Archival Arrangement and Description Explained is facilitated and presented by Margaret Crockett and Janet Foster, Directors of the Archive-Skills Consultancy. The course, based on previous description training offered by the partnership, has been reviewed and revised. It combines presentations, facilitated discussion and workshops to ensure an interesting and relaxed learning environment. This course provides an in-depth introduction to modern archival description techniques and strategies. It is a highly participative development opportunity which also provides an occasion for networking with others in similar situations. It is suitable for a range of archive and records management staff, including those who are new to the area and those who wish to update their skills.

The course fee includes the course handbook with supporting notes and useful sources for further information. The fee also includes lunch (with vegetarian option; please let the directors know if you have any other special dietary needs) and tea and coffee.

Programme

Time Session

9.30 Registration and coffee

9.45 Challenges of describing archives: terminology and concepts (facilitated discussion)

10.30 Archival arrangement (presentation)

11.15 Coffee

11.30 Arrangement workshop

12.15 Describing archives (presentation)

1.00 Lunch

1.45 Description exercise

2.30 Overview of the standards for archival description

3.15 Tea

3.30 Using the standards (exercise)

4.30 Close

Learning outcomes

At the end of this course participants will be able to:

• Understand the principles of archival arrangement and description

• Identify the main elements required to manage a range of archival processing projects

• Access and use archival description standards

• Use archival arrangement techniques