Join the Historic Libraries Forum on Wednesday 1 December for a fascinating trio of case studies exploring the various ways historic libraries have sought to engage their users and stakeholders online. The event will start with a short AGM and finish with a round table featuring librarians from a variety of historic/special libraries discussing their experiences under Covid-19. Register here
Schedule
14.00 Welcome, introductions and housekeeping
14.05 Historic Libraries Forum AGM
14.20 Session One
Enhancing collection access, online and off– Mari James (Library Development Officer, St David’s Cathedral)
Engaging digital volunteers– Tom Bilson (Head of Digital Media, The Courtauld)
15.15 Break
15.30 Session Two
Delivering a successful online event – Dr Jamie Cumby (Assistant Curator of Rare Books & Manuscripts, Linda Hall Library)
Has Covid-19 exacerbated a digital divide in our sector? Round table discussion
Steven Archer (Sub-Librarian, Trinity College, Cambridge), Julie Davis (County Local Studies Librarian, Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre), Dr Helen Kemp (Plume Librarian, Thomas Plume’s Library) and Emma Laws (Devon and Exeter Institution)
We know the value and positive impact that local studies collections can have on people’s lives. Sharing and exploring together; understanding how the past has shaped a community, and the history of the places that matter to every one of us is proving, now more than ever, to be a comforting constant in an ever-changing world.
Tower Hamlets has been digitising film collections and sharing via social media channels such as You Tube.
Hosting online screenings of films from Local Studies collections: Tower Hamlets is doing this via Facebook Live.
Creating film-shows using photographs from Local Studies collections alongside narration; such as the VE Day film show created by the Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre.
Local Studies for reminiscence: the Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre has been trialling the use of photographs from its collection to create film shows specifically to help those with memory loss.
Covid-19 specific projects
There are many libraries and archives garnering the support of their current volunteers, engaging with the public and growing their volunteer base to help document life under lockdown. Examples include Suffolk Archives, Hull History Centre and Cheshire Archives & Local Studies.
Online Outreach
Many are making recent exhibitions available online and offering fee virtual talks, plus the promotion of free online heritage resources. Examples include Poole History Centre and the Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre.
The Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre have produced an online version of their Memory Box Reading Group sessions which focus on Wiltshire’s local history.
Solihull Local Studies Library have created an e-book from people’s memories of wartime Solihull.
Tower Hamlets have established a number of socially-distanced local history walks, accessible via social media. They have also produced a set of online local history podcasts and continue to work on collections-led study material to support parents with the history curriculum.
West Sussex Local Studies have posted interviews from their WWI project online.
Members of the South West Local Studies Librarians Group took part in a joint social media outreach project for Local and Community History Month 2020 using an A to Z theme, plus hashtags such as #LocalFood, #LocalStories, #LocalBuildings, #LocalCelebrations. Somerset Archives, Poole History Centre, Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre, Devon Archives, Bristol Archives, Bath Record Office and Swindon Local Studies Library all took part.
There is a local history JISCmail list which is free to subscribe to at https://t.co/SxpP3By8u3 if you are interested in, or are working in the local history field, and would like to discuss and share information. The CILIP LSG blog is also a great platform to make the most of, and we would love to hear from anyone interested in Local Studies.
There is some amazing work happening all over the country, and certainly in my case it’s been a sharp learning curve, and a continued work in progress as my own skills improve…
We hope these examples help inspire everyone to discover more about the history of the places that matter to them in a greater variety of formats than ever before.
Julie Davis
County Local Studies Librarian, Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre & Member of CILIP LSG
Do you work with local studies collections? Are you and your colleagues working in innovative ways to share those collections?
If yes, then we would love to hear from you. We are looking for great examples of how local studies materials are being used to support communities and individuals in accessing information and improving their mental health and wellbeing. We are especially interested in online delivery, whether it was developed before or after the arrival of Covid-19 and lockdown, but are welcoming any contributions.
Working with local studies material, we know the value and positive impact our collections have on people’s lives. Now we want to demonstrate those benefits, great and small, to a wider audience.
The aim is to collate all the good things happening throughout the country and share the results via the CILIP Local Studies website https://lslibrarians.wordpress.com/ and social media pages @CILIP_LSG
If you have any experiences or stories to share, please email the County Local Studies Librarian at the Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre julie.davis@wiltshire.gov.uk
Thank you for your time and we look forward to receiving your replies.
CILIP Local Studies Group 