Collections Management Policy

6. Management of the archive collections

6.1 Lancashire Archives is an Accredited Archive Service. Archive Service Accreditation is the UK standard for archive services. It defines good practice and identifies agreed standards to support development and improvement throughout the sector.

6.2 Lancashire's archive collections are managed in accordance with its own approved policies, within The National Archives framework of standards and best practice guidance, and following the Code of Ethics of the Archive and Records Association, updated February 2020.

6.3 We select and acquire unique and irreplaceable archive material of enduring historical significance to the county of Lancashire, and the unitary authority of Blackburn with Darwen, in accordance with our Collections Development Policy and plans. We accept regular transfers of material from the Records Management service of Lancashire County Council to ensure that the archives of our parent organisation are preserved. We offer facilities for organisations and individuals to donate or deposit archive collections for safekeeping and for the benefit of research. Our Collections Development Plan aims to ensure that our archive collections continue to reflect the diverse and changing community we serve.

6.4 We list, catalogue and record and provide information about the archive collections in accordance with our Collections Information Policy and Collections Information Plan. Cataloguing is carried out by trained and qualified archivists. We document our collections in accordance with appropriate professional standards and make collection level entries available online for all archive collections following the International Council on Archives General International Standard of Archival Description [ISAD(G)].

6.5 We preserve, care for and undertake archive conservation work on the archive collections in accordance with our Collections Care and Conservation Policy. We follow the guidance in BS 4971:2017 Conservation and care of archive and library collections, PAS 197:2009 Code of practice for cultural collections management, and BS EN 16893:2018 Conservation of Cultural Heritage – Specifications for location, construction and modification of buildings or rooms intended for the storage or use of heritage collections.

We ensure that the archives are preserved to the best current professional standards by storage in archive-quality packaging in purpose-built, climatically-controlled strongrooms and on secure digital servers or storage media, as well as by supervised use of the collections and an ongoing programme of condition surveys and assessment followed by appropriate remedial action.

6.5.1 Preventive Conservation underpins the long-term survival and accessibility of the archive collections. It is carried out by trained and qualified staff, and by volunteers under supervision, and is undertaken in accordance with health and safety requirements and nationally recognised standards.

6.5.2 Interventive repair of archives is undertaken where necessary. It is carried out by trained and qualified staff and undertaken in accordance with health and safety requirements and nationally recognised standards –BS 4971:2017 Conservation and care of archive and library collections, and the Institute of Conservation's Professional Standards and Code of Conduct 2014.

6.5.3 Born-digital records are stored on secure digital servers with regular backups. File fixity information is recorded for each folder and checked at regular intervals to ensure integrity. 2014

6.6 We provide access to Lancashire’s archival heritage in accordance with our Access Policy and Standards and with respect to the Equality Act 2010, the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Data Protection Act 2018, the Environmental Information Regulations and current and relevant Copyright legislation.

6.6.1 We provide direct public access, free of charge and (in normal circumstances) without appointment, in our public searchroom. We subscribe to the Archives Card, a national reader's ticket system managed by the Archives and Records Association. ‘We recognise our statutory duty to eliminate unlawful discrimination of all kinds and are committed to promoting equality of opportunity in all aspects of the service’²

Staff are available in the searchroom to assist visitors to find the information they need, to interpret the archive collections and to ensure safe and careful handling of the material.

We recognise the value of displaying archives as well as the risks of exhibiting original archival material. Any individual or organisation seeking to exhibit Lancashire archives must comply with our terms and conditions for loan and sign the Exhibition Loan Agreement.

² Lancashire Archives Access Policy Statement