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Archives West MidlandsAnnual Review 2016/17

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AWM at a glanceArchives West Midlands (AWM) is an independent, strategic partnership of archive services in the region which aims to maximise the benefits of working together both in terms of shared projects and funding opportunities

Who we areAWM members represent 22 organisations which hold the largest collections, and attract the most visitors, in the region. AWM is backed by The National Archives and supported by seven other national and regional archive bodies.

When we were formedAWM was formally launched in June 2016 - so this is our first annual report.

Why?In a nutshell, AWM is about working together and forging a collective identity for the region’s archives. In times of financial constraint, collaboration is more important than ever. Sharing our knowledge and expertise makes us collectively stronger, and creates new opportunities for exciting joint projects.

Our aims• Promote the importance of archives as vital regional assets • Encourage the highest standards of archive work • Encourage investment in digital preservation and digital access to collections and services• Develop, support and raise funds for regional (or sub-regional) projects• Provide a confident and coherent voice for the region’s archives

The bigger pictureIt’s not just about preservation and accessibility. Archives in the region are making significant contributions in other areas such as skills and employability, community engagement, health and wellbeing, and tourism.

How we are fundedAWM is subscription-based and has received financial support from five donor organisations in the form of grants for funded projects.

For more informationwebsite: archiveswestmidlands.wordpress.comtwitter: @ArchivesWMfacebook: facebook.com/Archives-West-Midlands

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IntroductionWithin the West Midlands we are fortunate to have a rich and diverse range of archives, held by more than 160 organisations.

During 2015/16 the organisations with the largest collections and numbers of visitors agreed to come together to form a new independent organisation to complement and enhance the work of its constituent members by enabling and supporting work that is best developed and delivered in partnership.

In July 2017 Archives West Midlands is officially one year old. This report identifies and celebrates our achievements as a new independent organisation working to advance learning and education for public benefit by supporting the collection, storage, preservation, promotion and access to archival materials relating to the West Midlands.

AchievementsDuring our first year we have:

• Promoted the importance of archives as vital regional assets

• Encouraged the highest standards and been aspirational for the organisations within our organisation

• Developed networks to share innovation and best practice

• Explored investment in digital preservation and digital access to collections and services

• Developed and delivered ‘The Strong Rooms’ project

• Attracted investment and support from The National Archives, Arts Council England, and Heritage Lottery Fund

PrioritiesOur Priorities for 2017/18 are to:

• Continue to promote the importance of archives as vital regional assets

• Support our members to achieve accreditation/re-accreditation

• Deliver a programme of ‘master classes’ to support workforce development

• Further explore a potential regional solution for digital preservation

• Identify, develop and achieve funding for a second regional project which showcases the potential of archives

• Build relationships with key funding bodies such as Arts Council England, Heritage Lottery Fund, Big Lottery and the Wellcome Trust

• Promote Archives West Midlands as a sustainable and innovative model of support for archives

• Develop a volunteer strategy, scheme and training approach

Janene Cox OBE Archives West Midlands ChairCommissioner for Culture and Communities, Staffordshire County Council

How it all Started

“AWM has achieved much in its first year as an established organisation and charity. The

externally funded Strong Rooms project helped the group reach new audiences and

forge links with the creative and cultural sector. And AWM’s collaborative, innovative and

forward-thinking ethos is building a strong reputation for itself and raising the profile of

archives right across the region.

“I was delighted to be a part of AWM’s official launch event in 2016, and am pleased to

see how it has grown and evolved in this first year. Here at The National Archives we are

proud to be able to support groups like AWM, which work hard to adapt to an ever-

changing landscape, and display ambition and pragmatism in equal measure. Archives

of all kinds have the opportunity to unlock access to information - and in doing so,

inspire trust, enrich people’s lives, and open up content like never before. I look forward

to hearing about AWM’s ongoing successes in the years to come.”

“

Archives West Midlands was officially launched at the County Buildings in Stafford on 24 June 2016.

Jeff James, Chief Executive and Keeper of The National Archives, and his colleague Isobel Hunter, TNA’s Head of Archive Sector Development, performed the honours in front of an audience of around 50 invited guests. These included senior officers, cabinet members, archive service managers, ‘friends’ and volunteers from across the West Midlands.

Twelve months on, Jeff said:

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AccreditationArchives Service Accreditation is the new UK-wide standard for archives. It defines good practice and agreed standards, thereby encouraging and supporting development. It is aimed at organisations that hold archive collections, whatever their constitution, and covers both private and public sector archives.

There are now five accredited archive services in the region:

• Media Archive of Central England• Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology Service• Warwickshire County Record Office• Wolverhampton City Archives• Shropshire Archives

With more applications in the pipeline, we expect the list to grow.

A New FaceArchives West Midlands is delighted to announce a new recruit. Katherine Seddon is joining the team on a freelance basis to provide some much-needed administrative support. She will be assisting with meeting arrangements, as well as website and social media.

Katherine, who has a background in publishing and festival management, gained a post-graduate MA in Ancient History & Classical Studies in 2016. Along the way she “discovered a love of primary sources and made the short leap to want to work in and with archives”.

Over the past year she has worked in archives as a volunteer with the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and Cheshire Records Office. Now she wants to “help preserve the records of our past and make them accessible to all” - and is looking forward to her new role, working with AWM.

Outside work Katherine, who is married with two grown-up daughters and a dog, sings with the Halle Choir in Manchester and has just run (and walked) the Chester Half Marathon.

Goodbye This year we said goodbye to Jayne Wilkins, a founder Trustee of Archives West Midlands. Prior to her retirement, Jayne was a Head of Dudley Libraries and Archives, and was integral to the establishment of AWM. Even after her retirement Jayne continued to play an active role on the board. Her knowledge, experience and passion will be sorely missed, but we wish Jayne well in her retirement.

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Charitable StatusIn July 2016 Archives West Midlands successfully applied to the Charity Commission for charitable status.

Being registered as a charity brings many benefits, including the opportunity to access grants, as a region, that would not usually be available to local authority services.

Our stated aims, as a charity, are to:

• Promote the importance of archives as vital regional assets• Encourage the highest standards of archival work• Encourage investment in digital preservation and digital access to collections and services• Develop and support regional (and sub-regional) projects• Raise funds for regional and sub regional projects

We work towards these aims by sharing ideas and best practice, supporting professional and service development, and by providing a forum for mutual support, collaboration and communication throughout the region.

Figures for the West Midlands revealed that 81.6% of visitors were making their first visit to an archive service - for three main reasons:

family history (45.9%) local history (34.7%) academic research (18%)

Visitor SurveyIn 2016 ten member archives services took part in a national survey of visitors to archives conducted by the Archives and Records Association. The results were published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accounting in March 2017.

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9.5

9.7 9.3

9.7

3.09 hoursCustomers spent an average of

on their visits.

The regional customer satisfaction scores (out of 10) were:

for the availability of sta�

for the quality and appropriateness of sta� advice

for the service overall

for the attitude of sta�

99.3%said they had enjoyed themselves

99.9%were inspired to �nd out more

99.9%felt they had improved their knowledge in an area of interest

90.7%felt they had developed new skills or improved existing ones

98.1%felt they had a great understanding of their community, it’s history and people

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Digital Preservation

AWM trustee Dr Lisa Snook outlines progress towards a regional Digital Preservation partnership

A priority for AWM this year has been to push forward on a project to develop a regional Digital Preservation project. Working together will help us to deliver greater efficiencies and savings, so that we can continue to meet our professional standards even with reduced resources.The aims are to:

• Maximise the expertise of staff in the region to ensure services get the best return on investment

• Save time and resources by sharing information and creating joint standards, guidelines and templates

• Work together to attract external funding and sponsorship

In late 2016 we applied for a grant of £1,710 from The National Archives, match funded by Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology Service, to conduct survey work across AWM members to establish:

• Current practices• Existing policies and guidance• Skills and knowledge gaps• Ongoing requirements of AWM members

The survey results are being used to perform a gap analysis, to prepare a report on the ongoing requirements of AWM members, and clearly define options available - including identification of potential funding streams for further work.

The survey was completed in May 2017, and results are expected soon.

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Graffiti and archives may sound like a strange combination but the success of the Strong Rooms project - an outdoor touring art installation - was a significant milestone for the newly-launched AWM last Summer.

Supported by Arts Connect West Midlands and funded by Arts Council England, the project presented archives in a totally different way, aiming to attract new audiences - particularly young people.

Birmingham-born street artist Mohammed Ali MBE of Soul City Arts was commissioned to develop a new archives-inspired work to tour venues in Coventry, Dudley, Rugby and Worcester. Mohammed is well-known for fusing street art with Islamic script and patterns to convey meaningful messages connecting people of all faiths.

His Strong Rooms artwork - on two shipping containers - depicted the story of Warwickshire aristocrat Dorothie Feilding, who served as an ambulance driver in World War I and was one of the first women to be awarded the British

Military Medal. There was more art inside the containers - items from partner collections telling the little-known stories of local people.

The two shipping containers spent a week at each venue supported by volunteers and staff from the key partners: Warwickshire County Record Office, Culture Coventry Trust, Dudley Archives and Local Studies and Worcestershire Archives and Archaeology. Artists were commissioned to engage with communities at each location. They produced more artworks, which were then displayed in the containers.

Nearly 8,000 people participated directly, most of whom were completely new to archives, and the installation was viewed by 40,000 passers-by. Broadcasts by BBC Midlands Today, radio, and local newspaper articles reached more than 3 million people. 

One of the key aims of Strong Rooms was to give archivists the skills and confidence to commission artists for future projects. Francis Ranford of the Culture Coventry Trust, who evaluated the project, said:

Strong Rooms has been transformative. Archivists and volunteers who have taken part in the project have grown in confidence and are willing to work in a creative way when delivering engagement work. All the partners will continue to work with artists on projects that open up their collections to wider audiences.“

The Strong Rooms

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Birmingham’s Qur’an Manuscript

West Midlands archives hold documents of global importance, including one of the earliest known surviving Qur’an manuscripts.

The two parchment leaves are part of the designated Mingana Collection of more than 3,000 Middle Eastern manuscripts held by the Cadbury Research Library at the University of Birmingham.

Previously mis-bound with later parchment leaves, the manuscript has been radiocarbon dated, with 95.4% accuracy, to a time period within 13 years of the death of the Prophet Muhammad.

Researchers believe the Birmingham Qur’an manuscript is amongst the earliest written textual evidence of the Islamic holy book in the world, close to the beginnings of Islam, and possibly linked to the Mosque of Amr in Cairo which was built in 642.

a genuine treasure of global significance to Muslim heritage and the study of Islam - as well as being a source of great pride to the local community

“Susan Worrall, Director of Special Collections (Cadbury Research Library), at the University of Birmingham, describes the manuscript as:

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Membership There are two types of AWM membership - subscription* and affiliate. Subscription members receive additional benefits. Affiliate members, who do not pay a membership fee, receive information and can attend some meetings.

Aston Villa Football Club

Birmingham City Council*

Birmingham City University (Special Collections)

Culture Coventry Trust*

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council*

Hereford Cathedral*

Herefordshire County Council*

Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust

Media Archive of Central England*

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council*

Shakespeare Birthplace Trust*

Shropshire Council*

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council

Staffordshire County Council*

Staffordshire University

University of Birmingham (Special Collections)*

University of Warwick (Modern Records Office)

Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council*

Warwickshire County Council*

Wolverhampton City Council*

Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club

Worcestershire County Council*

The West Midlands boasts a wide range of archives held by more than 160 different organisations. These include local authority archives and record offices, universities, cathedrals, business archives and many specialist collections. Our members represent some of the region’s largest collections, attracting the biggest audiences.

Join UsAWM aims to complement and enhance the work of its constituent services by enabling and supporting work that is best achieved collectively. We welcome members from all archives and archive services in the region who share these aims. To find out more visit: archiveswestmidlands.wordpress.com

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Trustees

Sam Collenette Sam Collenette has worked in archives within universities, museums, businesses and charities - and is now the Archive and Museum Collections Manager for Warwickshire County Council. As a member of the ARA Board she helped oversee the transition to the new Archives and Records Association. Sam directed AWM’s highly successful Strong Rooms project and enjoys making a difference, supporting colleagues in the region.

Janene Cox OBE Janene Cox, AWM Chair, is Commissioner for Culture and Communities at Staffordshire County Council. She is an executive member and former President of the Society of Chief Librarians and a trustee of The Reading Agency. Janene is a champion for children’s reading, and a passionate advocate for cultural services, which she believes make a real difference to people’s lives.

Dr Malcolm Dick A former schoolteacher and sixth-form college lecturer, Dr Malcolm Dick is now Director of the Centre for West Midlands History and Lecturer in Regional and Local History at the University of Birmingham. He is also a trustee of the Black Country Living Museum and Vice President of the Pen Trade Museum. Malcolm is currently working on a cross-sector project to mark the 200th anniversary of James Watt’s death in 2019.

Richard Lewis Richard Lewis is Senior Archivist at Dudley Archives and Local History Centre. He has worked for a number of other local authorities - including Staffordshire, Stoke on Trent and West Yorkshire - and on the archives of the Mercers’ Guild and Bletchley Park Trust. Richard is passionate about community engagement and demonstrating the relevance and importance of archives to the communities they serve.

For more information on the AWM trustees visit: archiveswestmidlands.wordpress.com/about/archives-west-midlands-trustees/

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Mary McKenzie Mary McKenzie has more than 30 years archives experience and joined Shropshire Council, where she is now Acting Museums and Archives Manager. Mary believes that working in partnership across archives, and other cultural services, is essential to enable the sector to progress and develop in increasingly tough times. She has a particular interest in working in partnership with volunteers and using technology to facilitate this.

Dr. David Owen OBE David Owen has worked for the family firm, Rubery Owen, all his life and was Chairman from 1969-2010.  A member of the Business Archives Council, David sees business archives as a real asset to a company in recording its innovation, products and activities - and creating a hunger to develop new products and business for the future. He is particularly keen to see AWM grow and to be able to offer a real service across the community. 

Dr Lisa Snook AWM Secretary Dr Lisa Snook is the User Services Manager at Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology Service, based at The Hive in Worcester. She is also an assessor and mentor for the archive sector Registration Scheme and sits on the Archive and Records Association National Surveys Group. She is passionate about sharing archives and archive research with others and has a particular interest in women’s history.

Joanna Terry Joanna Terry is Head of Archives and Heritage at Staffordshire County Council. She is also an executive member of the Chief Archivists in Local Government Group and a member of the Victoria County History Advisory Board. A former electronic records manager, Joanna is passionate about using digital technology to promote and share archives, and has a particular interest in developing solutions to preserving born digital archives.

Susan Worrall As Director of Special Collections for the University of Birmingham Susan has overall responsibility for the University’s extensive collections, as well as records management. She has worked in records management, archives, libraries and heritage in the UK and Australia, in both public and private sectors, and has contributed to a number of national initiatives in support of evolving the role of special collections and research libraries.

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Support

AWM values the support of these organisations:

Archives and Records Association (West Midlands Region)British Records AssociationFederation of Family History SocietiesInformation and Records Management Society (Midlands Region)Midlands Conservators GroupThe National ArchivesWest Midlands DepositorsWest Midlands Friends of Archive Services

FundingThe National Archives support AWM and provided funding to set up and develop our organisation.

We are also grateful for additional funding received from:

Arts ConnectArts Council EnglandThe Grimmitt TrustThe Owen Family Trust

Get in touch and get involvedContact us: archiveswestmidlands@gmail.com

Please follow Archives West Midlands at:

@ArchivesWM

facebook.com/Archives-West-Midlands

Website: archiveswestmidlands.wordpress.com

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