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Here in the north west, we have been sent some information on MLA's Action for Archives Programme. It includes a question and answer sheet, which contains the following: Where does MLA see archives be in 20 years time? * there will have been mergers and amalgamations - maybe even regional archives rather than city or county ones, or mergers with libraries and museums. Some of the big tourist cities may retain local archives but as part of wider heritage or cultural service offers. * all LA archives united as a single service with 130 access points with single entry to all archives with one ticket or better still ticketless access. Single brand with clear identity * Much more material will be on-line, not just catalogues but digitised images downloadable to personal devices etc * Professional boundaries between archivist, libraries etc will have broken down and merged; people will train as heritage professionals or cultural advisers/managers * community engagement will ensure archive services are meeting the needs of all of their users and users will be directly involved in deciding what is kept * Total privatisation of family history, as a leisure interest with a clear market and brand leaders - Ancestry.uk etc I would be really interested to know what people think about this. As someone who hopes to still be working in archives in 20 years' time, I find it rather worrying for a number of reasons: I have nothing against the theory of mergers, and can see that it will bring economies of scale. Indeed, if more records are to be digitised, then people are more likely to be accessing archives in a variety of ways at a range of locations. However, I cannot see how this fits in with Community Engagement. I also do not see why a big tourist city should be treated any differently. Surely, if anything, such locations would be more suited to a digital/exhibition approach than somewhere which may not have many tourists, but which has a large academic audience. If we are to consider social inclusion, then socially excluded areas are the least likely to have a tourist audience, yet would be most in need of the opportunities and benefits archives can bring to a community. This solely audience-based perspective also worries me because I feel that it completely ignores the very core of archives - the importance of provenance. While I know that it can be confusing for many ordinary people, the simple fact is that most archives are located where they are because of their history - their location is an integral part of the knowledge they contain. The re-organisation of county boundaries in 1974, for example, now means that records for parts of some counties are in a neighbouring county record office. We all know how confusing this can be, but it is also part of the learning and research process for archive users - a process that surely can only be to their benefit in widening their knowledge and broadening their skills. I have always thought that this is one area where the internet can be of real benefit - as users can now easily search for many records without any knowledge of their possible location. While we have previously discussed on this list the need for changes to our training, I do not see how we can be merged with librarians - there are too many areas of specialism, and to ignore that is to devalue both professions. I would also point out that not all archivists are working in 'heritage'. Finally, I am completely at a loss as to what the 'total privatisation of family history' would involve.... Maria Sienkiewicz Barclays Group Archivist (although all opinions expressed are my own, and not the Bank's) This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and intended solely for the addressee and may also be privileged or exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the addressee, or have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender immediately, delete it from your system and do not copy, disclose or otherwise act upon any part of this e-mail or its attachments.. Internet communications are not guaranteed to be secure or virus-free. The Barclays Group does not accept responsibility for any loss arising from unauthorised access to, or interference with, any Internet communications by any third party, or from the transmission of any viruses. Replies to this e-mail may be monitored by the Barclays Group for operational or business reasons.. Any opinion or other information in this e-mail or its attachments that does not relate to the business of the Barclays Group is personal to the sender and is not given or endorsed by the Barclays Group. Barclays Bank PLC.Registered in England and Wales (registered no. 1026167). Registered Office: 1 Churchill Place, London, E14 5HP, United Kingdom. Barclays Bank PLC is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.