To document the condition and conservation treatments of documents in our collection, we use a new system called ResearchSpace.
ResearchSpace is a new type of contextualising knowledge system that promotes collaborative interdisciplinary research. As experts in the materiality of objects, our conservators and heritage scientists have a wealth of knowledge they combine with contextual history to investigate, conserve archival and heritage objects. Our knowledge and expertise form an important part of understanding the history of objects and material culture. ResearchSpace has the potential to document this knowledge alongside physical conservation records and heritage science analysis results, as well as wider inter-disciplinary research and historical context.
We are continuously working with the developers to realise the potential of ResearchSpace for conservation documentation. In addition to data input, the system provides engaging mind-map format visualisations, custom presentations of data, and has the potential to decode scientific interpretations.
Our vision for ResearchSpace
Our vision is to share this knowledge base with the wider archive and heritage sector. We have successfully received funding from the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council’s Research Infrastructure for Conservation and Heritage Science (RICHeS) programme to support the creation of a Heritage Science Data Service, a project being led by the University of York. The aim of this UK-wide digital research service is to bring together heritage science and conservation research data from organisations across the UK. ResearchSpace integrates information from The National Archives’ Discovery catalogue system and has the capability to be integrated with other organisation’s systems and collection catalogues. The software is open source and the outcomes of our project will be made available for other institutions and researcher to use with their own data.
For an example demonstrating the potential of ResearchSpace as a knowledge-sharing system, please watch this video showcasing one of our knowledge maps. This video is an example of what ResearchSpace has the potential to do. This knowledge map is not currently publicly available as a tool to use.