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                  Community Stories – Community Archives project

                  Scottish Council on Archives (SCA) is currently undertaking a two-year project to support the development and accessibility of community archives in Scotland. The project is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. 

                  The Community Stories – Community Archives project aims to help community groups across Scotland who have amazing archival material with cataloguing, preserving and managing these collections. Alongside this, the project recognises that Scotland’s history belongs to everyone and aims to give groups the opportunity to consider how they might engage and expand their audiences through guidance in inclusive practice. In delivering online and offline workshops, one-to-one training with professional archivists, and with support from diversity experts, we hope to help enrich and improve access to community archives.  

                  The project will generate case studies and resources that will be published online for existing and future groups, building on SCA’s community archives toolkit. 

                  In-person workshops: So far, 3 workshops have been held in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Perth. Our team of archivists delivered training in cataloguing, preservation, archive engagement and volunteer management. The Diverse Heritage Team at Scottish Civic Trust and Roots Scotland Project at West of Scotland Regional Equalities Council led sessions focussed on creating inclusive heritage events through partnership and co-creation, as well as discussing some of the challenges faced by minority ethnic groups in accessing heritage. These workshops also provided community groups the opportunity to come together and hear about the challenges and successes of other groups. Future dates and locations to be confirmed!

                  Online archive skill sessions: Archive skills sessions were delivered online via Zoom in October 2024 and February/March 2025. These 1-hour sessions included a presentation delivered by a professional archivist followed by a Q&A session. Topics included cataloguing, preservation, archive outreach and copyright & legal matters. More sessions are set to take place in June. You can find out more information and book a place on Eventbrite.

                  1:1 group support: As well as general in-person and online training, the project will deliver bespoke 1:1 support to community groups focused on cataloguing and managing archive collections.

                  Your Scottish Archives: A key part of the project is the facility to upload catalogues to Your Scottish Archives. Scottish Council on Archives can provide support at any stage in the process and are happy to discuss this with your community group in more detail. Get in touch with the team at your@scottisharchives.org.uk

                   

                  Get involved! 

                  If you are part of a community group interested in training in cataloguing or managing your collection, please get in touch with Grania Diver at g.diver@scottisharchives.org.uk  

                  Keep an eye out for details of upcoming events on SCA’s Eventbrite page and social media channels or contact g.diver@scottisharchives.org.uk to be added to the project mailing list.

                  All events are free to attend thanks to generous support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.  

                   

                  Your Scottish Archives online Q&A: Thursday 20th March

                  Join us for an opportunity to discuss Your Scottish Archives, the online portal designed to enhance access to Scotland’s rich archival collections.

                  Date: Thursday 20th March 2025

                  Time: 10:00-11:00am, via Zoom

                  Developed by the Scottish Council on Archives in collaboration with Archives Hub, Your Scottish Archives will improve how users discover and engage with Scotland’s archives. The portal will improve the level of access to archive collections available to current and potential users; provide more opportunities for engagement both physically and virtually; and includes resources for members of the public, historians, researchers and genealogists who wish to interact with, understand and use Scotland’s archives.

                  This webinar is aimed at organisations based in Scotland who are interested in contributing descriptions of their archive collections to Your Scottish Archives. We can cover questions on cataloguing requirements, contributor workflows and anything else that might be useful if you are thinking about getting involved!

                  Why attend this session?

                  • Learn how your archive service can become a contributor
                  • Understand the process of contributing and updating your data
                  • Ask the team your questions

                  Sign up via Eventbrite

                  Your Scottish Archives Day: Your Scottish Archives portal

                  Do you want to make your collections searchable on one consolidated site and join over 100 archives across Scotland participating in Your Scottish Archives? Or do you just want to find out more about the project and hear more about Scottish archives?

                  Join the Archives & Records Association on Friday 28th of February at the Mitchell Library in Glasgow and be introduced to the YSA Portal.

                  The event will include speakers from various institutions who have made their collections available on the portal, as well as speakers from the Scottish Council on Archives who will introduce the project and explain how you can get started making your collections available on the portal.

                  There will then be time for attendees to discuss their experiences with sharing their archive collections, followed by time for refreshments and networking, and an opportunity to view a selection of items from Glasgow City Archives.

                  Confirmed Speakers:

                  • John Pelan, Scottish Council on Archives
                  • Barbara McLean, Glasgow City Archives
                  • Harvey Kaplan, Scottish Jewish Archives Centre
                  • Grania Diver, Scottish Council on Archives

                  Schedule:
                  09:30 – Registration
                  10:00 – event start, introduction
                  10:30 – speakers
                  11:30 – coffee break
                  12:00 – speakers
                  13:00 – conclusion to speakers, time for discussion, lunch and networking
                  14:00 – event close

                  Booking costs: ARA members free and Non members £5

                  Bookings will close on Friday 21st February at 5pm.

                  If you have any questions about this event please contact us at arascotland@archives.org.uk

                  Find out more and book via Eventbrite.

                  YSA is live!

                  The new Your Scottish Archives portal was launched on Tuesday 10th December 2024, at the SCA Annual Conference in Stirling.

                  Your Scottish Archives is a unique project to gather and make available worldwide, through a dynamic online portal, catalogue descriptions from archives across Scotland, including local authority, health, business and community archives, and records of under-represented groups. This major new resource is managed by the Scottish Council on Archives (SCA) partnering with Jisc/Archives Hub. It will build capacity amongst archive holders and develop skills, particularly amongst local communities, making an enormous contribution to the wider heritage sector by improving access to Scotland’s documented past.

                  Your Scottish Archives (YSA) currently display catalogue entries from over sixty Scottish repositories, including local authority, universities, heritage organisations and community groups. It is packed with guidance, links and resources for all users of online archive, both experienced and new.

                  This is phase one of the site. Phase two in spring 2025 will include improved hierarchical display of records and search functionality. As the site grows, we hope more repositories will contribute catalogues descriptions.

                  For all comments and questions please email your@scottisharchives.org.uk

                  Call for Applications: A Year in the Life of a Community Archive 2025

                  person with blue vinyl gloves handling document with more documents lying on table

                  Would you like to be archive of the year featured on the Scottish Council on Archives website?

                   

                  It’s an opportunity to highlight the work that you do, all your activities, the challenges you face and the opportunities you capture.

                  Take a look at this year’s archive that we have followed: the Museum of Scottish Railways Archive.

                   

                  What’s involved:

                  • monthly blogs
                  • photographs and/or videos
                  • time commitment of approximately an hour a week (more at the beginning while we set things up)

                   

                  What you will gain:

                  • develop your relationship with SCA
                  • access to opportunities through our networks
                  • able to promote the work you have been doing to the wider sector

                   

                  You must be based in Scotland to apply.

                  If you are interested please fill out our short application survey.

                  Your Scottish Archives to be launched at SCA Annual Conference

                  The SCA Annual Conference on 10th December 2024, Building Evidence will explore how archives and records support engagement with, conservation of, and research into Scotland’s historic environment. The event will be structured around the three priority areas of Our Past, Our Future – The Strategy for Scotland’s Historic Environment:

                  1. Delivering the transition to net zero
                  2. Empowering resilient and inclusive communities and places
                  3. Building a wellbeing economy

                  In addition to these key themes, Building Evidence will shine a spotlight on the urgent need for a national strategy for archives and records in Scotland, ensuring their preservation and relevance for future generations.

                  The new Your Scottish Archives portal will be launched at the conference.