2025 - November and December - page 11
Image details
| Issue number | 404 |
|---|---|
| ISSN | 2632-7171 |
| Publication date | 1st November 2025 |
| Transcription |
ARA News magazine ARA has announced funding of £7,000 for the project “A Toolkit for Managing Deposited Collections in Archives” by the Scottish Council on Archives The Archives and Records Association UK & Ireland (ARA) has announced funding of £7,000 for the project “A Toolkit for Managing Deposited Collections in Archives” by the Scottish Council on Archives (SCA). The funding comes from the ARA Research and Advocacy Fund. The SCA’s project, Deposited Collections Online Toolkit, will support archivists (and other record keepers) throughout the UK and Ireland in managing long-term and permanent loan arrangements. The toolkit will address widespread issues relating to provenance, legal clarity, access and institutional risk. This initiative will provide practical guidance and advocacy resources to better equip the archive sector in managing deposited collections sustainably and ethically. Across the record-keeping sector, many repositories hold substantial volumes of deposited collections— materials acquired on long-term or permanent loan, rather than by outright gift or purchase. These deposits often fill important gaps in the historical record and can enhance public access. However, they are also frequently accompanied by ambiguities surrounding ownership, unclear or outdated agreements, burdensome access restrictions and the long- term risk of withdrawal. This project seeks to address these challenges by: l Identifying common challenges and risks in managing deposited collections, such as legal uncertainty, restricted access and potential liabilities. l Developing a practical toolkit to support archivists (and other record keepers) in negotiating, managing and advocating around deposited collections. l Raising sector-wide awareness of the implications of deposits and promoting a shared, proactive approach to their management. At the end of the project, currently scheduled to be May 2026, the following will be available: l Deposited Collections Online Toolkit (with pdf downloads, templates and current examples of draft deposit agreements and policy statements from across the sector) l Internal advocacy briefing materials for senior leadership and governing bodies. l Case studies and decision- making frameworks for assessing deposit offers. l Practical guidance on managing owner relationships, access issues and exit strategies. John Pelan, Director of SCA, comments: “We hope that this project will directly support UK archivists and other record keepers involved in this work by providing them with increased confidence and consistency in handling complex long-term deposits. It should also reduce the legal and reputational risk to repositories and provide stronger advocacy tools to negotiate favourable terms or promote permanent donation. We also hope it will create greater visibility of a widespread but under-addressed sector issue.” “We found that this project aligned well with the ARA Research and Advocacy Fund Priorities. It will directly contribute to raising standards in archive-related work by addressing a critical, under- researched area of collection management. It also supports evidence-based advocacy, risk reduction and sustainable collection stewardship—benefiting not only the record keepers who manage deposits but also the communities, researchers and donors they serve. By producing a scalable and adaptable toolkit, this project will have lasting impact beyond Scotland, offering a valuable model for repositories across the UK and Ireland.” About the Scottish Council on Archives The Scottish Council on Archives provides leadership and builds capacity for the archives and records management sector in Scotland. In the longer-term it is hoped that the project will foster stronger collaboration across institutions and potentially pave the way for a shared approach to deposits nationally. John Chambers, Chief Executive of ARA, comments: 11 |