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We are recruiting for a secretary

williamLeave a comment

Want to get involved with the Local Studies Group Committee? We are recruiting for a secretary.

Are you looking to boost your professional development in a friendly networking environment? The Local Studies Group is an active special interest group of CILIP. We organise conference and networking events; provide e-publications such as the Local Studies Toolkit and Local Studies Librarian blog; and run the national Alan Ball Awards for Local History publications and the Dorothy McCulla Award for outstanding contribution to Local Studies Librarianship. We are looking for someone to fill the Secretary role on our committee.  It is a great opportunity for anyone hoping to get actively involved in CILIP, develop skills, and enhance career opportunities.

As an officer on the Committee, you will be involved in shaping the future of the LSG and the activities it delivers. As the secretary you will act as a conduit for information sent out from and to the CILIP Members team. You will also receive correspondence regarding the McCulla Award and E-Alan Ball Award. The role also includes sending out agendas and making notes of our committee meetings twice a year and working with the Chair to create a very short annual report and review of the year for our business plan and AGM. There are also opportunities to represent the LSG in the wider CILIP community networks.  All our meetings are on Zoom.

To find out more, please contact Terry Bracher LSG Chair at Chair.LSG@cilip.org.uk  or terry.bracher@wiltshire.gov.uk

Survey on diversity in local studies

lslibrariansLeave a comment

I am Darren Edwards, an MA Library and Information Services Management student at the University of Sheffield.

For my dissertation research I am studying the representation of diverse communities in local studies collections, focused on the representation of LGBTQ+ and ethnic minority communities. I am looking to recruit participants who work in English local studies libraries to complete an online questionnaire. The questionnaire asks you to reflect upon your local studies collection and the representation of diverse communities within it. The questionnaire is anonymous and asks for no personal data.

This study will help to improve understanding of how well diverse communities are represented in local studies collections and by encouraging reflection on collections will lead to an improvement in this representation. Your participation will benefit my dissertation research and the completion of my degree.

If you are interested in participating in the questionnaire, please click the following link: https://forms.gle/nwKTrpSqfVaMGqN86

For further information or questions, please contact me on dledwards1@sheffield.ac.uk. The project has received ethical approval from the Information School at the University of Sheffield and is being supervised by Dr. Sara Vannini.

Winner of the McCulla Award 2022 announced

williamLeave a comment

The well-deserved winner of the McCulla Award 2022 is Tony Pilmer. At present he is Librarian and Archivist at the Royal Aeronautical Society, but has had a long career in local studies in Slough and Hertfordshire. He has been active in CILIP’s Local Studies Group and the South sub-group for many years and also belongs to CILIP’s Rare Books Group. He has shared his enthusiasm for local studies through the organisation of study days, visits and contributions to the LSG blog, but most outstanding has been his work over the last four years on the Local Studies Toolkit, an online resource for all who work with local studies collections. Tony developed the initial plan and recruited a group of contributors, proof readers and checkers. He promoted the project and managed the volunteers. It is in a format, devised by him, which allows easy updating and contribution from users and will be an invaluable tool for those who work in the field.

Working with cultural heritage data: forthcoming training courses

william2 Comments

There are two forthcoming training courses on working with cultural heritage data that may be of interest to local studies librarians:

The theme for the school this year is Digital Image Curation. There will be a Q&A about the school and how to apply on 25 January, 2pm GMT. Register for the zoom link.

There will be further face-to-face sessions in York and Wales before July 2023, so watch out for those if they are more convenient to get to.

Nominations open for Alan Ball Awards 2022

williamLeave a comment

Once again we are looking to reward outstanding local history publications and we need your help.

Do you know of an excellent local history book or website that was published in 2022? Then please think of submitting a nomination to the Alan Ball Awards: we want to reward as diverse a range of publications as possible. The Awards are now open to all heritage and community organisations, as well as individuals that have self-published. This year we will have three categories:

  • Print publication – for best hardcopy publication 
  • E-publication – for best digital publication (e-books, journals, websites or virtual exhibitions, blogs and apps. Please note: we are unable to include digital installations within heritage or museum sites)
  • Community Award – for best community publication in either category.

Deadline for submission is the end of February 2023. Further details and how to submit nominations can be found at: https://lslibrarians.wordpress.com/local-studies-publication-e-publications-of-the-year-awards/

Local Studies Conference 2022 – Tooling-up for the future – last chance to book

lslibrariansLeave a comment

Date: Friday 21 October, 10.25-15.40

Location: The National Archives, Kew

Cost: £25 plus VAT (£30 inc VAT) including lunch & drinks

New bookings link: book here.

Local Studies projects, collections and staff have the power to engage people from widely different backgrounds and across the generation. They can also meet the priorities of library, archive and heritage services in innovative ways.

To help guide and inspire those who work in our field, CILIP Local Studies Group are launching the Local Studies Toolkit, a free online guide containing nearly fifty sections written and peer reviewed by some of the best local studies professionals in the country. View it now at https://lslibrarians.wordpress.com/toolkit/.

The programme for the day is:

10am               Reception open & tea and coffee available                          

10.25am          Welcome, Terry Bracher, Chair LSG & Tina Morton, Head of Archives Sector Development, The National Archives.

10.30am          Why local studies matters, Norma Crowe, formerly Local Studies Librarian, Medway

10.50am          Launch of the Local Studies Toolkit, Tony Pilmer, Librarian & Archivist, Royal Aeronautical Society & formerly Local Studies Librarian, Slough (Editor-in-Chief of the toolkit)

11am               Community Archives, Terry Bracher, Heritage Services Manager, Wiltshire

11.20am          Oral history projects, Martin Hayes, County Local Studies Librarian, West Sussex

11.40am          Delegates can choose from three of the following options:

  • 1921 Census
  • Maps & plans
  • Directories
  • Ephemera
  • Discussion on doing Local Studies after COVID
  • Who uses a local studies library?
  • Copyright Discussion
  • Collection Development

12.50pm          LSG AGM

1.00pm            Lunch

2pm                 Not ticking the box: local studies and meaningful impact, Tracey Williams, Library Specialist: Heritage & Local Studies, Solihull

2.20pm            Creating Online Events and Website Resources, Tudor Allen, Senior Archivist, Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre

2.40pm            Opportunities for funding, Eloise Kane, Engagement Manager, London and South, National Lottery Heritage Fund

3pm                 Panel discussion

3.30pm            Closing comments

3.40pm            Tour of the National Archives (optional)

To book please visit out revised bookings page.

Full details of travelling to the National Archives, including public transport links and car parking charges, please visit: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/visit-us/how-to-find-us/.

For further information please contact chair.lsg@cilip.org.uk.

Local Studies Conference 2022 – Tooling-up for the future – new bookings link

lslibrariansLeave a comment

Date: Friday 21 October, 10.25-15.40

Location: The National Archives, Kew

Cost: £25 plus VAT (£30 inc VAT) including lunch & drinks

New bookings link: book here.

Local Studies projects, collections and staff have the power to engage people from widely different backgrounds and across the generation. They can also meet the priorities of library, archive and heritage services in innovative ways.

To help guide and inspire those who work in our field, CILIP Local Studies Group are launching the Local Studies Toolkit, a free online guide containing nearly fifty sections written and peer reviewed by some of the best local studies professionals in the country. View it now at https://lslibrarians.wordpress.com/toolkit/.

Join us at the National Archives to formally launch the CILIP LSG Local Studies Toolkit, explore inspirational projects and find out more about the nuts and bolts of local studies and heritage work in the post-COVID world including:

  • Oral history
  • Virtual events
  • Making a meaningful impact
  • Community archives
  • Attracting funding.

Speakers include former CILIP Local Studies Librarians of the Year, Martin Hayes, Tracey Williams & Norma Crowe, speakers from the National Lottery Heritage Fund together with staff from two of the UK’s most innovative collections: Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre & Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre.

There will also be an opportunity for you to choose from a number of workshops that will enable you to explore and discuss areas of heritage work that interest you, including:

  • 1922 Census
  • Copyright
  • Collection development
  • Local Studies after COVID
  • Heritage users and their needs
  • Ephemera
  • Maps
  • Directories

You can also finish the day with a Tour of the National Archives and take part in the 2022 CILIP Local Studies AGM.

To book please visit out revised bookings page.

Full details of travelling to the National Archives, including public transport links and car parking charges, please visit: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/visit-us/how-to-find-us/.

For further information please contact chair.lsg@cilip.org.uk.

Local Studies Conference 2022 – Tooling-up for the future – book now

lslibrariansLeave a comment

Date: Friday 21 October, 10.25-15.40

Location: The National Archives, Kew

Cost: £25 plus VAT (£30 inc VAT) including lunch & drinks

Local Studies projects, collections and staff have the power to engage people from widely different backgrounds and across the generation. They can also meet the priorities of library, archive and heritage services in innovative ways.

To help guide and inspire those who work in our field, CILIP Local Studies Group are launching the Local Studies Toolkit, a free online guide containing nearly fifty sections written and peer reviewed by some of the best local studies professionals in the country. View it now at https://lslibrarians.wordpress.com/toolkit/.

Join us at the National Archives to formally launch the CILIP LSG Local Studies Toolkit, explore inspirational projects and find out more about the nuts and bolts of local studies and heritage work in the post-COVID world including:

  • Oral history
  • Virtual events
  • Making a meaningful impact
  • Community archives
  • Attracting funding.

Speakers include former CILIP Local Studies Librarians of the Year, Martin Hayes, Tracey Williams & Norma Crowe, speakers from the National Lottery Heritage Fund together with staff from two of the UK’s most innovative collections: Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre & Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre.

There will also be an opportunity for you to choose from a number of workshops that will enable you to explore and discuss areas of heritage work that interest you, including:

  • 1922 Census
  • Copyright
  • Collection development
  • Local Studies after COVID
  • Heritage users and their needs
  • Ephemera
  • Maps
  • Directories

You can also finish the day with a Tour of the National Archives and take part in the 2022 CILIP Local Studies AGM.

To book please visit out revised bookings page.

Full details of travelling to the National Archives, including public transport links and car parking charges, please visit: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/visit-us/how-to-find-us/.

For further information please contact chair.lsg@cilip.org.uk.

New archives group for the North West

tonypilmerLeave a comment

Several colleagues in the North West of England have recently started discussing networking opportunities in the region. We are aware of some brilliant partnerships and networks operating in parts of the north west, with a range of different models, but want to take a sounding on whether we need to do more.

We would like to invite anyone working with archives to join an initial informal online discussion to simply ask the question, ‘what would you like to see?’ – to be held on Wednesday 29th June, 2.00-3.00.

We are interested in creating a regular informal space for people working with archives to meet, discuss issues, concerns or opportunities, and have a chance to find out from colleagues about activity and good practice taking place within the region. This could be through in person events, online chats or a mixture – and we want to follow up the online meeting with an event at Lancashire Archives towards the end of July.

If you are interested in joining the conversation, please get in touch with me at alexander.miller@lancashire.gov.uk and we will send on the invite. If you can’t make the date, but would be interested in keeping in touch with developments, please drop me a line as well so we can keep you informed.

Alex Miller

Lancashire Archives

Toolkit: Relationships with fellow heritage, library and local government professionals

tonypilmerLeave a comment

Return to Toolkit homepage

It is important to build relationships with a wide circle of fellow professionals, so you can identify potential areas of joint working and refer enquiries to useful services. Local Studies staff also need an understanding and awareness of other heritage professionals’ practices, especially as the divisions between fellow heritage professionals are narrowing and users will not be aware that priorities, attitudes and training in these professions are quite different.

These can include visits, meetings and temporary exchanges in staff. Key groups include:

  • Neighbouring collections, especially those with overlapping collections. These include collections both inside and outside your authority. Local networks of local studies librarians include:
  • County Record Offices.
  • Local Museums
  • Family history societies
  • Local history societies
  • Archaeological services, especially the Site and Monuments Officers.

Other important relationships within your local authority network includes:

  • Planning offices (Especially the Buildings Conservation Officer and the guys who produce all of the maps for the Council)
  • Parks departments.
  • IT
  • Arts Development
  • Conservators
  • Communications & Social Media Officers.
  • Tourist information officers
  • Registrars and cemetery staff

You also need an understanding of roles of those organisations on the national stage. In England, Local Studies sits uneasily between the remits of the Arts Council and the National Archives, so an awareness of their priorities is important. The British Library also plays a key role and the Society of Antiquaries of London, the learned society for our area, also has some interesting resources.

There are a number of national heritage organisations you need to know about. These include:

Your local area history and traditions will also dictate which specialist regional and national heritage organisations you need to know about.

The Broader picture:

You also need a wider view of the library world, which is where CILIP Update and old friends from library school can help.

Further Reading

Martin Hayes, Sleeping wuth the enemy : co-operation between archivists and librarians in West Sussed, Local Studies Librarian, v.16(1) 1997, p.2-5

Local Studies Toolkit: Who uses a local studies collection

Got something to add?

Do you have any comments, suggestions or updates for this page? Add a comment below or contact us. This toolkit is only as good as you make it.

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