Federation Of Family History Societies

As reported earlier, The National Archives released on 7 May the long-awaited consultation document entitled ‘Archives for the 21st Century’.  It can be accessed on their website at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archivesconsultation/.  The Federation has submitted a response as set out below.

 

Archives for the 21st Century – Consultation draft

 

Here is the response from The Federation of Family History Societies (FFHS), PO Box 8857, Lutterworth, LE17 9BJ.  FFHS is the umbrella organisation representing nearly all the family history societies in England and Wales as well as overseas societies with an interest in British family history.  Between them, our member societies represent approximately 98,000 family historians and genealogists.

The Federation would be happy to discuss any aspect of its response and to help in any other way considered appropriate.

1. Do you think a policy to set the strategic direction for the archives sector is needed at this time?
Yes

2. Does the document identify the right challenges and obstacles currently being faced by the sector?
Yes

Comments: For a long time support for the archives sector has been largely minimal in comparison to museums and libraries.  With family history being one of the fastest growing leisure interests leading to an increased interest in both personal and local history archives, now is an ideal time to reassess the strategic direction for the archives sector.  It is gratifying to see the many references to family and family history in the consultation document.

One obstacle facing the sector is the complex legislation concerning closure periods.  It is apparent that there is confusion throughout the sector leading to many variations in interpretation ranging from not releasing any personal information relating to the last 100 years on the one hand, and releasing everything over 30 years old on the other hand.  The legislation needs to be simplified, and applied consistently throughout the sector.

Archivists need to regard family historians and others doing research for personal reasons no less favourably than academic researchers.

 

3. Do the recommendations (listed below) provide an appropriate direction for addressing the identified challenges?

a) In the longer term, there is significant value in moving towards fewer, bigger, better archive services for a more sustainable future.
Yes

Comments: This seems to be a valid approach PROVIDED the focus also remains on ensuring that “access to publicly funded archives, and the historical information derived from them, should be available to every citizen.”  (See para. 2.1)  It is not acceptable to create a state-of-the-art centre for archives if it is to be located somewhere not easily accessible by all members of the public.

When planning bigger, better archive services the opportunity should be taken to explore the possibility of providing facilities for family and local history societies to store and make available their own archives together with any transcripts they may have for other archive material.

In the shorter term it would be helpful if access to digital material in smaller archives in a given area could be networked, thereby enabling computer access to all this information from any of these smaller archives.  This would be of benefit to users of archives without the need for large and expensive new buildings.

b) Strengthened leadership and responsive skilled workforce is necessary to raise the profession's profile at both a national and local level.
Yes

Comments: With the growing numbers of inexperienced researchers visiting archives it is increasingly important that staff have good communication skills and a willingness to impart their knowledge.  The staff at The National Archives (TNA) set a very good example of how to do this.

c) Developing a co-ordinated response to managing digital information and for continued access in the future.
Yes

Comments: Capturing records created digitally rather than on paper is a task that cannot be over-estimated.  TNA is already taking the lead in planning for this and it is vital that standards are established nationally (and internationally?) and then implemented and monitored at a local level.  By making standards known as widely as possible members of the public will be able to play their part in encouraging organisations to transfer appropriate digital information into digital archives.

d) Ensuring that there is comprehensive online access to archive catalogues and content.
Yes

Comments: This is clearly the way forward, especially as a high proportion of the general public has access to the internet at home.  However, it is vital to remember those who do not have this facility.  Free access to local archive records via computer terminals at local libraries should be available to all holders of library tickets.  Access to national and other archive material should be available similarly or for a modest charge.

It is also a fact that only a small proportion of archive material will be digitised in the foreseeable future.  It is most important that the remaining material is properly catalogued.  There is an enormous backlog of uncatalogued material which is underused simply because its existence is known by only a few.

e) Developing active participation in partnerships with other cultural and learning services.
Yes

Comments: The examples given in the Impact Assessment provide clear evidence of the advantages to be gained from such partnerships.  It would be interesting to see if a survey of users and archivists in the East Riding of Yorkshire and the Wirral were to identify any lessons to be learned from these two examples.  Our concern is to ensure that support for archives does not become lost amongst competing needs for resources – see our comment to the next question.

4. Do you agree with the model of excellence for a publicly funded archive service outlined in the policy (page 16)?
Yes

Comments: While it is true to say that some of what is described can be achieved without the need for additional funds, it is also true that more funding is required if all that is outlined is to come to pass.  Archives need to have a fairer share of ‘the cake’ which is currently shared with museums and libraries.  If each of the last two were to have their funding cut by 5% and this be transferred to the archives sector, the positive impact for archives would be vastly more than any negative impact for the others.

5. Please add any additional comments that you have not covered elsewhere:

There would seem to be a case for involving those Regional Archive Councils that remain active, and for encouraging the defunct ones to reconvene and participate.  They could provide a forum for archivists, users and other cultural and learning services to come together to explore opportunities for working together for mutual benefit.

Given the limited funds available, every opportunity should be taken to benefit from willing volunteers.  Friends of TNA is one example of how volunteers can be organised.

Reference is made in paragraph 3.9 to the National Cataloguing Grant Scheme for Archives.  Could this be enhanced by having additional public funding match funding from the charitable bodies?

We have observed inconsistencies in the way different repositories operate.  It would be helpful if there could be some standardisation across the sector.  TNA would seem to be the obvious body to establish the standards for others to follow.  It would also be beneficial if TNA were to hold training courses for Archives Staff on communicating and dealing face to face with the general public.

We would like to see a major overhaul of the present degree courses for budding archivists rather like an apprenticeship programme.

Part of the benefit of a ‘local’ record office is the availability of ‘local experts’ not necessarily archivists employed there but also well-qualified users. This is why the association of local clubs and societies within Record Offices is important to foster as per the Essex Model. The on-site pool of expertise and the findings derived from long-term society projects is a bonus which needs to be recognised.

David Holman 
FFHS Chairman

Roger Lewry
FFHS Archives Liaison Officer

24 July 2009