For today's #Archive30 on #Misconceptions, a thread written by our Archivist, Kirsty Stewart.

#Misconception 1/6 Archivists = librarians. We're a separate profession dealing with records documenting people, institutions, events whether on vellum, A4, digital, sound, film, etc.

(Continued) Generally, archives are unique and/or rare and of local, national or international significance, which is why you can’t borrow them.
#ARA30

2/6 #Archives30 #Misconceptions
Archivists want archives locked up, away from you.
Au contraire! We want our archives to be safe but we love, love, love it when they’re used. What a buzz when someone finds something in the archives important to them personally or their research.

3/6 #ARA30 #Misconceptions Everything’s digitised, it's so quick and easy now. Nope. To digitise well, physical items and digital copies should be in good condition, catalogued, on a navigable site, with © and data protection laws observed, maintenance systems…we could go on.

#Misconceptions 4 Archives = fuddyduddy & irrelevant
Archives contain the weird, the salacious, the intriguing, the radical, lies & truths. Archives are regularly added to with more recent material. Globally, there will be #COVID19 collecting on medical, social & cultural aspects

(continued) How do you think we know about the flu outbreak of 1918? In this recording Bobby Isbister, from Foula, talked to Drew Ratter about the outbreak of Spanish Flu then and the impact on one of the most remote places in Britain. http://tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/97095 (From 18min)

5 #Misconceptions Archives are only for academics. You may need ID for access but most archives are open to all. We’ve many different users from academics & students; writers, photographers, journalists; geographers, linguists, archaeologists, dancers, musicians...

(Continued) ... poets, family historians; ethnologists; fieldworkers; storytellers and many many more. The variety of questions and uses is one of archives’ great joys.

6/6 #Archives #Misconceptions
Archives are dusty

Don’t get us started or you’ll have the Conservators after you as well! #spickandspan