Transcript HE & Archives: Forging a new relationship in Essex

HE & Archives:
Forging a new
relationship in
Essex
Sarah Girling
Cultural Access, Learning and
Participation Officer
University of Essex student
visits
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Essex Record Office
Aims
The team
What we delivered
Who took part
Evaluation
What next?
Essex Record Office
• Based in
Chelmsfor
d
• Founded
in 1938
Essex Record Office
• 8 miles of
archival
shelving
• Home to
the ESVA
Aims
• Target young people – break down
barriers
Ages of visitors to ERO (PSQG
Survey 2012)
50
45
40
Percent
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
15-24
25-44
45-64
Age of visitors
65+
Aims
• Target young people – break down
barriers
• Why University of Essex?
• Give the students ideas for research topics
– foster repeat visits
• Increase use of Searchroom
Chart showing declining
physical visits
Aims
• Target young people – break down
barriers
• Why University of Essex?
• Give the students ideas for research topics
– foster repeat visits
• Increase use of Searchroom
• Introduce students to Seax, original
documents and Searchroom technology
Aims
• Target young people – break down
barriers
• Why University of Essex?
• Give the students ideas for research topics
– foster repeat visits
• Increase use of Searchroom
• Introduce students to Seax, original
documents and Searchroom technology
• Critical awareness when using sources
The Team
• Neil Wiffen – PST Manager
• Sarah Girling – Heritage Education Officer
• Hannah Salisbury – Audience
Development Officer
• Ruth Costello – Archivist
• Tony King – Senior Conservator
• Martin Astell – Sound & Video Archivist
• Archive Assistants Grahame Harris, Edd Harris, Gloria
Harris and Sarah Ensor
What we delivered
• Behind-the-scenes tour
– Searchroom
– Repositories
– Conservation Studio
– ERO ‘Treasures’
What we delivered
• Behind-the-scenes tour
• Case studies
• Introduction to original documents
What we delivered
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Behind-the-scenes tour
Case studies
Introduction to original documents
Introduction to Essex Sound and Video
Archive
• Research task – in the Searchroom, using
primary and secondary sources
What we delivered
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Behind-the-scenes tour
Case studies
Introduction to original documents
Introduction to Essex Sound and Video
Archive
• Research task – in the Searchroom, using
primary and secondary sources
• Discussion
Who took part?
• University of Essex made the visits a
compulsory part of first year study, with
students writing a reflective report on their
visit
• 77 first year History undergraduates took
part
Evaluation
• Students’ opinions were asked at the
beginning and the end of each day
Would you use the ERO for
your research?
60
55
51
Number of students
50
40
30
20
10
8
8
1
0
Yes
No
Beginning of visit
0
Maybe
End of visit
Students’ perceptions
Beginning of the day:
Dusty, old, strict, complex, lonely, difficult to
understand, difficult to access, outdated, didn’t
know what the ERO was, used by ‘important
historians’
End of the day:
More interesting, easier to use and more useful
than expected; more variety than expected; can
be used for more than strictly local history
What did the students enjoy?
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Research task
Seeing ERO ‘Treasures’
Tour
Case studies
Conservation
Learning about the range of sources
available
What did the students think?
[I] enjoyed realising
how many sources
[are] available for use
and what knowledge
they can provide
Archives and old
records are much more
accessible than I
thought
[I enjoyed] viewing
primary sources rather
than having secondary
sources
The activity was good
as it gave an
experience of what
you would do for your
dissertation etc.
What did the tutors think?
Almost all the students gave positive
comments in their reflective reports.
Many of them said that they were
inspired by the presentations on sources
and would use the ERO in future
research projects. Several of them also
expressed interest in developing
knowledge and experience of
conservation and archive work.
Dr. Amanda Flather, First Year Director,
Challenges
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Mobile phones
Engaging students in discussion
Group dynamics
Space/potential disruption
What next?
• We will repeat the visits in 2014
• We will work with second year students to
help them choose dissertation topics
• Building long-term relationship with the
University of Essex
Contact
Sarah Girling
[email protected]
www.essex.gov.uk/ERO
www.essexrecordofficeblog.co.uk
@essex archive
www.facebook.com/EssexRecordOffice