Action for Archives

MLA’s programmes and activities in the archive domain are organised under Action for Archives (see www.mla.gov.uk/website/programmes/action_for_archives). During 2007-8 the East of England is participating in two strands of this programme: Leading Archives and Museums, and Strategic Planning and Profile Raising. Under the leadership strand we have helped to ensure that a small number of archivists from the region are currently undergoing training in how to develop their leadership skills with a view to benefiting the archive community. Under the strategy strand we are working with two local authority archive services and a small specialist consultancy to help the archives to tackle major issues they are currently facing. 

MLA East of England is also working with MLA London to pilot a new method for capturing community-based information about archive holdings. In particular we are working with Norfolk Record Office on their award-winning exhibition and research concerning the 2007 bicentenary of the abolition of transatlantic slavery, to ensure that the new information is added to the Record Office’s existing excellent catalogues in the most useful way. 

MLA East of England is helping to develop a range of other archive projects intended to improve the care and use made of archives. Current work includes research into the kinds of computers and software being used by the sorts of organisations which routinely deposit their records in county record offices, which will in the not distant future be dealing with the problems of preserving ‘born digital’ archives.  The results of our current research on this are presented in the report "The state of digital record keeping in a selection of typical depositors to local Archive Services" which can be downloaded here.

Other current work includes our Making the Case publication (available at www.collectionslink.org.uk ) to help with cataloguing backlogs, our support for the East of England Sound Archive’s current survey, and our recent survey of maritime resources in archives and libraries in the region (available by clicking here). We are also active in promoting the development of community archives across the region