2009 Conference

Delivering Results

Collaboration and Exploitation of Business Archives

This year’s Business Archives Council Conference was held at The National Archives at Kew on Tuesday 24th November 2009.

As the BAC works with its partners to deliver the new National Strategy for Business Archives, the conference concentrated on the issues of collaboration and the exploitation of the records held within UK businesses archive collections.

The commitment of those bodies who have been involved with the strategy was demonstrated by the opening address by Natalie Ceeney, Chief Executive of TNA, and Alex Ritchie, the new Business Archives Advice Manager, with an opportunity to hear about the part PR and marketing can play in developing a wider awareness of our valuable collections.

The Conference featured case studies of those for whom success has come though partnerships with other organisations. It will identify how collaboration has presented a way forward, providing and sustaining material for academics and businesses. It also introduced examples of how businesses have been able to exploit the unique records they hold to develop research projects in a wide variety of areas, from the use of farm records to telecommunications.

The day also provided time for delegates to discuss the way forward for the strategy and reflect on how business collections can deliver results for their institutions and those who use them for research.

Have a look at the day in more detail by downloading a programme.

Following the Conference, the Wadsworth Prize for Business History was presented at a reception at The National Archives.