Dear all,
With apologies for double posting.
Following posting last week, a few people have suggested that I provide a
text only version of the document explaining what the AAM is all about.
Here it is:
Why does the UK need this Campaign now?
The potential of archives to illuminate people's lives is being severely
inhibited by their low profile and the lack of awareness of their value
amongst the general public, politicians, decision makers and funding bodies.
With the increasing popularization of history, the power of ICT, the growth
of new partnership working and more attention at government level, there's
been no better time to start raising our profile.
What do we want to achieve with the Campaign? - Long Term Objectives
1. To raise the profile of the archives domain amongst the general public,
potential partners, politicians, decision makers and funding bodies
2. To encourage new users and a wider user base
3. To change the image of the domain and the archive profession
4. To involve the archival community in its broadest sense to develop a
greater sense of confidence and mutual support
Objective for Campaign 2003 - Archive Awareness Month
We are proposing to start tackling the first two of our long-term
objectives, given above, through the promotion of Archive Awareness Month
September 2003.
What's the Theme for Archive Awareness Month September 2003?
The opening up of archives to the general public and raising public
awareness of the sheer wealth of treasures that archives hold.
Who are we targeting with Archive Awareness Month September 2003?
1. Our existing user base (be they internal or external users)
2. Those currently poorly represented as users:
* Under 24s
* Black and ethnic minority communities
* Higher education students
Why a month?
* To allow flexibility in planning for events
Why September?
* Availability of potential audiences, notably schools,
universities, and colleges
* Tying in with complementary campaigns such as linking with
Heritage Open Days (13-22 September)
* Allows enough time to implement the Month successfully
* Increases our chances of publicity as September is
traditionally a slow month for news
What are the messages we want to convey by opening up?
Discovery is based on using archives to make the hidden known. Archives are
treasure troves of information that explain and clarify past actions and
help rebuild current lives.
Validation focuses on the authenticity of archives, and how this is
important in providing contemporary accounts of past events. Through
archives past acts are preserved for future judgement, offering the
foundation stones for a society's judicial system and democratic freedom.
Challenging the past is about how archives can transform our lives today.
For example, the use of archival evidence in proving compensation claims for
former industry workers.
Engagement refers to the power that archives have, in conjunction with other
media to create a world gone by.
Belonging demonstrates the way in which archives can create a sense of
identity and belonging to a group, place, family, community or nation.
Perceptions - archival material offers something to everyone, are personal,
are about you. Stereotypes of archival institutions and archivists aren't
necessarily true.
How are we going to organize this?
At the national level: As the leading advocate for archives, and an
independent forum for the whole archive community, the NCA will be leading
the development of Archives Awareness Month at the national level. The NCA
will be supported by the PRO, Resource and the Society of Archivists.
At the regional or devolved level: The 9 English Regional Archive Councils
will be responsible for coordinating and promoting activity within their
regions. They will act as a vital communications link between national and
local planning. In the home countries, these functions will be performed by
the Scottish Archives Council, Archives Council Wales and by the Public
Record Office of Northern Ireland.
At the local level: Individual institutions, their users and supporters will
be responsible for organizing and promoting events at the local level.
Locally based events will form the backbone of Archives Awareness Month.
What will the NCA actually be doing?
* Coordinating branding for the Month for distribution,
* Generating national events, publicity, press and marketing
for the Month
* Creating a directory of events in on-line and print format
* Providing a series of toolkits to help archives plan
activities
* Appointing a part-time co-coordinator in the Spring to
support the Month
* Securing funding for national coordination from within its
own resources, the PRO, Resource, the Society of Archivists and private
sponsorship
* Coordinating evaluation of the Month and building future
plans
Katie Norgrove
Policy and Development Officer
National Council on Archives
Public Record Office
Ruskin Avenue
Kew, Richmond
Surrey TW9 4DU
Tel: 020 8392 5376
Fax: 020 8392 5345
Mobile: 07760 463052
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