Can You Create an Archive Template?

Have you ever looked for help writing an archive policy or creating a form? Ever needed a template to help you get started or give you some ideas about layout or wording? You probably aren’t the only one. Many members working in community archives, perhaps as newly qualified or lone archivists, often have to create new policies and other archive documents for the first time and have struggled to find help. ARA Scotland, together with the ARA section for New Professionals, would like to call out to members to contribute to a ‘bank’ of archive templates such as Collection Policies, Archive Enquiry Forms, Deposit Agreement forms, Deacccessioning and Disposal forms and Archive User forms and many other templates. We are looking for both basic templates and those with a bit more wording/ options to choose from. Perhaps you have already created a document that you can pare down and share?

To be made available

These templates will be made available for archivists to download, and use, on the Explore Your Archive website. We are hoping members will submit a range of templates from a variety of the different archive areas they work in so that there will be something for everyone , or can serve as a bank of ideas for creating one specific to your archive. From my own experience as a (fairly) newly-qualified, lone archivist, working in a small community archive, I know how important the help and expertise of others is in this sector and how invaluable these resources are, and it is a great way of giving back to the archive community. If you would like to be involved, would simply like more information or have a template to submit, please contact me at arascotland@archives.org