Day by Day at the ARA Conference - Thursday
Day by Day at the ARA Conference
If you can only make one (or two) day(s) at the ARA Conference we have made a handy day-by-day guide so you can choose which day to come… Difficult, because every day is packed with content! You can find Wednesday here and Friday here.
Thursday 28th August
Day by Day at the ARA Conference
If you can only make one (or two) day(s) at the ARA Conference we have made a handy day-by-day guide so you can choose which day to come… Difficult, because every day is packed with content!
Our keynote is: Accessible Cultural Heritage Education – Starting Small Thinking Big
Professor Christina Young, Professor of Conservation and Technical Art History, University of Glasgow
Thursday’s programme:
In Track A – AI and digital innovations there is a focus on how people and processes adapt to new technologies in real world settings, as well as the importance of the ‘human hand’ and the necessity to protect privacy. Track B – our conservation track – asks some big questions about conservation and conservation education as well as getting technical with gall ink, metadata and Asian adhesives and following on from our 2024 conference – discussions on HVAC shutdown. In Track C – Challenging Collections – we look at ethics, representation, repatriation and sustainable practice as well as presentations on how traditional archival practice can be purposed for the current times. Track D – training, outreach and inclusivity - kicks off with a very provocative presentation entitled ‘should we do outreach at all?’ – but also looks at how the sector can provide better accessibility and a greater sense of welcome and belonging. The track also includes a vital panel session on accreditation – your questions answered.
Thursday is the day for our famous Ice Cream break – sponsored by Bruynzeal – where the afternoon refreshments include ice creams served up by local firm Garbanzos with a range of ice cream flavours from local supplier Marshfield Farm.
Thursday is rounded off by our gala dinner at the conference hotel. Another opportunity for relaxed networking over food and drink with the option to dance and party the night away.
Details of Thursday’s sessions are below and the full programme with full abstracts can be found here: https://openingdoors.eventsair.com/ara2025/programme
Day rates are:
Members:
One day: £285
Two days (any two consecutive days) £500
Non members:
One day: £385
Two days (any two consecutive days) £700
Thursday’s gala dinner can be added on to the day rates for an extra £89
Full rates and registration can be found here: https://openingdoors.eventsair.com/ara2025/registration
Thursday’s Programme
Track A: New Horizons - Artificial intelligence and digital innovations
The future of Records Management with AI Tools
Andrea Mcintosh and Jacqueline Stockwell, Leadership Through Data
In this presentation we will be discussing the use of AI tools in archives and records management and how using them will benefit the work we do and through automation, better decision support, and changing our approach to appraisal by leveraging AI tools.
Record management and digital archiving in the National Digital Archives in the Czech Republic
Mrs. Pavlina Nimrichtrova, Archivist, National Archives
The presentation will offer a comprehensive overview of the National Digital Archives and the National Archives Portal as critical instruments for the appraisal of digital-born records originating from public agency record management systems, databases, and other information systems across all levels of public administration.
Perceptions of records officials and nurses in selected Tshwane public hospitals towards AI technology systems in managing records.
Ms Raisibe Ledwaba and Prof Lefose Makgahlela, University of Limpopo
The emergence of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) has gained momentum in recent years, leading to organisations starting to adopt these technologies in order to become competitive and more productive in their businesses. Poor records management in public hospitals has been identified as one of the challenges faced in terms of timely assisting patients to avoid long queues when they seek medical attention. These challenges can be mitigated if AI technology systems can be implemented to manage records. The purpose of this study is to assess the perceptions of records officials and nurses in selected Tshwane public hospitals towards the introduction of AI technology systems in managing records.
Kit Versus Culture: Using Preserve365 to Shape the Royal College of Nursing's Digital Archiving Future
Mr. Joshua Nelson, Digital Archivist and Emily Edwards, Records Assistant, Royal College Of Nursing
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Group Archive has transformed in recent years. The recent adoption of Preserve365, a Preservica product that allows immediate and seamless transfers of records from SharePoint into our digital archive, marks an opportunity for our team to embed good archive and records management practice across the RCN. However, we have been presented with technical and organisational issues. There is a disparity between the leap in technological progress and remaining cultural resistance to records management across the organisation—kit versus culture.
From Policy to Practice: Advancing Digital Preservation at the National Library of Ireland
Mrs Leona Fearon, Digital Preservation Analyst, National Library Of Ireland
In 2023 the National Library of Ireland launched its inaugural Digital Preservation policy driven by the need to collect, protect, and share Ireland’s digital heritage. Since the policy launch, one of the key changes since then, has been the creation of a new team within the Library: Digital Preservation and Repository Services (DPRS). This session explores the implementation of this policy two years on, and the practical steps taken to embed the guiding principles behind the policy.
Practical Digital Preservation in Greater Manchester
Miss Michelle Owen, Digital Preservation Archivist, Manchester Archives And Local Studies and Jan Hicks, Exhibitions and Collections Coordinator, Oldham Archive
Our paper will present the findings from our TNA Resilience Grant-funded project “GM Digital Kits”. This project allowed the 10 local authority archive services that form the Greater Manchester Archives and Local Studies Partnership (GMALSP) to take the essential first step in building a collaborative digital preservation programme.
Participatory harm auditing of generative AI in cataloguing and description
Dr Zoe Bartliff, Lecturer And Research Associate, Dr Yunhyong Kim, Lecturer, and Dr Iman Naja, Research Associate, University of Glasgow;
The great variety and volume of data and the various methods for analysing data are an increasingly prominent and resource intensive element to collections management. Consequently, there is an understandable drive to explore the numerous ways in which generative-AI might streamline these activities, allowing professionals the time they need to engage with tasks that necessitate a human hand. There have been a wide array of examples where institutions have employed generative-AI within limited contexts, but to great effect. Widespread application, however, is hindered by ongoing debates about the ethics and practicalities of implementing generative-AI models/tools. This workshop is intended to both provide training for participants and to gather data in an anonymous and aggregated form to help support improvement of the presented methodologies.
Protecting Privacy in Digital Records: A Decentralized Digital Solution Architecture and Design for AI-enabled Archival Reference and Access
Professor Victoria Lemieux, The University Of British Columbia
This session will present and seek feedback on a novel decentralized reference and access computing infrastructure for archives and digital humanities researchers called ClioX. ClioX explores the research question: "How can Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PETS) (e.g., compute-to-data design, data spaces, privacy-preserving federated machine learning, securemultiparty computation, distant reading and visualization) be used to provide greater access to sensitive archival documents without compromising privacy?"
Track B Innovation, sustainable conservation and the next generation.
Treatment Decisions for Iron Gall Ink - Selecting Options and Managing Expectations
Dr Paul Garside, Kelvin Centre For Conservation And Cultural Heritage Research, University Of Glasgow
This presentation will consider these options and approaches, and discuss strategies that may be adopted to maximise the likelihood of successful treatments for iron gall ink documents that satisfy all interested parties.
Shut down – switch on: empowerment, problem solving and plugging a gap
Amy Sampson, The National Archives and Sirpa Kutilainen, University of Brighton Design Archives
This talk will summarise how a group of people who found themselves lacking either information, support or - in many cases – both, were brought together through their shared experiences and created the support network to challenge this. It will outline how we, the group coordinators, have tackled the challenges of providing organised support, worked to understand what the members want, and our ambitions to further grow the HVAC Shutdown Group and continue to forge connections that prove transformative for future change.
Conservation metadata: an unsung hero
Mrs Julie Bon, Collections Manager, The National Trust For Scotland
In our world of record-keeping why is conservation metadata often the forgotten hero in a Cinderella service?
This talk will introduce the concept of conservation metadata and outline why it is such a valuable facet of collections management information. The advantages of recording conservation metadata will be explored, as will the possible benefits of making that information more widely accessible. Widening access brings several important implications – such as the need for standardised terms and vocabularies, and the options available for this will be touched upon.
Mechanical strength of four traditional Asian adhesives
Miss Jiwon Jeong , Student, Cardiff University
There are a number of different adhesives that have been used in north east Asian countries, China, Japan, and Korea, such as wheat starch paste, which is now widely used in book and paper conservation in the west. There exists however very little literature on behaviour, mechanical strength, and and aging qualities. In this presentation, I would like to compare different traditional Asian adhesives, focusing on their tack, viscosity, flexibility, peeling strength, pH and colour change, before and after ageing. Four main adhesives will be discussed: normal wheat starch paste, aged wheat starch paste (Japan), soaked flour paste (Korea), and seaweed glue (funori)
Panel Session: Lighting the fire: securing conservation education for the future
Mrs Victoria Stevens, Subject Lead Tutor, Books Programme, West Dean College Of Arts, Design Craft and Conservation, Mrs Alexandra McGuire, Head of Paper Conservation, Hartwell Document Restoration Services Archive Conservation Training Scheme representative
'Education is not the filling of a pail, but rather the lighting of a fire.' This panel discussion aims to bring together three different options for achieving a legacy of excellence in conservation education within the UK archive sector. The first speaker will present a case study on the benefits of an apprenticeship pathway, and the opportunities and challenges this may offer to the employer. The second speaker will detail the important role of the ARA Conservation Training Scheme programme in conservation education as a mature and viable educational tool for existing employees in the sector. Finally, the third speaker will demonstrate the benefits of the taught route into conservation and the role of a robust and comprehensive conservation education through college study.
My Experiences as a student on the ARA Archive Conservation Training Scheme
Laura Anderson, Trainee Archive Conservator, Jersey Archive
ARA’s Archive Conservation Training Scheme consists of work placements in various archives across the country, and students receive one-to-one tuition from their instructors. Students get to learn both in depth theory and develop their practical bench skills, as well as gain an insight into how other institutions function and meet many new people in the archive sector.
Working Wonders – The Conservation of Severely Mould-Damaged Stationery Bindings for the Latymer Upper School Archive.
Ann-Marie Miller, Director and Chloe Tse, Assistant Conservator, Codex Conservation Ltd.
The Latymer Upper School Conservation Project was organised by Codex Conservation Ltd, and is an example of how to make paid internships enable prohibitively expensive projects. We will describe how the project was set up, then we will outline the conservation of one the bindings and the approach taken.
Off the Wall
Shirley Jones, West Yorkshire Archive Service
The conservation team at West Yorkshire Archive Service was approached by a decorating partnership specialising in the installation, restoration and reproduction of historic moulded wallpapers, for training in paper conservation techniques to support their practice.
This presentation will reflect on the challenges and benefits of sharing skills across specialisms and beyond conservation into the realms of restoration. And in an information age, to what extent and how, should we as conservation professionals be gatekeepers of our knowledge and skills?
Workshop: What is archive conservation in 2025?
Ann Attwood, Gloucestershire Archives
Amid all the specialist technical knowledge, how are we interrogating our choices to safeguard and minimise the risk to our collections? How do we turn risks and threats into opportunities, making the maximum impact with often limited resources and the ever-present call for income generation?
In this session we will explore options together and revisit responsibilities. Through participation in 3 focussed breakout sessions, we will take a fresh look at our approach in the light of the climate crisis, limited resources and the demands of ethical conservation practice. A fast-paced, and light touch look at the bigger picture
Track C: Challenging Collections
Translating theory into practice: Postmodernism and the description of LGBT+ records in UK archives
Miss Jasmine Hide, Collections Management Technician, University Of Edinburgh
Rising numbers of projects investigating the application of ‘inclusive’ terminology suggest attitudes to cataloguing within UK archives are changing. The intent of this research was to investigate the origins of discourse on how LGBT+ records should be described in archive catalogues, tracing the origin of the debate around archival descriptive work and how language choices came to be contested in archival practice
The Cataloguing Code of Ethics 2021. Principles into practice for Archivists.
Jane Daniels, Volunteer, Amgueddfa Torfaen Museum
In this presentation I will briefly introduce the Cataloguing Code of Ethics 2021
https://sites.google.com/view/cataloging-ethics/ The Code consists of 10 brief, high level, ethical statements that can be applied in any archival cataloguing or metadata management setting.
Getting it on the Record: Expanding Representation in SNAC (Social Networks and Archival Context)
Ms. Helice Koffler, Rare Materials Cataloguer Iii, New York Public Library
I will discuss my experiences as a volunteer editor for SNAC (Social Networks and Archival Context) through the lens of a practicing archivist with a longstanding commitment to recovering and sharing untold stories.
Revisiting archival theory at Cumbria Archives – innovation not invention
Miss Kelda Roe, Archivist, Cumbria Archives
In this paper I propose that there is significant value in revisiting archival theory to revitalise core service practice. I will argue that professional curiosity and challenging the status quo can involve building positively on the foundations of previous generations, while also reconciling past practice with current archival theory. I will use a case study from Cumbria Archives, but link this to archival theory and established professional practice.
Prioritising Appraisal: A How-To in Managing Backlogs, Storeroom Space and Unintended Consequences
Miss Abigail Hartley, Appraisal Archivist And Archive Collections Manager, University Of Edinburgh
Appraisal is one facet of the archival workflow which has always received attention in public and academic discourse, particularly concerning where and when we dispose of material. Essentially, appraisal is scary, and archivists are often without the time to carry it out, leading to far reaching consequences. The talk and Q&A session will give insight on appraisal which goes beyond theory to better help institutions wanting to tackle backlogs in a meaningful manner.
Puzzles and Possibilities: Improving Appraisal for the Next Generation
Mr Colin Graham, Curatorial Archivist, Public Record Office Of Northern Ireland (PRONI)
As Archivists and Records Managers, we are constantly working within cross-generational perspectives; wherein our working lives are at once shaped by the legacies of the past, the priorities of the present and concerns for the future. This is especially true for Appraisal, which at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) is one of the key mechanisms for collecting records which have been created by NI Government Departments and the NI Public Sector for future generations of researchers. Simultaneously, Appraisal is becoming an increasingly complex exercise for current and future archivists.
Prejudice in Power: working positively with challenging collections
Sarah Aitchison, Director of Special Collections and Erika Delbecque, Head of Rare Books and Academic Liaison, UCL
How do we use collections that address challenging aspects of history to begin critical conversations with new and existing audiences? How should we support our staff to channel their expertise into new ways of engaging? How do we embed this into our practice?
Repatriation: A survey of Accredited Archive Policies and Archivists' Attitudes on the Matter
Ms Sabeth Hagenkotter, Independent Scholar
For my Master's dissertation, I surveyed accredited archives within the UK for their approach to repatriation policies and procedures. I asked whether repatriation policies were in place, if they had been used before, what the respondents' concerns regarding repatriation were and offered respondents the opportunity to share additional thoughts on the topic of returning contested documents to communities outside the UK. In this talk, I will be introducing the findings of my survey and the different policies and viewpoints archives within the UK hold.
Harmonising existing knowledge with modern innovation: advancing archival storage on a truly sustainable path
Mr Mark Barry, Director, Architype
Ms Gael Dundas, Imperial War Museum
The environmental impact of digital information management: it's time to think about sustainable practices
Ms Joy Siller, Managing Director, Siller Systems Administration
This paper will raise awareness of current sustainability issues including digital waste, energy use, the surge of artificial intelligence and cloud use, and the consequences of information appraisal, storage and preservation decisions and actions. It will discuss possible action and further steps that need to be taken by information managers and their colleagues.
Track D: Next Generation - Rethinking Training, Outreach and Inclusivity
Should we be doing outreach at all? Is it essential for our future?
Heather Forbes, Head Of Archives Service, Gloucestershire County Council
A time-travelling and provocative approach to get us thinking about the purpose of outreach and engagement activities, now and in the future.
Imagination in the Archive: Creativity as a Tool for Access and Participation
Ms Kaitlene Koranteng, Archivist And Engagement Producer, Institute of International Visual Art
This paper proposes imagination and creativity as mechanisms to engage with archives, offering pathways for both archivists and users to interact with materials beyond the confines of a traditional research visit. Imagination and speculation serve as tools to lower barriers to entry into archives, expanding their potential use beyond academic scholarship.
“Build it and they will come”: a new vision for collections access
Alexia Kirk, Archivist, Archive of Art & Design and Sabrina Offord, Archivist, Theatre & Performance Archives, V&A
On 31 May 2025, V&A East Storehouse will open to the public. The culmination of a decade long project, the new working store and visitor attraction aims to provide unprecedented access to the V&A Collections. The mission of V&A East Storehouse is to open the collections to all visitors breaking down traditional perceived barriers.
Archiving as if disabled people matter: innovation in practice
Panel: Dr Philip Milnes-Smith, Archivist (digital), Shakespeare's Globe; Sarah Hayward, Sam Goldstone-Brady, Kirstie Stage and Ellen Oredsson, Accessibility Working Group: ARA Diversity and Inclusion Allies
The sector’s work towards Diversity, Equality and Inclusion does not consistently seem to reach as far as Disability. In this Panel session hosted by the Accessibility Working Group of the Diversity and Inclusion Allies, five panellists will share recent innovative projects with the potential for application to different contexts so as to build engagement with previously unreached audiences, not only making it easier for them to access our services, but helping to make them feel valued and understood. After short presentations, they will comment and discuss further between them before opening up to audience questions.
Archives as Dwelling Place: Navigating welcome from the state archive
Dr Chloe Lee, Empire And Commonwealth Records Specialist, The National Archives
Dr Chloe Lee, explores welcome and hospitality as a response to trauma-informed approaches to the archive. Using findings from workshops at The National Archives, co-delivered with Bethany Thompson, and documented by illustrator, Angela Vives, the session will discuss the affective possibilities of the archive, and how storytelling forms part of the methodology of welcome and hospitality.
The Next Generation is Intergenerational: Reconceptualising the archive as a site of intergenerational connections
Miss Nella McNicol, Project Officer, University Of Glasgo
This paper proposes that embracing the archive as a site of intergenerational connections and utilising intergenerational practice in the archival process would be an effective method of democratising records and illustrating the archive’s value to broader society.
Updating Archive Service Accreditation: your questions answered: a workshop for prospective applicants and award holders
Mr Geoff Pick, Dr Melinda Haunton and Jane Shillaker, Archive Service Accreditation Committee
Your questions answered: a workshop for prospective applicants and award holders.