Archives West Midlands Annual Review 2017/18
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Archives West Midlands Annual Review 2017/18 1 AWM at a glance Archives West Who we are AWM members represent 26 organisations which hold the largest archive collections, Midlands (AWM) and attract the most visitors, in the region. AWM is backed by The National Archives and supported by seven other national and regional archive bodies. is an independent, When we were formed strategic partnership AWM was formally launched in June 2016. of archive services Why? in the region which In a nutshell, AWM is about working together and forging a collective identity for the region’s archives. In times of financial constraint, collaboration is more important aims to maximise the than ever. Sharing our knowledge and expertise makes us collectively stronger, and creates new opportunities for exciting joint projects. benefits of working Our aims together both in • Promote the importance of archives as vital regional assets • Encourage the highest standards of archive work terms of shared • Encourage investment in digital preservation and digital access to collections and services projects and funding • Develop and support regional (or sub-regional) projects • Provide a confident and coherent voice for the region’s archives opportunities. The bigger picture It’s not just about preservation and accessibility. Archives in the region are making significant contributions in other areas such as skills and employability, community engagement, health and wellbeing, and tourism. How we are funded AWM is subscription-based and has received additional financial support from donor organisations in the form of grants for funded projects. Charitable status Archives West Midlands is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (Registered Charity Number 1168386). For more information website: archiveswestmidlands.wordpress.com twitter: @ArchivesWM facebook: facebook.com/Archives-West-Midlands email: [email protected] twitter: @ArchivesWM 2 Introduction 2017/18 is Archives West Midlands’ second experience, skills and enthusiasm of our year as an independent organisation network will enable our workforce, our working to advance learning and volunteers and our collections to develop education for public benefit by supporting and prosper. the collection, storage, preservation, promotion and access to archival materials During 2017/18 we have: relating to the West Midlands. • Continued to promote the importance It has been a very busy year and this of archives as vital regional assets report celebrates our achievements, and • Supported seven of our members to also details our priorities for the next 12 achieve accreditation/ re-accreditation months. • Delivered a programme of training and As Chair of Archives West Midlands I am support for our members including proud of what we have been able to two workshops to share best practice achieve for our members. Our trustees and current thinking on approaches have worked hard in partnership with to digital preservation and training on our members and stakeholders to deliver fundraising for archives the ambitious set of priorities which we • Achieved funding to further explore a detailed in our 2016/17 Annual Report. potential regional solution for digital preservation There is no doubt that across the archive • Built relationships with key funding sector we are working in challenging partners including Arts Council times. Resources are tight, society and England, the Heritage Lottery Fund, communities are changing, and the way in The National Archives and the which individuals are choosing to engage Wellcome Trust with our collections is transforming - and all of this is happening at an enormous • Promoted Archives West Midlands as pace. a sustainable and innovative model of support for archives through a Archives West Midlands is ideally placed range of conferences, workshops and to support our members to navigate this regional presentations changing landscape. We believe that we • Promoted our members through are stronger together and the collective successful social media campaigns twitter: @ArchivesWM 3 Our Priorities for 2018/19 are to: · Continue to promote and celebrate the · Co-produce with our members training and importance of archives as vital regional assets development events which support archive leaders to meet the challenges of the · Celebrate and embed the contribution of changing landscape volunteers and Friends through a training and development programme · Share best practice, skills and policies to support members to gain and retain · Deliver The National Archives-funded accreditation sustainability project to develop a regional solution for digital preservation · Identify, develop and achieve funding for a further regional project which showcases the potential of archives · Share our learning so that other regional networks can develop and become sustainable · Continue to build our relationship with key funding bodies and explore ways in which we can work together to enable communities Janene Cox OBE and individuals to engage with the rich and Archives West Midlands Chair diverse range of archives across the West Commissioner for Culture and Communities, Midlands Staffordshire County Council ‘I was at the launch of Archives West At The National Archives we believe in the Midlands in June 2016 and I have followed power of archives to inspire trust, enrich their progress with interest ever since. Their people’s lives and unlock information which collaborative, innovative and forward thinking informs the future. I have been impressed by ethos has built a strong reputation and raised Archives West Midlands aspirational approach the profile of Archives across the region. – the Chair and Trustees are ambitious for the collections across the West Midlands and As Chief Executive Officer and Keeper of The they are seeking innovative and pragmatic National Archives I am delighted that we interventions which will support their have been able to further support Archives members and the collections to deliver The West Midlands during 2018 - a successful bid National Archives’ vision for Archives going to our sustainability fund has meant that the forward.’ network will be funded to further explore digital preservation which is an ideal project Jeff James Chief Executive and Keeper of The National for partnership working and collaborative Archives solutions. twitter: @ArchivesWM 4 Accreditations Oswestry Town Council Media Archive for Archives Central England Oswestry Town Council is one of the smallest local The Media Archive for Central England (MACE) authority archives in the UK to achieve Archives has been re-accredited. MACE was one of the Accreditation, which it received in March 2018. first archives to be accredited nationally - and the first of only two film archives to achieve Since 1989 The Town Council Archives have been kept at the award. MACE is also designated a Place of the Guildhall, which was refurbished in 1999. The archives Deposit for Public Records. are now housed in environmentally controlled store rooms, with public access provided by appointment. An online MACE aims to make film, video and digital catalogue of the archives is available here: materials of the region as accessible as www.oswestry-tc.gov.uk/oswestry-archives/the-archives- possible. It is supported by the University catalogue.html of Lincoln, where it is based, and is part of a network of English regional film archives that Oswestry Archives are managed by Archivist Sara Downs, work closely together. It has links with the who also provides records management services to the British Film Institute, the Imperial War Museum Town Council, and is supported by Shropshire Archives. and the national archives of Wales and Scotland, and is closely connected with county Melinda Haunton, Archive Service Accreditation record offices across the Midlands. Programme Manager for The National Archives, said: “All of us involved with Archive Service Accreditation were delighted to see this successful application from one of the smallest local authority archives in England. It is great to see the Town Council investing in its heritage and sustaining a successful partnership with Shropshire Archives which delivers professional capacity to keep the collections safe, well managed and accessible.” More good news Congratulations to Birmingham Archives and Collections and to Staffordshire and Stoke-on -Trent Archive Service who are now accredited. Well done, also, to Warwickshire County Record Office and Worcestershire Archive & Archaeology Service who have both been re-accredited. twitter: @ArchivesWM 5 Awards Well done Worcestershire In May 2017 Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology The award was presented to the Service was voted Record Keeping Service of the Year. Worcestershire team, at a ceremony in The award is one of the Archives and Records Association August. ARA’s Chief Executive Officer John (ARA) Excellence Awards - which aim to recognise the Chambers said: achievements of services across the archive sector. It is extra-special because customers, as well as archive “Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology professionals, vote for the winner.. Service was the clear winner of this year’s Record-keeping Service of the Year award. It is not alone, of course, in having committed, professional staff in the local government sector that are determined to maintain a quality service to the wider community in the county despite acute financial pressures. But its range and depth of activities and success in placing itself at the heart