Create an Archive

Archives are everywhere. They can be a national institution, part of university collections, or be contained in specialist libraries. They could even be a couple of files in a cardboard box.

While larger archives have expert staff, your average archive-interested person needs a bit of help.

 

Why preserve personal papers?

You might think that your old papers are boring – although if you’re reading this site you probably don’t – but to future generations they might be very interesting indeed. Instead of letting them moulder or throwing them away you can find some great guides to home archiving below.

 

Where to start

You can start with this blog post from the US Library of Congress. Read More…

This article from the Jewish Women’s Archive will give you some basic tips on preservation. Read More…

Here is a ‘How to get started guide’ from The National Archives in Britain to help you start preserving any digital material you have. Read More…

 

Help for institutions

Those sites are useful for individuals looking for tips, but if you are in charge of an institution’s archive – like a synagogue or community organisation – get in touch with the Hidden Treasures project for advice and support. You can find contact details on the Contact us page, and once you’re up and running we can add you to our Archives index.