Society of Archivists
Encyclopedia
The Society of Archivists (SoA) was the principal professional body for archivist
s, archive conservators and records manager
s in the United Kingdom
and Ireland
. In 2010 the Society amalgamated with the National Council on Archives (NCA) and the Association of Chief Archivists in Local Government (ACALG) to become the Archives and Records Association
(United Kingdom and Ireland), otherwise known as the ARA. It was originally founded in 1947 as the Society of Local Archivists but changed its name to the Society of Archivists in 1954 due to its membership expanding beyond archivists working in local government
.
level or who are generally interested in the work of the Society 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 Society runs a Certificate in Archive Conservation as an in-service scheme restricted to Society 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 Society and co-ordinated by the Society’s Training Officer.
All professional members are encouraged to participate in the Society’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 Society of Archivists (RMSA). A separate Continuing Professional Development scheme is currently (as of June 2006) being piloted for those members who are already Registered.
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 United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
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...
. In 2010 the Society amalgamated with the National Council on Archives (NCA) and the Association of Chief Archivists in Local Government (ACALG) to become the Archives and Records Association
Archives and Records Association
The Archives and Records Association is the principal professional body for archivists, archive conservators and records managers in the UK and Ireland...
(United Kingdom and Ireland), otherwise known as the ARA. It was originally founded in 1947 as the Society of Local Archivists but changed its name to the Society of Archivists in 1954 due to its membership expanding beyond archivists working in local government
Local government
Local government refers collectively to administrative authorities over areas that are smaller than a state.The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government...
.
Aims
The organisation is constituted as a registered charity with the express aim to:- Foster the care and preservation of archiveArchiveAn archive is a collection of historical records, or the physical place they are located. Archives contain primary source documents that have accumulated over the course of an individual or organization's lifetime, and are kept to show the function of an organization...
s in the public interestPublic interestThe public interest refers to the "common well-being" or "general welfare." The public interest is central to policy debates, politics, democracy and the nature of government itself...
and to promote the better administration of archive repositoriesArchiveAn archive is a collection of historical records, or the physical place they are located. Archives contain primary source documents that have accumulated over the course of an individual or organization's lifetime, and are kept to show the function of an organization... - Advance the professional education and training of Archivists, Archive Conservators and Records Managers and those engaged in related activities
- Commission and support research into the creation, use, administration and conservation of archives and the development of new techniques and the publication of the useful results of such research.
Membership
It has over 2,000 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 Society 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
A biannual publication entitled the Journal of the Society of Archivists, 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. 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 Society 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 Society itself but this was discontinued in 2001.For Archive Conservation, the Society runs a Certificate in Archive Conservation as an in-service scheme restricted to Society 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 Society and co-ordinated by the Society’s Training Officer.
All professional members are encouraged to participate in the Society’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 Society of Archivists (RMSA). A separate Continuing Professional Development scheme is currently (as of June 2006) being piloted for those members who are already Registered.