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Hi Zak The Archives and Records Association is hosting a special one-off #ArchiveHour on Twitter on Thursday 19 March at 8pm to provide an opportunity for record-keepers to discuss how Coronavirus is affecting their work: https://twitter.com/archivehour/status/1239505379580616704 An opportunity for all archivists and records managers to share info and exchange experience re how the current crisis is impacting services. Karl Magee Chair Archives and Records Association -----Original Message----- From: Archivists, conservators and records managers. <[log in to unmask]> On Behalf Of Zak Holden Sent: 15 March 2020 18:53 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Archives and Coronavirus in the United Kingdom Colleagues, I write under a pseudonym and ask to keep discussions open using the boards and twitter. I want to enquire as to how many archive services have temporarily closed their public services in the face of the virus outbreak within the United Kingdom. I am in an extremely difficult position. Being the only archivist for an organisation, there is pressure on me to keep the service open unless otherwise instructed / changes to government advice. However, I have a growing pressure to work remotely due to real family concerns. Unfortunately that will result in the closure of archive services certainly until after Easter. My difficulty is I have zero staff support to maintain any service, and my salary is linked to maintaining that service. I’ve already followed Government advice and asked stakeholders I know who have just returned from Europe, and those with a medical history, to postpone visits until after Easter. Indeed, on Monday I shall be recommending to management our closure until after Easter because the risk is growing for me personally & our stakeholders. Especially since many of our stakeholders are over 60, and we share a building with multiple workers with equal chance of exposure. Our services are also used by large amounts of local and international students from various universities. Like everyone, I am also worried about my salary by taking this action! As a profession, we all need to seriously question whether it is appropriate to be maintaining a justified open public service in present circumstances. It would be helpful if good archivist souls can use public forums such as twitter to have this conversation, or report if any archive services are closed. I have seen many American institutions use twitter to announce closure periods. I feel safer in justifying my actions if a number of fellow professionals / archive bodies are performing the same action. At the moment I might be imagining this, there feels like a desperate need to remain open within the United Kingdom, unless people actively stand up and close up shop (much like football clubs have). It’s just the right thing to do. How many people use the London Underground to access the National Archives. How many of our visitors use public transport, who do they come into contact with. Equally how do we travel, who do we come into contact, is it reasonable to assume we won’t transmit the virus to our stakeholders? Best wishes Zak Contact the list owner for assistance at [log in to unmask] For information about joining, leaving and suspending mail (eg during a holiday) see the list website at https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=archives-nra ________________________________ The University achieved an overall 5 stars in the QS World University Rankings 2018 The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159. Contact the list owner for assistance at [log in to unmask] For information about joining, leaving and suspending mail (eg during a holiday) see the list website at https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=archives-nra