual and when they leave a group, or die, the records are lost. Encouraging local voluntary groups to be part owners of the community archives movement is a good way of ensuring a growing awareness among not only activists, but also among a wider public as well, of the importance of caring for and conserving their records, however recent they are. The alternative to this partnership approach will smack of patronage and establishment do-gooding, which will result in many local groups being suspicious and excluding themselves. I just hope that the community archive movement becomes one where the grassroots are more than 'consulted' and local groups, through their own volunteer peripatetic support workers, actually play a large part in how the movement develops during the coming years. Online conservation adviceThe following websites offer good practical advice about the care and conservation of documents, photographs and artefacts and make a useful starting point: |
Robert Howard 28 May 2007 Left: Volunteer archivists working with the now defunct Hull Local History Unit. They have since founded the Hull & District Local History Research Group. A history of the Unit was published in Local History Magazine No.109 (July/Aug 2006). |
