Background
A local authority service (the host) built a new archive office which, in accordance with best practice, had plenty of expansion space in its repository. During the development phase it negotiated with two neighbouring archive services to house some of their records in the vacant storage. One of these authorities (the client) had existing storage that was below the standard expected of a Place of Deposit so, with encouragement from The National Archives, that service moved all its public records to the host repository, in addition to the other selected collections.
Managing the out-store service
The arrangement is governed by a renewable Service Level Agreement.
Staff from the client service can visit the repository by arrangement to work on their collections and prepare items for access by coroners’ or magistrates’ staff. They are responsible for packaging, shelving and retrieving their records, and use their own slip system. The host service facilitates collection and return of items by coroners’ staff to help minimise the transport of items with sensitive content.
Although it has not been needed to date, there is a possibility of arranging public access to catalogued records in the search room of the host service, which would save staff from having to move relevant items back to base for access.
Benefits and challenges of managing a split-site service
Benefits
- For the host service, the arrangement provides a regular income stream. Having records rather than empty shelving in the repository helps to stabilise the environmental conditions and makes it more worthwhile to run the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system.
- For the client service, the arrangement provides much-needed storage and expansion space in a repository that meets relevant environmental standards. By storing all its public records at the host service, the client service has been able to retain its Place of Deposit status.
- The arrangement fosters closer working between the two services, strengthens personal relationships and information exchange, and facilitates joint approaches on issues that affect them both. In exceptional circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the host service was able to handle requests for public records directly on behalf of the client service.
Challenges
- Although the services are only a few miles apart, staff from the client service still need to travel to work on their collections. This takes time and resources and means that they are not available at base. Access is not immediate, so pre-planning is necessary, based on staff availability. Collections housed off-site are unlikely to be catalogued in the foreseeable future so careful selection is required, based on potential use and accessibility.
- For the host service, the arrangement is wholly beneficial.