You can download a Word version of this policy here.

1. Policy statement and purpose

This policy sets out Gloucestershire Archives’ commitment to providing accessible learning and outreach opportunities based on our collections. 

 

2. Scope

The policy applies to our learning and outreach activities on-site, off-site and online.

 

3. Terminology

Archives are the record of everyday activities of governments, organisations, businesses and individuals. Archives may take many different forms – handwritten, typed, printed, photographic or electronic – and include audio-visual material such as video and sound recordings. As authentic and reliable records, they are preserved permanently because of their evidential and historical value.

Local and family history resources comprise published information about the history of local areas and their communities, for example, newspapers and locality-based books, pamphlets and journals covering a wide range of topics.

Interpretation refers to all the ways in which information is communicated to visitors or archive users.  More specifically, in the context of this policy, it is the communication about the nature, origin and purpose of an archive document or collection.  It aims to provoke visitors’ curiosity and interest in what may be an unfamiliar topic or theme; relates the document or collection to visitors’ own knowledge, experience, background and values; reveals the significance of the document or collection in a way which visitors can understand and appreciate and helps people to enjoy a satisfying experience.  It includes events, displays, online information including the online catalogue and other finding aids, resource packs, and taught sessions.

4. Background

Gloucestershire Archives gathers archive collections and local and family history resources to ensure they are kept secure and made accessible.

We are an accredited archive service recognised by The National Archives as the place of deposit for public records relating to Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire.

We are a Gloucestershire County Council service.  By agreement, we also provide an archive service for South Gloucestershire Council and are the appointed Record Office for the Diocese of Gloucester.

We are a lead partner in the Gloucestershire Heritage Hub, a network of local people and organisations with a common interest in our historic county's documented heritage.

 

5. Our customers

 

We define anyone who interacts with our service, be it on-site, off-site, or online, as our customers. Through our learning and outreach activities we aim to provide the broadest possible access to our collections and associated resources and services. 

 

6. Our learning and outreach goals

 

6.1 Support the business objectives of Gloucestershire County Council and South Gloucestershire Council and meet the expectations of our customers within available resources

6.2 Help people in Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire to gather, keep and share their documented heritage

6.3 Develop our collections to reflect the diverse nature of the communities we serve

6.4 Enable more people to benefit fully from our services, whatever their needs. 

6.5 Use our collections for learning, enjoyment, inspiration and creativity and to foster wellbeing

6.6 Encourage and participate in cultural and learning partnerships that promote a sense of identity and place within local communities

6.7 Tell people who live and work in Gloucestershire, South Gloucestershire and beyond, about our collections and services

6.8 Help people to understand the importance of documented heritage

 

 

7. Guiding principles

 

7.1 Use our public sector equality duty to drive our learning and outreach priorities

7.2 Identify, gather, interpret and share collections from Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire's diverse communities

7.3 Consider audience needs and barriers^[1] to access when we:

·         evaluate and develop our facilities and services; and

·         generate interpretative content and decide how to deliver that content

7.4 Help people realise how their archives contribute to democracy and accountability, social policy, education, research and an understanding of history and culture.

7.5 Help people look after their archives better.  

7.6Help people to access and engage with our collections online

7.7 Listen to our customers and respond to their needs in ways that help them to help themselves

7.8 Develop and publish (including online) collections-based learning resources

7.9 Facilitate independent and volunteer-aided research by users of the public research room

7.10 Provide a range of sustainable training and learning opportunities, both stand-alone and progressive, that:

·         help people to understand and use their documented heritage

·         help people to gather, keep and share their documented heritage

·         stimulate an interest in people, places and our shared histories and experiences

·         inform people’s attitudes, values, activity and behaviour

·         are suitable for formal and informal learners

·         can be undertaken on an individual or group basis

·         include provision for all ages, including intergenerational learning opportunities

·         cater for different learning styles.

7.11 Advise and support community groups undertaking heritage projects and activities

7.12 Support not-yet users to benefit from our services and to become regular users

7.13 Spark and develop an interest in our services by bringing them to the attention of as wide a range of audiences as possible

7.14 Promote Gloucestershire Heritage Hub as a destination for heritage research and promote Gloucestershire library resources as a starting point for heritage research

7.15 Use evaluation as a tool to improve standards and demonstrate the impact of what we do

7.16 Wherever possible, work with other Hub providers to achieve the above, securing external funding to support related activity.

7.17 Wherever possible, work in partnership to increase impact

 

8. Equality, diversity and inclusion

 

Gloucestershire Archives is committed to embedding equality, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of our work, especially learning and outreach.  We prioritise work alongside groups and communities with protected characteristics and run community partnership projects to widen participation. This in turn should increase the number of under-represented voices included in the archive for current and future generations.

We treat all staff, customers, and anyone else we come into contact with, equally and with dignity and respect. We do not discriminate on grounds of age, disability status, employment status, ethnic or cultural origin, gender or gender reassignment, marital status, nationality, religious belief or non-belief, responsibility for dependants, sexual orientation or social background.  We recognise, respect and value difference and diversity.

We review all policies and the related equalities impact assessment every three years, or sooner if required.  Our latest equalities impact assessment and our equality, diversity and inclusion policy are here:  www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/archives/policies   

We have made our base at Gloucestershire Heritage Hub as accessible as possible.   We offer bookable sessions for those where additional help is needed to access our collections or other services.  We also deliver some learning and outreach activities offsite.

For those who prefer to access our services remotely, we offer online facilities and resources.  These include our online catalogue with details of our collections and guides and finding aids signposted from our website. Online exhibitions are regularly added to the ‘Learning for All’ section of our website. Online talks, videos and other resources are hosted on the Heritage Hub Youtube channel.  

 

9. Roles and responsibilities

 

Gloucestershire Archives Management Team will draw up the annual business plan. The Archives Development Manager in collaboration with the Customer Services Manager will oversee delivery and evaluation of events and other activities in accordance with both the business plan and this policy.

 

10. References

 

This policy should be read alongside other related Archives policies, to be found at www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/archives/policies

Our access statement is available here:

https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/archives/visit-us/accessibility-on-site/

 

Other related guidance includes:

 

National government strategy on archives: Archives for Everyone 2023-27.

Archives Service Accreditation standard

www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archives-sector/archive-service-accreditation/

                                                                                

 

11. Review and revision

This policy will be reviewed every 3 years.    Please write to archives@gloucestershire.gov.uk if you wish to give feedback on this policy.

 

 

Document control

	Author:		Sally Middleton, former Community Heritage Development Manager; revisions by Kate Maisey Archives Development Manager
	Owner:		Heather Forbes, Head of Archives Service
	Approval Body		Gloucestershire Archives Management Team (GAMT); Gloucestershire County Council’s Director of Policy, Performance & Governance; South Gloucestershire Archives Liaison Group
	Date Approved		21 June 2023
	Document Number:		v.1.5
Version history
	Version	Version date		Summary of Changes
	1.0	October 2013		Approved by GAMT.  This replaces the education policy of 2003.
	1.1	September 2014		Brief review and minor reformatting
	1.2	December 2016		Brief review and minor changes
	1.3	January 2018		New template for Heritage Hub; amendments to reflect training for community groups and other minor amendments
	1.4	March & October 2020		Brief review, minor amendments made. Link to the access statement. Updated the equality & diversity section.
	1.5	June 2023		Brief review, minor amendments, updated web links and equalities paragraph updated.

 

Date of next revision: 2026