Meeting of the National Council on Archives

28 January 2009

·         Archival advocacy in the Lords and local government

·         Archives Awareness Campaign 2009 is on the runway

·         Proving our worth

·         Remote user survey seeks affordable delivery

·         Public Services Quality Group will contribute to international standards

·         Community Archives and Heritage Group to deliver even wider support in 2009

·         Advocacy and sector development drive the Council’s work

Archival advocacy in the Lords and local government

The meeting opened with René Kinzett, the Council’s Head of Public Affairs, outlining some of his recent work.  He briefly described the role of the NCA as Secretariat to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Archives (APPG).  This new but very active Group is aiming to raise awareness in Parliament of public policy issues that affect archives.  The importance of the APG was very recently demonstrated by several APPG member Peers rigorously scrutinising the Government in the Lords on the future of the Minton archive following briefings from various bodies including the NCA.

René explained his lobbying work in the local government sphere where he is seeking to establish a voice for the archive sector as whole at senior management levels.   The Guide to Local Government Archives (jointly published by NCA, the Society of Archivists and Local Government Association) is finished and will be distributed to senior officers and managers at a launch at the LGA Culture Conference in March in Birmingham.   The Archives Awareness Campaign will also be present at the LGA Conference later this year. Rene also emphasized the importance of archivists engaging with politicians and decision-makers at the local level and emphasized that the NCA was keen to support archivists in this kind of relationship development.

 

Archives Awareness Campaign 2009 is on the runway

The theme for the 2009 campaign will be ‘Take Flight’.  As usual the Campaign will be keen to hear of related projects.  The strategy is being developed and its aim will be to provide support and incentives for reaching specified new audiences and enabling participants to obtain clear performance measures.  We’ll be publishing more guidance and information later in the year, but if you have any projects you’d like to publicise, even if they are not directly related to AAC contact Angela Owusu, AAC Press Officer, on [log in to unmask].

 

Proving our worth

As we all know evidence is vital in proving our case to funders, decision-makers and potential partners.  MLA’s Research and Evaluation Framework is gathering and analysing work across the sectors to provide a resource which anyone can use.  MLA’s goal is to gather and compare to create an unrivalled, co-ordinated body of evidence the impact of our work. NCA is working closely with MLA to inform its work and you may well be hearing from us!

 

Remote user survey seeks affordable delivery

The Public Service Quality Group has successfully created a sustainable methodology for surveying remote users.  Unfortunately, the costs of a national survey as quoted by the IPA were prohibitive.  However, PSQG is now in discussion with TNA and MLA about implementing the national survey via another route.  We’ll keep you informed about how this develops.

 

Public Services Quality Group will contribute to international standards

Reflecting the UK’s leading role in setting standards, the PSQG has accepted an invitation from the International Council on Archives to contribute to the development of international standards. Perhaps an international access standard awaits?

 

Community Archives and Heritage Group to deliver even wider support in 2009

CAHG continues its hectic workload.  It’s very popular conference will this year look at sustainability, covering issues such as funding and copyright.  It is still working on a practical metadata standard (which is in essence a community archive guide to using ISAD(G) and a simplified version of Dublin Core).  CAHG will be doing a Beta test and then launching the standard after that test.  The Group is also looking at developing regional activities such as regional conferences and will pilot these in 2009. 

Recognising the success of and the long-term need for the CAHG, the Group is also contemplating a more formalised structure to enable it to deliver its services and fit in with other professional bodies, particularly now that the Sector Review is well advanced.

Finally, CAHG has said goodbye to Vic Gray as Convenor.  Vic has been a vital element in the Group’s effectiveness and will be missed.

 

Sector Review is now well advanced

Thanks to close co-operation between NCA, the Society of Archivists and ACALG the Sector Review is progressing well.  Working groups are looking at the viability of merger with a view to establishing a Memorandum of Understanding by spring of this year.   The Review’s Communications Group will keep you informed of developments.

 

Advocacy and sector development drive the Council’s work

The Council is now drafting its 2009/10 Business Plan.  The key objectives are to promote the role and contribution of archives to stakeholders and support the development of the sector.  These will be delivered through numerous work programmes including supporting delivery of the Business Archives Strategy (launch in March 2009) and the Government Policy on Archives, delivering the services of PSQG and the Archives Lottery Adviser and CAHG, supporting the development of the MLA Research and Evaluation Framework, and continuing a co-ordinated advocacy campaign through the APPG and AAC 2009.  

 

Elizabeth Oxborrow-Cowan

Director of Publicity and Communication

The National Council on Archives

 

Tel/fax 01939 234289

www.ncaonline.org.uk