British Records Association

Author: Stephanie

  • Basic Archives Skills Training – New places available

    Basic Archives Skills Training – New places available

    Places are now available for the Basic Archive Skills Training Days on the 11th May and the 20th July 2026 (both Mondays).
    Details of these Training Days, and future ones as they arise, can be found on the Eventbrite page Archive Skills Training (from the BRA).
    This popular online course was developed in 1991 by Margaret Crockett and Janet Foster. They have delivered the Training Day for 35 years, moving the course online in 2020, the tickets consistently selling out. The British Records Association (BRA) took on the administrative functions in 2025.

    Margaret and Janet are now stepping down after delivering their final Training Day on the 17th March, and have passed the baton to a new delivery team. The new Course Facilitators are Nicola Allen (Consultant Archivist and Records Manager) and Becky Sims (Head of Archives and Reader Services, University College London). They are joined by subject specialist speakers Liz Yamada (Senior Conservation Officer, Northamptonshire Archives and Heritage Service) and Mark Pomeroy (Archivist of the Royal Academy). Mark provides continuity with the former team, as Jonathan Rhys-Lewis, former guest speaker, is also stepping down.

    Margaret and Janet have received warm tributes from the archives community for their achievement in establishing and popularising this essential introduction to basic archive skills. They are confident that the new professional team, with their wealth of expertise and experience in the sector, will successfully continue and build on their legacy.

    Early booking is recommended.
  • Maurice Bond Lecture 2026 Announced

    Maurice Bond Lecture 2026 Announced

    The annual Maurice Bond Memorial Lecture and Janette Harley Memorial Prize presentation will be held on Thursday 7th May at Guildhall Library, London, EC2V 5AF (6.00-9.00pm) on “Sustainability and Resilience – the Future of Preventive Conservation”

    This year’s lecture will be given by Juergen Vervoorst FIIC ACR, Head of Collection Care at The National Archives.

    Standards for the management and preservation of archival and library collections have been available and adhered to by many institutions for a considerable length of time. Following such standards is critical to attain accredited status, and they often provide evidence to senior decision makers to release funding for improvements to collection conditions. On the other hand, increasing energy costs, carbon net zero and broader sustainability targets, and the need to prepare for climate change induced risks put unprecedented pressures on collection managers, the solution of which often seem contrary to the long-term preservation of archival and library collections. Whilst preservation standards have already relaxed, the complexity to fully exploit the flexibility provided and the lack of resource often makes it difficult to make the right decision for collections. This lecture will explore some of the challenges and pressures collection managers are under and will provide an outlook onto what the future of preventive conservation might hold.

    We will also be presenting the Janette Harley Prize 2025, which has been awarded to Frank Meeres (editor), for Socialism in King’s Lynn and Suffragism in Great Yarmouth: Minutes of the King’s Lynn Socialist and Labour Societies, 1897-1916, and Minutes of the Executive Committee of the Great Yarmouth Women’s Suffrage Society, 1909-1915 (Norfolk Record Society vol. LXXXVIII, 2024).

    The lecture and presentation will be followed by a drinks reception

    Directions: The entrance on Aldermanbury is marked the London Centre and Guildhall Library. Venue is accessible with lifts.

    Book your ticket on Eventbrite.

  • A report from our 2025 conference on ‘Records at Risk’

    This blog is written by Aimey Stevens, the recipent of a bursary place to our 2025 conference ‘Safeguarding Future History: Meeting the Challenge of Records at Risk’, which took place on 4th November 2025.

    I was very excited to attend the British Records Association Annual Conference this year in London as a Level 7 Archivist and Records Manager apprentice, with support from the bursary. I was particularly interested in attending because of the theme Records at Risk, and the programme was full of practical and inspiring examples. By attending, I hoped to build my knowledge and confidence in this area to support both my learning and professional development helping me to connect what I am studying in my apprenticeship with real world practices and challenges in the sector.

    One of the sessions I was most excited about was Saving Homotopia’s Video Archive. I have always been fascinated by film and audiovisual archives, and this talk really resonated with me. I am currently working on a filmmaker’s collection in my role, and I also have a background in film production, which first inspired my interest in archives. It was fascinating to hear how the Re-Dock artist collective worked to safeguard the Homotopia material, and what their experience can teach those of us managing similar collections.
    Another highlight for me was the session led by Richard Wiltshire and Gillian Staples on The Crisis Management Team in Action: Saving the Debenhams Archives for the Nation. I found this talk particularly inspiring because it showcased how collaboration, quick thinking, and professional dedication can make a tangible difference in protecting at risk business archives. It was encouraging to see how archivists can come together to respond to crises and ensure that important records  and the stories they tell are not lost.
    I was also really looking forward to the networking opportunities the conference offered. Being based in the North West, it was fantastic to travel further afield and meet professionals and recordkeepers from across different regions. Conversations throughout the day helped me gain new perspectives and ideas, and I came away feeling more connected to the wider archival community. It was a really valuable experience as I left feeling inspired, more informed about records at risk, and motivated to continue developing my skills as I progress through my apprenticeship. And the buffet lunch was lovely!