The University of Warwick’s Modern Records Centre (MRC) has been awarded Archive Service Accreditation.

Granted by the UK Archive Service Accreditation Committee, the award is recognition of the MRC’s successful demonstration of meeting the UK standard around resourcing, collections management and providing access to collections and is regarded as the UK quality standard for archive services.

Accreditation provides external validation and recognition of good practice and will enable the MRC to continue to develop its collections and services for the University, particularly in the area of digital archives.

The MRC is home to a wide range of collections relating to modern British history, including the archives of the Trade Unions Congress, the Confederation of British Industry, the Howard League for Penal Reform and the papers of Eric Hobsbawm as well as substantial collections relating to the history of campaigning and protest.

Commenting on the MRC being awarded Archive Service Accreditation Helen Ford, Archives Manager for the MRC, said:

"We are extremely pleased to receive this national recognition for our archive service. All of the staff at the MRC deserve acknowledgement and thanks for their hard work and contributions towards this award. We aim to build on this and keep developing our collections management and access activities for all our visitors and researchers."

Archive Sector Accreditation is supported by a partnership of the Archives and Records Association (UK), Archives and Records Council Wales, National Records of Scotland, Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, Scottish Council on Archives, The National Archives and the Welsh Government through its Museums, Archives and Libraries Wales division.

Granting the MRC Archive Service Accreditation, the Archive Service Accreditation Panel said that they:

"...welcomed this positive application from a resilient, effective archive service, which showed excellent management of its internationally-significant collections. They noted the MRC's effective links to the University, and welcomed the multiple ways in which the Centre supports and expands what the University can offer. … It was particularly good to see the service recognising and investing in the challenge of capturing, preserving and making accessible records in born-digital format.

On hearing the news Robin Green, the University of Warwick Librarian, responded:

“I am delighted that the Modern Records Centre has achieved this important status. It’s a testament to the efforts of its staff and to the continued investment the University of Warwick has made over the years in developing and hosting this nationally and internationally renowned collection.

“I am particularly pleased in the Panel’s recognition of the Centre’s role in supporting and promoting the University’s goals, and its forward-looking approach in creating, preserving and making openly accessible our records in digital format.”

Professor Roberta Bivins, who has recently collaborated with the Modern Records Centre to produce a multi-site exhibition on the Windrush generation, welcomed the news and reflected on how the MRC enhances teaching, learning and research:

“One of the great pleasures of being a historian is introducing students, community members and colleagues to archival research in all its variety. This takes more than just pointing would-be researchers towards the catalogue: it requires the input of skilled and intellectually creative archivists with the enthusiasm and specialist knowledge to encourage and structure archival engagement. This is what I have found in generous measure at the Modern Records Centre.

“With the MRC's support, my colleagues and I have curated exhibitions for the public; hosted debates on contemporary issues, trained our students, and benefited from carefully tailored and rich digital resources across our teaching and research.”

14 August 2019

Contact:

Tom Frew, Senior Press and Media Relations Manager – University of Warwick:

E: a.t.frew@warwick.ac.uk
M: +44(0)7785433155