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Most archives will not reopen before September and will offer a “much different service” when they do, the chief executive of the Archives and Records Association (ARA) has told Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine.
John Chambers said that while a small number of archive services aim to reopen in July, the majority will not be able to reopen before autumn, or September at the very earliest.
He explained that the sector faces a number of specific challenges. First, there is “no definitive guidance” on how long the virus lives on archival documents, although The National Archives (TNA) and other organisations are currently working on developing guidelines for how such material can be safely handled by members of the public.
Second, Chambers warned that it will be difficult to stick to social-distancing requirements in a small archive space.
He said that archives are looking at different ways of providing a service, for instance by introducing an appointments system or digitising documents on demand for researchers at home.
“They are going to be going back to a much different service, I think,” he said.
He added that a survey conducted by the ARA shows that 85 per cent of archive staff are currently working from home, so the first stage will be allowing staff to return to work.
“We’re thinking about practicality, thinking about options, beginning to research them. Everybody wants to get back, but we have got to be sensible.”
Chambers also pointed out that any changes to archive services will have to be evaluated on the grounds of equality requirements. For example, an increased shift to digitised services might exclude older people, who are less likely to be computer-literate.
“They are very much thinking about that, and trying to offer a service for the whole community,” he said.
He also warned that many archives are part of larger organisations, and there is a risk that they
“might be viewed as of secondary importance”.
WDYTYA? Magazine also contacted TNA, the National Library of Wales, the National Records of Scotland and the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland to ask if they know when they could reopen. However, all four national archives replied that they have no reopening date at the moment.
Separately, TNA has published guidelines that an archive service should take into account when planning for reopening at bit.ly/ reopening-archives.
TNA notes that reopening is “a positive and necessary step” but warns that archives should “take a risk-managed approach”.
In particular, the guidelines state that socialdistancing measures will mean “reduced opening hours and increased restrictions on access (eg introducing the pre-booking of documents and seating) for many archive services”.
When TNA reopens, it will aim to “start slow” then grow the service over time, with “the lowest possible numbers” of customers at first.
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‘Everybody wants to get back, but we have got to be sensible’