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Community Archives and Heritage Group (CAHG)

Community Archive Award - 2011

Celebrating the contribution of community archives within the archive sector and to promote and share good practice in community archives.

The Community Archives and Heritage Group are pleased to announce the opening of nominations for the 2011 Community Archive Award.

Look through the information below then complete the nomination form.

Update! Deadline for nominations has been extended to end of February 2012

Inspiration

Do you have top tips or ideas to share?

Tell us about a project or activity that your group have done that you would think others usefully could learn from or copy.

The aim of this category is to share good ideas and practice between community archives. The activity or project entered could be part of the day to day work of your group or be a one off. We are looking for examples of best practice, or a project that was particularly successful.

Innovation

Tell us about an innovative or unique project.

This category is looking for projects that are trail blazing, that have tried something new and succeeded.

It might be, for example, a new way of presenting your collection online, a new way of collecting, or a new way of engaging.

Tell us about what you did, why it was innovative and how it was a success.

Impact

Have you carried out work that benefited the local community?

What is the wider impact of your work on others?

Perhaps you have worked with a school, or engaged in a project that increased the number of people affected by your archive? Perhaps you had an exhibition that inspired people or an event that drew in the crowds? Tell us about the impact your community archive is having. (This category may overlap with ‘Inspiration’!)

Tell us about something interesting in your collection.

Interest

Perhaps you have a prize object or document?

Tell us why you think it is so special, what it means to the community archive and perhaps what work you have done with it.

Have you used some of your collections in an interesting way?

Online Activity

Tell us about your online activity. Have you launched something new? Is your web presence special? Perhaps you have an interactive element that is successful? We are looking for good examples of the use of the internet.

Please ensure if you enter this category that you give us the link to what you are entering.

Best New Archive

Have you just started up? We are looking for examples of new archives that have set up within the last year.

ELIGIBILITY

The award is open to community archives in the UK and Ireland . Applications must be submitted by a member of CAHG. If you are not a member, you can join free of charge.

There should only be one application per community archive per category. If you are part of a network of community archives, then the network can submit one application, and each individual archive in the network can also submit one application. You can nominate your own community archive or another community archive.

CRITERIA

There will be awards in each of the categories listed below.

You DO NOT have to enter all the categories. You can enter in just one category, or you can enter in several, or all, of the categories. Only one entry per category.

There will be one overall ‘Community Archive of the Year’ award. This will be awarded to the archive which has most impressed the judges across all the categories. It will be possible to win this award by making an outstanding entry just in one category, although you may improve your chances of winning the overall award if you make entries in more than one category.

NOMINATION PROCESS

To nominate your organisation you should either complete the online form at www.communityarchives.org.uk or complete the paper application form. Please submit one application per category.

Please return paper entries to Awards Co-ordinator at WYAS, PO Box 5, Nepshaw Lane South, Morley, Leeds, LS9 8DR

The closing date for entries is end of February 2012 .

You may supply images to support your application (no more than 3). These should be supplied in jpg format. By sending these images you are giving permission (or confirming that you have obtained permission) for their use by CAHG and supporter organisations (including for media purposes).

You can submit other documents to support your application. These could be promotional leaflets, feedback from participants or anything that will strengthen your application. Photos and supporting documents supplied in hard copy will not be returned, so please do not send us any originals - only copies.

JUDGING PROCESS

A panel, including representatives from the supporter organisations, will assess the nominations. Each category will be looked at independently and an award given for each. Then one group will be chosen as the Community Archive of the Year.

The winners will be announced at the CAHG 2012 Conference and the Community Archive of the Year will be invited to the Archive and Record Association conference to receive their award.

Each category winner will be presented with a certificate at the 2012 conference and given the opportunity to promote their work. The CAHG Awards Coordinator will arrange local and national press releases and support the group in sharing the news. Each winner will also be featured on the CAHG website.