Scottish Council on Archives
Symposium
28 February 2004
Local and Family Historians:
Access to Archives
Supported by
The National Library of Scotland
Contents
A. Preface
B. Presentations
1.
2.
3.
4.
Martyn Tyson, Departmental Record Office, General Register Office for Scotland
Andrew Nicoll, Scottish Association of Family History Societies
Marion Stewart, Archivist, Dumfries and Galloway Council
Patrick Caddell, Scottish Local History Forum
C. Workshops
1.
2.
3.
4.
Scottish Family History Service
Volunteers and Archives
Working Together: Archives and Local History Societies
Digitisation of Archives
D. Appendices
1. Programme
2. List of Attendees
A. Preface
This was the second in a serious of user forums organised by the Scottish
Council on Archives on the subject of Access to Archives. Archivists, family and
local historians met together in the National Library to discuss mutual interests of
concern. There was open but good-natured debate about the current state of
access provision within archives. Digitisation and electronic provision have made
the widest impact in the areas of family and local history. And while there was an
enthusiasm about future projects, such as the Scottish Family History Services,
there was also an awareness of the resources needs for other parts of archives
services, if access provision is to be maintained and improved.
It was also apparent that there are many opportunities for archivists to work
directly with these user groups to help deliver better access to archives and to
raise awareness of archives among the wider community. The following report
includes a number of practical and reasonable suggestions about how we can do
just that. The SCA will be working to ensure that all our archives services use
this and the previous report on Archival Users in Higher education to develop a
customer focus.
Irene O’Brien
Chairman, SCA
B. Presentations
Martyn Tyson, Departmental Record Officer, General Register Office for Scotland
 Access to Archives: the GROS perspective
The main functions of the GROS are to oversee the statutory registration system in Scotland; to
take the decennial census; and to make the historical and current records available. The records
for which they are responsible are the statutory registers of births, deaths, and marriages, 1855date; Old Parish Registers of the Church of Scotland, 1553-1854; and open Scottish census
returns, 1841-1901. The use of these records for family history purposes had not been
envisaged under the 1854 Registration Act, but rather the provision of copies (for a fee) for le3gal
purposes, such as proof of identity. Since the 1980s there had been a huge growth in family
history and GROS was looking at new ways of providing access. The DIGROS (Digitally Imaging
Genealogical Resources of Scotland’s people) project would digitally image all of the GROS
holdings; link images to existing and new indexes, and make them available online. For the first
time local registration services would have access to national records, enhancing local searching
services. The Scottish Family History Service is the result of collaboration between GROS,
National Archives of Scotland and the Lord Lyon. It will be ready in 2006. This will further
enhance provision and in addition would allow more integrated access to those records which
form part of the various digitisation projects. There would be a new campus in Register which
would house an integrated search room for digital resources. Local areas would also be
encouraged to provide joined up services, such as ScotlandsPeople and ScottishDocuments.com
and future digital resources would be brought together in one website.
Andrew Nicoll, Scottish Association of Family History Societies

Access to Archives: a family historian’s perspective
Archivists need to review their thinking about family history and family historians to remove any
barriers to access. There had been a general improvement with archives staff being more
friendly and helpful towards family historians, although the more positive attitude was not
universal. This needed to be taken forward. Archivists should not describe family historians as
‘amateur’. There needed to be more awareness that it was no longer a retirement hobby. The
average age of family historians was falling. This made the review of opening hours essential, to
allow access outside office hours. Many of the facilities needed to be improved to allow for the
comfort of the users. For instance the quality of microfilm readers was often very poor, and there
is often no canteen or other provision. More learning materials needed to be provided and
indexing of collections for use by family historians was essential. Material held in out-stores and
inadequate production times all impacted negatively on users’ experiences of archives services.
Archivists need to ensure that they took steps to minimise such inconveniences, such as allowing
pre-ordering of productions. There is a need for an efficient and reasonably priced photocopying
service. Induction or guidance sessions would enhance access to archives collections. There
has been no research into family history and a more intensive look at the subject may enable
improvements to be made in access provision.
Marion Stewart, Archivist, Dumfries and Galloway Council
Access to Archives: an archivist’s perspective
In the past archives appeared to be the preserve of lawyers and academics. Listing of archives
was highly stylised, consisting of long, complex sentences and full of legal jargon. There was a
view that if you found the finding-aids difficult, then you should not be there. Indexing was limited.
On a more positive note, archivists were beginning to produce source lists. Archivists need to be
proactive in enhancing and widening access.
How to Find Information
1
How can archivists open up the contents of their collections to EVERYONE?
More is needed than simple listing and the provision of source lists. Computers have
provided a wonderful opportunity to widen access, but terminology needs to be simple: key
words can help, and over-sophisticated search methods need to be avoided. The findingaids need to be user-friendly and digitisation is a wonderful method of improving access. The
Scottish Archives Network (SCAN) should help users to locate collections.
2
How to interpret the information
Archives can be difficult. Simply finding the records is not enough. Researchers often do not
know what kind of records will help them and cannot understand their contents when they are
found. Indexes need to go beyond lists of names or subjects and references. They need to
include a simple explanation of what each entry is about. Archivists need to run courses and
classes – these can teach basic palaeography and also must put the records into context –
an understanding of the events, institutions and legal forms that shaped and created them.
3
Outreach
How do we make EVERONE cherish the archives as their written heritage? The Archives
belong to everyone, so archivists need to raise awareness in the community at large –
publicity is vital. Among the ways to engender a sense of involvement and ownership is to
talk to all kinds of groups. The establishment of a ‘Friends’ group creates a permanent group
in the wider community who are interested in, and knowledgeable about the archives.
Patrick Caddell, Scottish Local History Forum
Access to Archives: a local historian’s perspective
The speaker has been a local and family historian for many years and recognises the different
needs of the two groups. The family historian requires structured information and the local
historian unstructured information. The first visit to an archives is of crucial importance, and
often the building itself can be intimidating. Archivists need to make allowance for this feeling
and do all they can to prevent any feeling of discomfort on behalf of new users. Good signage
and proactive assistance will help in this regard. In terms of photocopying, the large variation
in copying charges between archives offices is difficult to understand. And where
photocopying is not allowed, users need to be provided with an explanation. ICT has provided
a big advance for users of archives, but this has been more in respect of the structured
information required by family historians. There have been much fewer advances in respect of
unstructured data. Archives catalogues can be misleading as the users do not k now whether
the catalogue includes all the information. The quality of the catalogue is paramount. There is
a need for users to get good guidance from archivists, and the availability of experts to advise
can be more important than extensive opening hours.
C. Workshops
Workshop 1 - Scottish Family History Service
The new service was received as a positive addition to access to archives. In particular the
possibility of joint access services in local authority areas was very popular. As might be
expected, the issue of charges was raised. In terms of charges by GROS to ScotlandsPeople
etc, these levels allowed GROS to invest in further digitisation projects and ensured the
sustainability of the system. There was some discomfort about records from NAS which were
previously accessible free of charge, being only available at a cost. However no decision had yet
been made about the charging mechanism in this regard. In terms of local historians and the
GROS records, enabling a search of records by address/place rather than name, would be of
significant value. There was a suggestion that a Family History magazine for Scotland would be
worthwhile investigation.
Workshop 2 – Volunteers and Archives
Family History and Local History volunteers could make available contribution to improving
access to archives. It was important for archivists to involve volunteers in decisions about the
projects they undertook. A method of acknowledgement would ensure that the volunteers felt
appreciated for the role they play.
Workshop 3 – Working together: Archives and Local History Societies
This group came up with a number of suggestions as to how everyone might work together:
1
2
3
4
5
6
Each society should appoint a liaison officer with their local archives to improve
communication between the two.
Indexing volunteers should be encouraged by letting Society choose which records to
index – from arrange suggested by archivist
Archivists’ annual reports should be circulated to all relevant societies.
There should be a society evening in the archives, to introduce members to (a) to
archives premises, and to (b) to the records held there.
‘Friends’ of Archives should be formed where not already inexistence
Consideration should be given to Archives accepting on deposit Societies’ own
archives and collections of books, pamphlets and papers.
Workshop 4 – Digitisation of Archives
\it was acknowledged that digitisation projects had vastly improved access to archives. Some
societies had, however, invested heavily in buying microfilms, which were becoming redundant.
Online documents gave the user an awareness of types of document, although there was still a
thrill in being able to see and use original archives. Users need to be more involved in decisions
about what should be digitised. The cost of access online could be prohibitive, and users found it
cheaper to go to Edinburgh for the day. Local campuses where records could be available online
(preferably free of charge) would be a big step forward. There is a danger of all available
resources being spent on digitisation projects. Users recognised that there needed to be
investment in the infrastructure of archives, cataloguing etc. Electronic archives catalogues
needed to be user=-friendly.

SCOTTISH COUNCIL ON ARCHIVES SYMPOSIUM
Local and Family Historians: Access to Archives
National Library of Scotland
33 Salisbury Place
Edinburgh
Saturday, 28 February 2004
Programme
Chair: Mr Murray Simpson
10.00 Registration (tea and coffee available)
10.30 Welcome by Irene O’Brien, chair of SCA and introduction to issues of access
10.45 Martin Tyson, Departmental Record Officer, General Register Office for Scotland
Access to Archives: the GROS perspective
11.15 Andrew Nicoll, Scottish Association of Family History Societies
Access to Archives: a family historian’s perspective
11.45 Marion Stewart, Archivist, Dumfries & Galloway Council
Access to Archives: an archivist’s perspective
12.15 Patrick Caddell, Scottish Local History Forum
Access to Archives: a local historian’s perspective
12.45 Lunch (local restaurants and pubs)
14.00 Group Discussion Workshops:
1
2
3
4
Scottish Family History Service
Volunteers and Archives
Working together: Archives and Local History Societies
Digitisation of Archives
15.00 Tea and coffee
15.15 Report back and discussion
16.00 Close
List of Attendees
Russell
Adams
Peter
Bellarby
Grant E L
Butters
Patrick
Caddell
Elizabeth Carmichael
Barry
Caudwell
Sarah
Chubb
Sheila Crosswaite
Jessie
Denholm
George
Dixon
Andrew
Dowsey
Sheila
Duffy
Alison Horsburgh
Bruce
Irving
Alice
Lauder
Elma
Lindsay
Gwen
McGinty
Alison
McKenzie
Rosalind McMeekin
Margaret
Mill
Elizabeth
Mortimer
Peter
Mortimer
Andrew
Nicholl
Ken
Nisbet
Michael
Nix
Irene
O'Brien
Neil McB
O'Neill
Mrs M
Pollok
Linda
Ramsay
Sandra
Scott
Sandra
Scott
Murray
Simpson
Marion
Stewart
Martin
Tyson
Fiona
Watson
Wiliam Williamson
Val
Wilson
Elizabeth Youngson
Caroline
Brown
Eric
Graham
Kathleen
Byrne
Margaret
Maxwell
Ann
Nix
Glasgow & West of Scotland FHS
Guild of One Name Studies
Tay Valley FHS & Edinburgh University Archives
Scottish Local History Forum
LOCSCOT
Local History, Abernyte
SCA and east Dunbartonshire Council Archives
Dumfries & Galloway FHS
Leith Local History Society
Family and Local Historian
Fife Council Archives
Glasgow & West of Scotland FHS
National Archives of Scotland
Scottish Association of FHS
Broughton History Society
Stirling Council Local History Officer
Aberdeen City Archives
Aberdeen City Archives
Kirkintilloch Society of Antiquaries
Tay Valley Family History Society
Association of Scottish Genealogists and Records Agents
Old Glasgow Club
Scottish Association of FHS
Scottish Genealogy Society
Glasgow City Museums
Scottish Council on Archives
Croy Historical Society
Barrhead & Neilson FHS
National Archives of Scotland and SCA
Local History
Local History, Edinburgh
National Library of Scotland
Dumfries & Galloway Council Archives
General Register Office for Scotland
Grampian Health Board and SCA
West Lothian FHS
Lothians Family History Society
Central Scotland FHS
Dundee University Archives
Scottish Maritime Exchange
Scottish Executive, Public Records Policy Branch
Dumfries & Galloway FHS
Local Studies Librarian, Edinburgh