Archives and Records Association
Encyclopedia
The Archives and Records Association (ARA) is the principal professional body for archivist
s, archive conservators and records manager
s in the UK and Ireland
. The Archives and Records Association (ARA, UK & Ireland) came into existence on 1 June 2010 and is the result of a merger of the National Council on Archives (NCA) and the Association of Chief Archivists in Local Government (ACALG) with the Society of Archivists
(SoA). It is a member of the International Council on Archives
.
level or who are generally interested in the work of the Association and its members can join. There is also a student membership option for those who are studying for a professional qualification in archives, records management or archive conservation.
, Somerset
, which deals with the day to day administration of the organisation.
For Archive Conservation, the Association runs a Certificate in Archive Conservation as an in-service scheme restricted to members only. It is also involved in the Professional Accreditation of Conservator-Restorers (PAC-R) scheme.
Other training events for members are organised by the Regional committees or Special Interest Groups of the Association and co-ordinated by the Association’s Training Officer.
All professional members are encouraged to participate in the Association’s Registration Scheme, which acts as a formal process of continued professional development
. A register was first established in 1987, initially with a clause allowing professional members to be accepted automatically if they had been working in a recognised post for at least two years. This clause has now been closed and full completion of the present scheme, introduced in 1996, is now the only way to become a Registered Member of the Association (RMARA). Those who complete the registration scheme are entitled to use the post-nominals RMARA (Registered Member Archives and Records Association).
Archivist
An archivist is a professional who assesses, collects, organizes, preserves, maintains control over, and provides access to information determined to have long-term value. The information maintained by an archivist can be any form of media...
s, archive conservators and records manager
Records manager
The Records Manager for an organization is the person responsible for the management of records in the organization. This role has evolved over time and takes many forms, with many related areas of knowledge required for professional competency....
s in the UK and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. The Archives and Records Association (ARA, UK & Ireland) came into existence on 1 June 2010 and is the result of a merger of the National Council on Archives (NCA) and the Association of Chief Archivists in Local Government (ACALG) with the Society of Archivists
Society of Archivists
The Society of Archivists was the principal professional body for archivists, archive conservators and records managers in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
(SoA). It is a member of the International Council on Archives
International Council on Archives
The International Council on Archives is an international non-governmental organization which exists to promote international cooperation in archiving. It was set up in 1948, with Charles Samaran, the then director of the Archives de France, as chairman. It is open to membership of national and...
.
Aims
The principal aims of the ARA are: to promote the care and preservation of archives and the better administration of archive repositories; to advance the training of its members; and to encourage relevant research and publication. It achieves these aims through the work of its Council and its various Committees, Groups and Regions, and through its role as the voice of the three professions. The Association advises, submits evidence and makes comment on matters of professional concern to people or organisations whose activities affect archives and records.Membership
The Association has over two thousand members, mainly made up of professional archivists, records managers and archive conservators from all the different types of organisations that employ such professionals. Through an affiliate membership scheme, those who work at a paraprofessionalParaprofessional
Paraprofessional is a job title given to persons in various occupational fields, such as education, healthcare, engineering and law, who are trained to assist professionals but are not themselves licensed at a professional level...
level or who are generally interested in the work of the Association and its members can join. There is also a student membership option for those who are studying for a professional qualification in archives, records management or archive conservation.
Structure
The membership is divided into eleven regions that span the whole of the UK and Ireland, each with their own regional committee. Seven special interest groups also exist within the organisation’s structure, representing members’ different employment backgrounds and/or concerns. It is managed by a Council, which is partially elected every two years, along with a number of committees and sub committees relating to specific areas of business. It also has an office in TauntonTaunton
Taunton is the county town of Somerset, England. The town, including its suburbs, had an estimated population of 61,400 in 2001. It is the largest town in the shire county of Somerset....
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, which deals with the day to day administration of the organisation.
Publications & Outreach
A biannual publication entitled the Journal of the Society of Archivists (to be renamed the Journal of Archives and Records in 2012), which covers professional issues, is produced for its members as well as a monthly newsletter, called ARC (Archives, Records management, Conservation), and a fortnightly recruitment supplement called ARC Recruitment containing job and voluntary placement opportunities. Periodically more in depth guides on particular types of records or professional issues are produced and made available for members to purchase.Training
In terms of professional training for archives and records management, the ARA accredits externally provided postgraduate diploma/degree programmes, of which there are currently six; three in England and one each in Wales, Scotland and Ireland. A distance-learning diploma in Archives Administration used to be run by the Association itself but this was discontinued in 2001.For Archive Conservation, the Association runs a Certificate in Archive Conservation as an in-service scheme restricted to members only. It is also involved in the Professional Accreditation of Conservator-Restorers (PAC-R) scheme.
Other training events for members are organised by the Regional committees or Special Interest Groups of the Association and co-ordinated by the Association’s Training Officer.
All professional members are encouraged to participate in the Association’s Registration Scheme, which acts as a formal process of continued professional development
Continuing Professional Development
Continuing professional development or Continuing professional education is the means by which people maintain their knowledge and skills related to their professional lives.-CPD research:...
. A register was first established in 1987, initially with a clause allowing professional members to be accepted automatically if they had been working in a recognised post for at least two years. This clause has now been closed and full completion of the present scheme, introduced in 1996, is now the only way to become a Registered Member of the Association (RMARA). Those who complete the registration scheme are entitled to use the post-nominals RMARA (Registered Member Archives and Records Association).