Wandsworth Heritage Service Strategy for archives and local history 2013-16
Contents Page
1. Introduction 1
2. Progress since Wandsworth Heritage Strategy 2009-2012 1
3. Vision for 2013-2016 2
4. Key outcomes 3 4.1 Community engagement and participation 3 4.2 Collections management and development 3 4.3 Digitisation 3 4.4 Records management 4 4.5 Income generation 4
5. Responding to national, regional and local priorities 4
6. National priorities 4 6.1 Archives for the 21st Century 4 6.2 Archive Service Accreditation 5
7. Regional priorities 5
8. Local priorities 5 8.1 Wandsworth Cultural Strategy 5 8.2 Local Development Framework 5 8.3 Wandsworth Lifelong Learning three year 5 development plan 2010-2013
9. Service policies and plans 6
10. Action Plan 7
Strategy for archives and local history 2013-16
1. Introduction
This strategy forms part of a wider approach to protecting heritage within the borough; including strategies for archaeology, preserving historic built environment and conserving artefacts. These areas will be developed in partnership with Council officers and partners from Heritage Wandsworth and the Council’s contractor (from 1st April 2013) for Library and Heritage Services.
The Heritage Service forms part of the Library and Heritage Service. The local history and archives collection is located at Battersea Library. Holdings include records for the borough area dating back to 1489 and a wide range of books and articles relating to the history of the borough, as well as hundreds of old newspapers, maps, plans, photographs, sound recordings, census returns and ephemera. The collections are made accessible through an online archive catalogue, an outreach programme and events and by providing searchroom facilities on the first floor of Battersea Library which are staffed during the service’s opening hours.
A new approach to archives and local history was adopted through the Heritage Strategy 2009-2012 and by the appointment of two qualified archivists from November 2008.
2. Progress since Wandsworth Heritage Strategy 2009-2012
The service is moving through stepped changes, these being:
Stage 1: Delivering improved access to the collections. This has been principally through carrying out extensive cataloguing. 68% of the collection is now catalogued compared with only 13% in 2008. From 2009 all catalogue details are entered online into a specialist archives holdings database, CALM and then made available to the public via CalmView. Further access to collections will also come through digitisation.
Stage 2: Ensuring as much of the collection is adequately stored and protected. Storage has been increased. In 2011 a large room in Battersea Library became available and is now used as additional heritage storage. Improved shelving will be installed in this room in 2012, increasing the amount of storage available. Repackaging of records using proper archival materials has meant that they are protected against damage. Volunteers have assisted with repackaging plans and photographs.
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Stage 3: The new 2013-2016 strategy will build on previous work and in particular develop the collections to reflect the diversity of the borough, through events, an outreach programme and partnerships. This will also promote and enable access to the service by a wider audience
Stage 4: A major priority for 2013-2016 will be to increase visitors and enquiries through publicity, events and outreach programme
Stage 5: To further improve facilities and to enable achievement of the archive accreditation, thereby providing a service to a recognised and challenging national standard
Other achievements to date include: . Setting up of Heritage Wandsworth, the strategic partnership for the borough established to bring together organisations with an interest in the history, heritage and built environment of Wandsworth. First meeting held January 2010 In 2011 there was a project to catalogue and index the large run of 20th century rate books, which brought the proportion of the collection catalogued up to 65%. Several volunteers have contributed regularly with tasks including newspaper indexing, listing and re-packaging plans, archive cataloguing, cataloguing photographs and glass plates Annual Heritage Festival began in May 2009 and brings together a series of events across the borough telling the story of the development of the area Green Plaques Programme was launched to commemorate famous people or places in the Borough, not covered by the English Heritage Blue Plaque Scheme. Plaques are being steadily unveiled across the borough including Balham, Battersea, Putney, Roehampton, Tooting and Wandsworth. The first plaque was for Clement Attlee and was unveiled in June 2009
3. Vision for 2013-2016
Inspiring an interest in Wandsworth's history to promote a sense of place and belonging to encourage people from all cultures to be active contributors to archives and local history
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4. Key objectives In order to continue improving the Heritage Service and build upon the achievements of the last three years, nine key objectives have been established. These in turn pulled together a series of actions and outcomes, which will be monitored throughout the period.
4.1 Community engagement and participation There is a keen appetite for heritage, but many residents in the borough have little knowledge of the history around them. By actively promoting the heritage of the area, this will lead to the strengthening of community identity and sense of place.
Key objective 1: Provide opportunities for learning about local and family history by children and adults, particularly non users.
Key objective 2: Develop key partnerships with groups in the public, private and voluntary sectors, together with community groups that reflect the diversity of the borough.
Key objective 3: Develop opportunities for volunteers to assist in making collections more accessible.
Key objective 4: Provide events, an outreach programme and other activities to promote and enable access by a wider audience.
4.2 Collections management and development Reduced cataloguing backlogs and listing of new collections has substantially increased the access to the archives and local history materials. Further developments are required in order to achieve accreditation and provide more comprehensive coverage for future generations.
Key objective 5: Improve the preservation and storage of the collections including provision for expansion.
Key objective 6: Actively develop the collections to better reflect the diversity of the borough’s population and in particular to collect records that show the cultural heritage of the borough’s newer communities.
4.3 Digitisation Small scale digitisation is already taking place, including the digitisation of glass plate negatives and participation in the National Digitisation Consortium. A more systematic approach
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is now needed to decide future priorities within available resources.
Key objective 7: Build up online digital content, to make collections more accessible and increase their usage.
4.4 Records management Heritage collections include the archives from the predecessor boroughs and current borough records, but there needs to be a centralised approach to ensuring that there is a system to preserving modern records and understanding of their future importance.
Key objective 8: To work in partnership with other council departments to ensure all records (regardless of format) of historical value will be preserved and accessible.
4.5 Income generation The sale of photographic images from the collections has substantially increased due to their digitisation. This together with sale of local history items and marketing of other services needs to be further explored.
Key objective 9: Increase and maximise income
5. Responding to national, regional and local priorities The Heritage Service through membership of professional bodies and partnerships, seeks to keep up-to-date, benefit from joint funding and shared training. Knowledge of national standards are essential in maintaining the quality of the collection, whilst solid local partnerships ensure relevance and access to the collections
6. National priorities 6.1 Archives for the 21st Century is the government policy on archives, published in November 2009. It makes five recommendations to achieve an effective, relevant and sustainable sector across England and Wales: develop bigger and better services in partnership - working towards increased sustainability within the sector; strengthen leadership and form a responsive, skilled workforce; coordinate the response to the growing challenge of managing digital information, so that it is accessible now and remains discoverable in the future;
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