Winter Winter Winter Winter 2011201120112011/12/12/12/12

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The Magazine of the Scottish Branch of the CILIP Local Studies Group ISSN 0261 7935

EditorialEditorialEditorialEditorial

This issue is a bit of mixed bag. Despite the challenges we all face, there are

so many exciting initiatives going in local history and so many opportunities for projects to be developed that it is hard to pick which ones to highlight. However, I hope you will find inspiration in this selection of articles which describe some of the excellent work going on around the country. For local studies professionals in these busy times it is sometimes difficult to

keep up with what is going on a daily basis never mind planning ahead! However, we all know how quickly an event can come round which once seemed in the distant future. Not so for Midlothian Local Studies & Archives who are already in the midst of a fascinating project to commemorate the centenary of WW1 in 2014. In this issue Dr. Ken Bogle, Local Studies Librarian & Archivist describes their Midlothian Roll of Honour project. Prepare to be inspired! Other articles featured in this issue highlight the new online resource for

Aberdeen City www.silvercityvault.org.uk and East Renfrewshire Council’s experience of successfully gaining the new Volunteer Friendly Award. I would also urge you to consider our article on the 1911 census campaign

which Locscot is launching this year. Access to this information has been severely limited by the decision to make it available only on ScotlandsPeople. Locscot hope to campaign successfully to gain wider access to this national resource. Locscot would like to take this opportunity to welcome Roana Mourad, of

Stirling Council and Craig Statham of East Lothian Council, onto the committee.

Amanda J Robb, East Renfrewshire Council Front Cover: Union Street, Aberdeen, www.silvercityvault.org.uk

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World War I: Midlothian’s Roll of Honour

Many readers will already be aware that the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War will take place in August 2014. This promises to be a significant commemoration and to attract a lot of media attention and national events. Arguably, the First World War was the most important event in European history since the Reformation and without doubt the defining event of the twentieth century.

In preparation for 2014, Midlothian Council Local Studies and Archives is undertaking

an ambitious project to commemorate this important anniversary. The project was created and is being co-ordinated by Dr Ken Bogle, Midlothian Council’s Local Studies Officer and Archivist. Ken explained: ‘The First World War has now passed into history. The last

veterans died a few years ago but there is still a huge amount of interest in the war, probably more so than ever. Almost every family in the country was affected by the war in some way and almost everybody has a story to tell about it.’ ‘I’ve always been fascinated by the First World War and felt it was important

that Midlothian Council should commemorate it in some way. About two years ago, I decided to produce a Roll of Honour for Midlothian.’ ‘After the war, some towns, schools and workplaces issued their own Rolls

of Honour which listed their casualties or those who had fought in the war. I would like to produce a modern version for Midlothian. I’ve been working on the project for over two years, just fitting it in where I can and hope to finish it by 2014.’ ‘So far I have found over 60 war memorials in Midlothian and over 1800

names of casualties. I’m only recording the memorials and casualties of the modern Midlothian (post-1975) otherwise the project would just be too big. However, I’m quite happy to share information with other projects, such as Edinburgh’s War which is being co-ordinated by Edinburgh University.’ ‘Fortunately, I didn’t have to start from scratch. Some local people have

already recorded their local memorials and they kindly allowed me to use their work. I’ve also managed to recruit some enthusiastic volunteers to help with checking and research. The First World War is a hugely emotive subject and

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people respond very enthusiastically to it. Local history societies have been delighted to help.’ ‘The Midlothian Roll of Honour will be a permanent memorial to those who

gave their lives in the war. It will be a great resource for family and local history, and also for schools. Many schools study the First World War and visit the old battlefields in France and Belgium. By using the Roll of Honour, they will be able to locate the graves of local men and pay their respects to them.’ ‘The First World War had an enormous impact on Midlothian. When the war

started in August 1914, most people believed that their country was threatened and that it was their duty to protect it. Large numbers of young men volunteered to join the Forces. Many, of course, were destined never to come home again.’ ‘When we examine local war memorials we begin to understand the effects

of the war on the Midlothian area. The Penicuik war memorial has the names of 169 officers and men from the local area who were lost. This is a staggering number because the population of Penicuik parish at this time was just over 5000 people. ‘ ‘It was a similar

story throughout Midlothian. The Dalkeith War Memorial bears the names of over 170 dead, Loanhead War Memorial has 96 names, and Newbattle Parish War Memorial has exactly 100 names. Smaller communities in Midlothian also suffered heavy losses as well. In 1914, Easthouses was little more than a single street with only a few dozen people living in it. The local memorial records seven men from the area who were lost in the war.’ ‘The starting point for the Roll of Honour is to locate as many memorials to

the First World War as possible. Some are obvious, such as the big memorials in public parks which are the focus of annual Remembrance ceremonies. However, there are also lots of smaller and lesser known memorials to be

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found in local churches, clubs or workplaces. It’s just a case of asking around and trying to find them.’ ‘For instance, there is a memorial in Dalkeith Police Station to local police

officers who died in the war. Dalkeith and Newbattle Golf Club has a memorial to its members whilst the Bonnyrigg Freemasons has a beautifully carved memorial chair. I’ve been told that when the Lodge has a meeting the chair is covered by the apron which once belonged to one of the fallen members.’ ‘There are also lots of memorials to individual soldiers, usually to be found in

local churches. The church of St James the Less at Penicuik holds a sword belonging to Captain Beauchamp Clerk who died in France in 1915.’ ‘Unfortunately, over time some memorials have been lost or destroyed.

Buildings have been demolished, and clubs and workplaces closed down. This means that some memorials have been lost or mislaid.’

‘The Midlothian County Council memorial used to hang in the Council Chambers on George IV Bridge in Edinburgh. When the building closed in the 1970s, the memorial was put into storage and forgotten about. Recently, the Library Service had it restored and it now hangs proudly in the Council Chambers in Dalkeith.’ ‘Similarly, the Penicuik Co-operative

Society had a memorial to its members who had fallen in the war. When the Co-op closed, the building was turned into flats and the memorial was thrown out. It was on its way to be turned into scrap metal but luckily it was rescued and has recently been donated to Midlothian

Local Studies. We hope to find a new home for it in Penicuik.’ ‘We also know from old newspapers about some memorials that are now

missing and that we are trying to locate. There used to be a memorial in Bonnyrigg Town Hall that had photographs of local casualties on it. The building closed in the 1970s but nobody knows where the memorial went. We would love to rediscover it and have it restored. We are also on the trail of a memorial that used to be in Dalkeith High School.’

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‘Once we have located memorials we record the names on them and then try to find out something about each individual. We research the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website and search through local newspapers which often carried an obituary when a soldier was killed.’ ‘Gradually individual stories are emerging and some are truly heartbreaking.’ ‘Take, for example, the Allan family who lived on Dalkeith High Street.

George and Mary Allan sent three sons to the war, two of whom, Tom and Willie were killed, and a third, Robert, was severely wounded. On one dreadful day, their parents received news of Willie’s death by the morning post and the same evening a telegram arrived stating that Tom had also been killed.’ ‘Agnes Proudfoot of Lasswade lost her son George in November 1914. The

shock of hearing about his death was so great that she collapsed and died a few days later.’ ‘You can’t help but be moved when you read stories like that.’ ‘There are several examples of three brothers being lost in the war. Crichton

Parish war memorial is a beautiful stained glass window in the historic Crichton church. It has the names of the Flynn brothers, Charlie, John and Willie, who lived at Crichton Mains farm, all of whom were killed in the war.’ ‘Glencorse war memorial has David, George and Tom Webster, three

brothers who joined the Royal Scots and all of them were lost.’ ‘The closer you look the more evidence you will find. Many headstones in

local cemeteries mention casualties. In Loanhead, there is a family headstone to the Cameron family which records Ian Gilmour Cameron who died in November 1916. He was a Lieutenant in the Royal Flying Corps and was shot down by the Red Baron. He isn’t buried in Loanhead Cemetery but on the Somme battlefields.’ ‘Norman Brett of Dalkeith is an enthusiastic collector of old postcards and

recently at a postcard fair he found a card of one Andrew Watson of Loanhead. There’s nothing special about Andrew Watson. He was just an ordinary young man of his time. He worked in the local paper mill and was a committed Christian who sang in his church choir and taught Sunday school. He joined the Royal Scots and went to Gallipoli in 1915 where he lasted less than two weeks. His body was never found. Like thousands of others he never stood a chance.’

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‘In 1914, the principal industries of Midlothian were coal mining and paper manufacturing. Many local casualties worked in these industries but the war affected all social classes and men came from different backgrounds. Some casualties were university graduates and worked in professional occupations, such as school teachers, accountants or doctors. Fortunately, institutions such as the universities, private schools or professional organisations kept very good records and these are a useful source of information for our project.’ ‘The Cowan family of Penicuik were the owners of Valleyfield Paper Mill in

Penicuik. This was a huge employer at the time and the family were very wealthy. Charles Cowan was the eldest son and was being groomed to take over the business, but he died of wounds in the German Spring Offensive in March 1918.’ ‘Most Midlothian men joined the army, in particular the Royal Scots which

was the local regiment. Emigration was common at this time so there were plenty of Midlothian men in the Empire forces, such as the Canadians and Australians. There were also some locals who served in the Royal Navy and the fledgling air force.’ ‘There are some women listed on local memorials. Margaret Gargan was a

munitions worker who died in a work accident. She is commemorated on a special headstone in Roslin Cemetery which was donated by her workmates.’ ‘Mary Williamson was the wife of the provost of Loanhead. She became a

voluntary nurse and died because of illness contracted during her duties. She was given a military funeral and is buried in Loanhead Cemetery.’ ‘We hope that local people will support our project as much as possible. We

would be delighted if they could bring in any old photographs or information about their ancestors who died in the war as we would like to include these in the Roll of Honour. We are particularly looking for photographs and the human stories.’ ‘We think our project is important and worthwhile. It is a huge commitment

and involves plenty of hard work and occasional frustration but it is also very rewarding. We must never forget that for our tomorrow they gave their today.’ Dr. Ken Bogle, Local Studies Librarian & Archivist, Midlothian Council

Illustrations: Page 5, Unveiling the Penicuik WW1 memorial Page 6, Dr. Ken Bogle with the Penicuik Co-op memorial

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1911 Census Update1911 Census Update1911 Census Update1911 Census Update

As most of you know, the GROS – now the National Records of Scotland (NRS) – will not release the raw data of the 1911 Census for purchase by libraries. Some time ago, Locscot registered our concern in writing about this to the Registrar General, who responded by saying that the information would be available online via ScotlandsPeople and also at local ‘Family History Centres’ as well as the main centre in Edinburgh. This completely missed the point that although the information was ‘available’, it was only searchable to a limited degree and did not allow for searching by location, searching by profession or general browsing which was not tied to a family name. Since most local authorities do not have family history centres as envisioned by NRS, this means that most people wanting to research Scottish census information have no option but to travel to Edinburgh or pay for limited online searching. Many individuals have

written to the NRS to complain about not having local access to the 1911 Census in the same way as they have for previous censuses, and, as far as we know, all have received the same standard letter maintaining that the information is available – just in a different way. Not good enough, we say! Is the NRS worried that by providing free access to the information, libraries will be taking potential revenue away from them? Surely not. After all, we have all the other censuses and yet the ScotlandsPeople website is still highly successful. And much of its success is due to library promotion… Most people would agree that both forms of data are required to give a full picture of the local and social history of Scotland and understand that libraries are not out to ‘steal’ customers from other organisations. In an attempt to take this matter further, Locscot decided to set up an online

petition to the Scottish Parliament to raise the issue with MPs and try to put pressure on the NRS to make the raw data available. Unfortunately, the timing of this has been delayed for various reasons, not least the suspension – twice – of the e-petitions website. We had hoped to launch on St. Andrew’s Day, but

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because of the revamping of the site, we had to change our plan. Probably just as well, since this was the day of strike action and we would have got little, if any, press coverage! So, we will aim for a slot this year and try to get as much support from the

public as we can. How can you help? Well, many of you have already provided contact details

for your local newspapers so a press release can be sent to alert people across Scotland that the petition is there and to encourage them to add their name. Many thanks for your help in compiling the list. In addition, please contact all your local societies/local history groups/museum friends and encourage them to join the campaign. We already have the support of the Scottish Local History Forum and the

cause is being championed by Prof. Peter Reid of Robert Gordon’s University, who has made the following statement: ‘The census provides a unique insight into Scotland’s history. It is a window on to the lives

of our forefathers quite unlike any other historical source. Until now, every Scottish census has been made available in public libraries, ensuring access to the widest possible number of people. The decision to release the 1911 Census only in an electronic form means access is now less fair and less equitable. It also hampers the work of those who use the census for broader historical research and who may wish to examine the Enumerators’ books for entire communities, rather than just seeking out individual families. This decision has compromised access to the nation’s historical record and adversely affects the way in which thousands of people use the census – the 1911 Census is likely to be significantly under-explored compared to those previous censuses released on microfilm.’

News about the e-petition will be circulated by email – spread the word!

Local History Week 2012

Local History Week this year runs from 3rd-10th March and has the theme of

Sport. We know many of you will be planning exhibitions and events to celebrate and we would love to hear about them. Please forward any good stories and photographs about what happened in your area and we can feature them in the next issue of the magazine. You can send copy to Amanda.robb@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk

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Local Studies LibrariansLocal Studies LibrariansLocal Studies LibrariansLocal Studies Librarians:::: ScotlandScotlandScotlandScotland

Aberdeen City David Main, Local Studies Librarian, Aberdeen Library and Information Services, Central Library, Rosemount Viaduct, Aberdeen AB25 1GW Tel 01224 652563 e-mail: DaMain@aberdeencity.gov.uk Aberdeenshire David Catto, Local Studies Librarian, Aberdeenshire Libraries, Meldrum Meg Way, The Meadows Industrial Estate, Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire AB51 0GN Tel: 01651 871220 Fax 01651 872142 e-mail: david.catto@aberdeenshire.gov.uk Angus Fiona Scharlau, Local Studies Librarian/Archivist, Angus Archives, Hunter Library, Restenneth Priory, By Forfar DD8 2SZ Tel: 01307 468644 e-mail: angus.archives@angus.gov.uk Argyll & Bute Eleanor McKay, Information and Local Studies Librarian, Argyll & Bute Library HQ, Highland Avenue, Sandbank, Dunoon PA23 8PB Tel : 01369 708663 Fax: 01369 705797 e-mail: eleanor.mckay@argyll-bute.gov.uk Borders Helen Darling, Part-time Local Studies Librarian, Scottish Borders Library and Information Service, Libraries Headquarters, St Mary’s Mill, Selkirk TD7 5EW Tel: 01750 20842 Fax: 01750 22875 e-mail: hdarling@scotborders.gov.uk Clackmannanshire Ian Murray, Information Librarian and Archivist, Clackmannan Libraries, 26 – 28 Drysdale Street, Alloa FK10 1JL Tel: 01259 722262 Fax: 01259 219469 e-mail: libraries@clacks.gov.uk Dumfries & Galloway Graham Roberts, Local Studies Coordinator, Ewart Library, Catherine Street, Dumfries DG1 1JB Tel: 01387 252070 Fax: 01387 260294 e-mail: graham.roberts@dumgal.gov.uk Alison Burgess, Local Studies Officer, Dumfries and Galloway Libraries, Information and Archives, Ewart Library, Catherine Street, Dumfries DG1 1JB Tel: 01387 253820 [Also 01387 269254 (Archives Centre)] email: alison.burgess@dumgal.gov.uk Dundee Deirdre Sweeney, Local Studies Librarian, Local History Centre, Central Library, The Wellgate, Dundee DD1 1DB Tel: 01382 431550 Fax: 01382 431504 e-mail: deirdre.sweeney@dundeecity.gov.ik

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East Ayrshire Elaine Gray, Senior Librarian, information, Dick Institute Library, Dick Institute, 1 Elmbank Avenue, Kilmarnock. KA1 3BU Tel: 01563 554300 Fax: 01563 554311 email: elaine.gray@east-ayrshire.gov.uk East Dunbartonshire Christine Miller, Area Operations Leader, Information & Archives, East Dunbartonshire Libraries, The William Patrick Library, 2 West High Street, Kirkintilloch G66 1AD Tel: 0141 775 4537 Fax: 0141 776 0408 e-mail: christine.miller@eastdunbarton.gov.uk East Lothian Thomas Connelly, Local History Librarian, Library Headquarters, Dunbar Road, Haddington, EH41 3PJ Tel: 01620 820609 e-mail: tconnelly@eastlothian.gov.uk East Renfrewshire Amanda Robb, Local Studies Librarian, East Renfrewshire Council Education Department, Giffnock Community Library, Station Road, Giffnock G64 6JF Tel: 0141 557 3872 e-mail: amanda.robb@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk Edinburgh City Libraries Jim Hogg, Edinburghand Scottish Collection, Central Library, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1EG Tel: 0131 242 8070 e-mail: james.hogg@edinburgh.gov.uk Falkirk Gray Allan, Librarian, Falkirk Library, Hope Street, Falkirk FK1 5AU Tel: 01324 503605 Fax: 01324 503606 e-mail: falkirk.library@falkirk.gov.uk Fife Gavin Grant, Collections Development Team Leader, Fife Council Libraries & Museums HQ, 16 East Fergus Place, Kirkcaldy, Fife KY1 1XT Tel: 08451 555555 Ext 452826 e-mail: gavin.grant@fife.gov.uk Janice Erskine, Local Studies and Family History Librarian, Dunfermline Carnegie Library, 1 Abbot Street, Dunfermline KY12 7NL Tel: 08451 555555, extension 493141 e-mail: janice.erskine@fife.gov.uk Sheila Campbell, Local Studies and Family History Librarian, Museum & Art Gallery, Abbotshall Road, Kirkcaldy, KY1 1YG Tel: 08451 555555 Ext 473074 e-mail: sheila.campbell@fife.gov.uk Glasgow City Trish Grant, Principal Librarian, Family History and Local History The Mitchell Library, North St, Glasgow G3 7DN Tel: 0141 287 2847 e-mail: patricia.grant@csglasgow.org Vicky Clark, Librarian, The Mitchell Library, North St, Glasgow G3 7DN Tel: 0141 287 2988 e-mail: vicky.clark@csglasgow.org Highland Julie Corcoran, Information Co-ordinator, The Highland Council, Library Support Unit, 31a Harbour Road, Inverness IV1 1UA Tel : 01463 251259 Fax : 01463 236986 e-mail: julie.corcoran@highland.gov.uk

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Inverclyde Alana Macmillan, Library Development Team Leader, Inverclyde Council, Central Library, Clyde Square, Greenock PA15 1NA Tel: 01475 712323 email: alana.macmillan@inverclyde.gov.uk Midlothian Ken Bogle, Local Studies Officer, Local Studies Library, Midlothian Library HQ, 2 Clerk Street, Loanhead EH20 9DR Tel: 0131 271 3976 Fax: 0131 440 4635 e-mail: ken.bogle@midlothian.gov.uk Moray Graeme Wilson, Local Heritage Officer, Local Heritage Centre, Institution Road, Elgin IV30 1RP Tel: 01343 560011 Fax: 01343 520660 e-mail: graeme.wilson@moray.gov.uk North Ayrshire Jill McColl, Local Studies Librarian, The North Ayrshire Heritage Centre Manse Street ,Saltcoats KA21 5AA Tel : 01294 464174 e-mail : ers.north-ayrshire.gov.uk/localandfamily.cfm Norma Cullen, Local Studies Librarian, The North Ayrshire Heritage Centre Manse Street, Saltcoats KA21 5AA Tel : 01294 464174 e-mail: ers.north-ayrshire.gov.uk/localandfamily.cfm North Lanarkshire Margaret McGarry, Assistant Manager/Local Studies Librarian, Motherwell Heritage Centre, 1 High Road, Motherwell ML1 3HU Tel: 01698 251000 e-mail: mcgarrym@northlan.gov.uk. For Motherwell Heritage Centre email: motherwellhistory@yahoo.co.uk Airdrie Library, Wellwynd, Airdrie ML6 0AG Tel: 01236 758073 Orkney David Mackie, Photographic archivist, The Orkney Library and Archive, 44 Junction Road, Kirkwall, Orkney. KW15 1AG Tel: 01856 873166 Fax: 01856 875260 e-mail: david.mackie@orkneylibrary.org.uk Perth & Kinross A K Bell Library, York Place, Perth PH2 8EP Tel: 01738 477062 Fax: 01738 477010 e-mail: localstudies@pkc.gov.uk Renfrewshire David Weir, Local Studies Librarian, Local Studies Library, Paisley Central Library, 68 High Street, Paisley PA1 2BB Tel: 0141 889 2360 Fax: 0141 887 6468 e-mail: locstuds.els@renfrewshire.gov.uk Shetland Islands Douglas Garden, Support Services Librarian, Shetland Library, Lower Hillhead, Lerwick ZE1 OEL Tel 01595 743868, e-mail: douglas.garden@sic.shetland.gov.uk.

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South Ayrshire Tom Barclay, Reference and Local Studies Librarian, South Ayrshire Council Libraries, Carnegie Library, 12, Main Street, Ayr KA8 8EB Tel: 01292 286385 Fax: 01292 611593 e-mail: tom.barclay@south-ayrshire.gov.uk South Lanarkshire John McGarrity, Information Services Coordinator, Hamilton Library, 102 Cadzow Street, Hamilton ML3 6HH Telephone: 01698 452220 e-mail: john.mcgarrity@library.s-lanark.org.uk Development Librarian, Hamilton Library,102 Cadzow Street, Hamilton ML3 6HH Telephone: 01698 454220 East Kilbride Reference Section, East Kilbride Central Library, The Olympia Shopping Centre, East Kilbride G74 1PG Telephone: 01355 220046 e-mail: eastkilbride.reference@library.s-lanark.org.uk Hamilton Reference Section, Hamilton Town House Library, 102 Cadzow Street, Hamilton ML3 6HH Telephone: 01698 452121 e-mail: hamilton.reference@library.s-lanark.org.uk Lanark Reference Section, Lanark Library, 16 Hope Street, Lanark ML11 7LZ Telephone: 01555 661144 e-mail: Lanark.ref@library.s-lanark.org.uk Stirling Roana Mourad, Information and Local Studies Librarian, Central Library, Corn Exchange Road, Stirling FK8 2HX Tel 01786 432106, Fax 01786 473094 e-mail: mouradr@stirling.gov.uk West Dunbartonshire Jo Sherington, Information Services Librarian (Clydebank), Central Library, Dumbarton Road, Clydebank G81 1XH Tel : 0141 562 2440 Fax : 0141 562 2430 e-mail: jo.sherington@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Samantha Moore, Information Services Librarian, Dumbarton Library, Strathleven Place Dumbarton G82 1BD Tel : 01389 608965 Fax : 01389 608100 e-mail: samantha.moore@west-dunbarton.gov.uk West Lothian Sybil Cavanagh, West Lothian Heritage and Information Centre, County Buildings, High Street, Linlithgow EH49 7EZ Tel. 01506 282491 e-mail: sybil.cavanagh@westlothian.gov.uk Western Isles David Fowler, Senior Librarian Adult Services, Western Isles Libraries, 19 Cromwell Street, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis HS1 2DA Tel: 01851 708636 Fax: 01851 708676 e-mail: dfowler@cne-siar.gov.uk Please send any additions or amendments to david.catto@aberdeenshire.gov.uk. Thank you,

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Silver City VaultSilver City VaultSilver City VaultSilver City Vault: : : : AAAA tale of successive successes tale of successive successes tale of successive successes tale of successive successes

Introduction It is a cause of perpetual frustration to the local studies professional that the

modern user often fails to understand or acknowledge the reasons behind the current status quo regarding collection management. They may ask why the thousands of miles worth of microfilm is not readily accessible via the internet; or why the electronic catalogue fails to recognise their unique search terms. Untrained visitors may well look in awe at the card catalogue drawers, wondering if they have inadvertently stumbled upon the eighth wonder of the ancient world, while the regular user simply lifts their eyes skywards as we outline the necessarily intricate route they must navigate until reaching the item they desire. In Greek mythology, Sisyphus was punished to a fruitless labour of pushing a

giant boulder uphill only to watch it roll back down the slope before starting again, indefinitely. In the same way, we labour with our collections with regard to accessibility, preservation and digitisation to name but a few. The scale of the task before us may generate doubts as to the worth of the effort – why waste valuable savings and a professional lifetime on a given approach when that approach has its own natural lifespan and will surely be superseded? With a simple tweak to the punishment of Sisyphus, changing from a single

hill into a row of peaks, then the sequential nature of the challenge becomes clear – only by reaching the top of the first hill is it possible to see the second and so on. In this way, the fourth achievement is not possible without the third, the third without the second etc etc. Rather than view our challenges as an endless and fruitless labour, we should appreciate the value of our gains while tipping our caps to the infinite nature of the challenge. Recognising the efforts of our forerunners, we toil in the hope that our successors will be better-placed to continue the developments in this great relay race with no finish line.

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Silver City Vault As an example of this principle at work in the real world, I recently

undertook to develop our photographic holdings at Aberdeen Local Studies. My predecessors had considerable foresight in taking the numerous images from their many albums and beginning the laborious task of not only scanning, but also creating index records to accompany each image. As part of the project, thousands of images were scanned and indexed – the start of something truly wonderful. One whole decade and several changes of personnel later however and all

that remained of this Herculean effort was a rather inaccessible database held on what was thought to be the only Mac in Aberdeen City Libraries. The stalled project had arguably at this point been little more than an expensive diversion – users wishing to view the photographic collection were still offered the albums as they always had with orders for copies sent externally due to a lack of suitable in-house equipment. How could such a project possibly be judged as being worthwhile?

At the point of reviewing the current status of the holdings, it was apparent that while the scanning endeavour had been undertaken with the very best of intentions, Local Studies had in fact been left with several thousand images all captured to an insufficient quality. As technical standards had improved, the once impressive resolution and resulting file sizes were

now – quite simply – pitiful. The entire database could be retained on a relatively inexpensive memory stick with sufficient spare room to generate a rather loud rattle.

The decision was taken to pursue a funding opportunity to reinvigorate the

project - top of the wish-list being the equipment necessary to capture and create high-quality reproductions ourselves. Next, we turned to the perennial IT development dilemma – go to the back of the very long, yet inexpensive internal queue or become the valued customer of a potentially expensive third-party software solution. With funds secured, the third-party option became

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viable – we now had the platform to deliver images and offer users the ability to order high-quality prints without stepping foot in the department, but much more importantly – we could now reap the financial benefit of every single order by creating the reproductions ourselves. The last remaining problem was a simple, yet fundamental one – content. What of all those poor quality scans captured back in the day when 100dpi seemed only a fraction short of NASA standards? Posed with this unpleasant predicament, our solution was rather neat. We

would re-start the scanning project with our new top-of-the-range equipment, but cunningly using the ‘unwanted’ original scans as thumbnails on a new website. In this way, the work of our predecessors was crucial – even with all the funds, even with the equipment and even with a platform on which to deliver the goods – without the content, we had nothing. To have started the scanning project from scratch would have seen us offering users a mere handful of images. In the few short months since the launch of the website, we have seen global

interest from over 34 countries with access to the photographic collection significantly increased. Orders for images come at a constant rate and contribute to the income generation aspects of the Local Studies Team Plan. The website has had overwhelmingly positive feedback from users, and while we are constantly seeking to improve, there is an appreciation of the efforts made to extend our reach worldwide. None of which would be possible at this time if it hadn’t been for one daring

librarian who suggested buying a scanner….

The Silver City Vault is by no means the final word in Aberdeen Local Studies’ online resources – in one respect it serves as a fitting postscript to the work undertaken previously; but more importantly, it is merely the foreword to an as yet unwritten greater work. The new online resource for Aberdeen Local Studies, The Silver City Vault, is

available at www.silvercityvault.org.uk The Silver City Vault resource was made possible by funding secured from the

Scottish Government Public Libraries Improvement Fund, administered by the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC). Illustrations Page 15, Silver City Vault banner, www.silvercityvault.org.uk Page 16, Palace Hotel, Aberdeen

David Main, Local Studies Librarian, Aberdeen City Libraries

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Volunteer Friendly AwardVolunteer Friendly AwardVolunteer Friendly AwardVolunteer Friendly Award

Approximately 1.56 million people in Scotland – 38% of the adult population – volunteer regularly, and volunteering contributes around £2.52 billion to the Scottish economy. Volunteering enhances many essential services in Scotland’s communities and has a significant social value as it is increasingly being used to give excluded individuals the chance to build their confidence and skills through helping others. It has never been more important for groups to be able to show how good they are at involving and managing their volunteers. Here Anharad Balch from Voluntary Action, East Renfrewshire describes the benefits of the Volunteer Friendly Award. Following on from this Jenny McGhie from East Renfrewshire Library and Information Services explains how the award has been applied to volunteers working in the field of Local Studies.

The Volunteer Friendly AwardThe Volunteer Friendly AwardThe Volunteer Friendly AwardThe Volunteer Friendly Award The Volunteer Friendly Award (VF) is a simple, user friendly quality standard

designed by Volunteer Centre Dundee to support, recognize and reward groups that are good at involving volunteers. The award helps groups to look at their volunteer management practices and to: • identify what they do well • recognise what they would like to improve • develop an action plan to progress the changes The VF Award can: • act as a measure to ensure best practice in volunteer management • make organisations more attractive to potential volunteers and improve

the retention of existing volunteers • prove to potential funders that the organisation has good volunteer

management practice VF is based very closely on the national Investing in Volunteers Standard (IiV)

and uses similar indicators to measure the way groups work with volunteers. However VF does not go into the same depth as IiV and therefore its 9 criteria have been condensed into 5. VF can however be used as a stepping stone for organisations to go on to do IiV at a later date and as the criteria are similar; any evidence collected for VF can be used for IiV. There are numerous benefits to Volunteer Friendly. Working through the

award gives groups and organisations the opportunity to revisit their volunteer

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management practice and to review their procedures. It provides examples of best practice and templates for any paperwork that may need to be updated. Once groups have achieved the VF award they will be entitled to use the VF logo on stationery and marketing materials to potential volunteers and funders. Nowadays most funders are looking for evidence of good practice in

managing volunteers; having a VF Award will signify to potential funders that organisations are recognised as having an excellent standard in volunteer management practice.

How Volunteer Friendly works The VF award is self-guided and should normally take place where ever the

paperwork for the group is kept. Data is gathered to develop a portfolio of evidence to demonstrate that the group meets each of the 3 criteria for the 5 strands of VF. Suitable data for collection could be a policy, an example of a form or even a photo - whatever is appropriate for that particular group. Supported by a staff member from their local Volunteer Centre, groups progress through the award workbooks and look at what they do and the way that they do it. Once the evidence has been gathered it will be presented to a panel of trained volunteer managers who have achieved the VF standard, to verify that the VF standard has been met. The award is presented to the group once this has been confirmed.

Time Commitment The award can take anything from 1 hour a week, depending on how much

time a group has and how much time they want to commit; some organisations will have more work to do than others. Each organisation will work through the programme at their own pace, some organisations complete it in less than 3 months. However, the award is designed to be flexible and organisations are encouraged to set their own pace to work through the programme.

Museums Artefact Project, East Renfrewshire This Heritage Lottery Funded project run from the Heritage Centre at Giffnock Community Library, has very recently achieved a Volunteer Friendly Award. Heritage Project Officer, Jenny McGhie describes the experience. If you’re lucky enough to have a well-established programme of volunteering

in your local authority, then you might be able to access all the expertise you need quite easily. However, if you are starting from scratch, then working

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towards the Volunteer Friendly Award could be just the helping hand that you need. Here at East Renfrewshire’s Heritage Service, we began our eighteen month-

long Museum Artefacts Project, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, in October 2010. One of the project’s key aims is “to involve volunteers in researching the collections and creating a strong sense of ownership for their local heritage and the artefacts”. Neither the Heritage Service nor I, the part-time Project Officer, had worked with volunteers on a formal basis before, although East Renfrewshire’s Library and Information Service used volunteers to deliver IT classes. Currently there is no central volunteer management structure within the Council.

As I had to recruit, train and assign tasks to volunteers within the first few months of the project, time was very much of the essence. During this initial period, I based my work around what I had learned from two day-long courses on volunteer recruitment and management, along with my own research into best practice in volunteer work. I was also able to adapt many of the policies and procedures already used by the Learning Service for their IT volunteers, which saved a lot of time and effort on my part. However, I

was keenly aware at the time that I didn’t have the luxury of devoting as much planning and thinking to the volunteer process as I might have wished: instead, we simply had to get things underway. Out of the blue, about half-way through the project, I received an email from

our Arts, Learning and Libraries Manager, asking if I would like to be put forward for the Volunteer Friendly Award. At first I thought this opportunity might have come too late in the day, and secretly feared it might add a lot of work to my already-stretched schedule. However, I was wrong on both counts. As it turned out, it was a good time to step back and look at what I had done

so far, and to make any necessary adjustments from then on. From my first meeting at the end of June, it took about four months for the project to reach assessment. This included four meetings with my VFA supervisors from Voluntary Action, East Renfrewshire, and approximately an hour a week on my part as I collected evidence and rewrote documentation. This time was

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actually a valuable way to keep thinking about the bigger volunteer picture, and not just about the details of day-to-day tasks.

Another member of library staff also began work on VFA at the same time

as me, although her volunteer project has not yet started. I must stress that I benefited enormously from the policies and procedures that she wrote and sourced, which we were then able to share. Without her input, I would certainly have needed to devote more time each week to research and writing.

Benefits of VFABenefits of VFABenefits of VFABenefits of VFA From my experience, here are the main benefits of the VFA: 1. It provides a solid ready-made structure for your volunteer work from

beginning to end: from writing your initial policy documents to celebrating your volunteers’ achievements. 2. It’s very flexible, and seems to suit short projects like ours as well as the

introduction of a new long-term service. 3. Working with staff from your local volunteer centre gives you access to an

excellent source of professional knowledge about volunteering. 4. The VFA website contains lots of examples of best practice and case

studies, as well as templates for policies and procedures. At the same time, some of your evidence can be much more informal: I submitted emails, photographs and short case studies. 5. Building your portfolio of evidence encourages you to keep detailed

records and statistics about your volunteers’ work. This can prove helpful for

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other things, such as HLF progress updates, quarterly reports, or evidence for HMIe inspections. 6. You get a trophy, a certificate and a cake at the end – what’s not to like?! Joking aside, achieving an award attracts good publicity for both your service

and for your volunteers’ achievements, both in the short and longer term: for example, the Heritage Lottery Fund has been interested to hear of our involvement with VFA. Aside from these specific benefits for your service, your volunteers should

get an improved overall experience, which focuses on providing excellent support and recognition for their contribution.

If you currently use volunteers in your project or are thinking of doing so in the future and are interested in the Volunteer Friendly Award, just contact your nearest Volunteer Centre. Further information can be obtained at; http://www.volunteerfriendly.org.uk or contact Volunteer Friendly direct by calling 01382 305705. Volunteer Friendly is based at Volunteer Centre Dundee, a company registered in Scotland (SC257436), Scottish Charity Number SCO 27529, a member of Volunteer Centre Scotland Network, grant-aided by the Scottish Government. There may be a nominal cost involved. Anharad Balch, Volunteer Development Worker, Voluntary Action, East Renfrewshire and Jenny McGhie, Heritage Project Officer, East Renfrewshire Council

Illustrations: Page 19, Volunteer Friendly Award Logo, www.volunteerfriendly.org.uk Page 20, Jenny McGhie accepting the Volunteer Friendly Award on behalf of East Renfrewshire Council, 13/12/2011 Page 21, Volunteers attending a training session

NewsbitsNewsbitsNewsbitsNewsbits

The John Gray Centre is coming! The scaffolding is down, a glass atrium is up … and the new heritage centre

for East Lothian is getting closer to opening day, in a fully restored and refurbished building in Lodge Street, Haddington!

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In preparation for the move the East

Lothian Local History Centre closed at the end of November to reopen in Spring 2012, as an integrated service with East Lothian Archives. Inside, you will find: • The all-new Haddington Branch Library • East Lothian Archive and Local History Service – with reading room and ready access to the curators’ expert knowledge • A modern museum telling some of East Lothian’s most fascinating

stories • An elegant gallery for temporary exhibitions • Learning programmes and activities for schools and communities • Volunteer opportunities There will be a new web portal, where the public can find and share

entertaining, informative and education resources, search our catalogues, use the map to explore the region through time and place, and get regular updates on events and activities. For the first time, East and Midlothian’s Historic Environment Record will be available online. For regular updates see: www.facebook.org/JohnGrayCentre

Website: www.johngraycentre.org

Sheila M. Millar, Local History Librarian, East Lothian Council (now retired)

A new central library for Edinburgh ?

Plans for a new cultural quarter with Edinburgh Central Library at their heart are being developed. Architects have drawn up plans for a ‘literary hotel’ behind the 121-year-old Central Library, which would be modernised and extended. Disused vaults, derelict gap sites and vacant offices will be used to provide links between the buildings and create a complex aimed at rivalling major new libraries in cities such as Amsterdam and Seattle .

A report due to be brought back to the council in Feb 2012 will spell out detailed costs for the project and options for taking it forward.

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Locscot Committee

Chair Eleanor Mckay (Argyll & Bute) eleanor.mckay@argyll-bute.gov.uk

locscot@hotmail.co.uk Secretary David Catto (Aberdeenshire) david.catto@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

Treasurers

Pat Malcolm/Jo Sherington jo.sherington@west-dunbarton.gov.uk (West Dunbartonshire) Ken Bogle (Midlothian) ken.bogle@midlothian.gov.uk Trish Grant (Glasgow) patricia.grant@csglasgow.org David Main (Aberdeen) DaMain@aberdeencity.gov.uk Roana Mourad (Stirling) mouradr@stirling.gov.uk Fiona Myles (Edinburgh City) fiona.myles@edinburgh.gov.uk Amanda Robb (East Renfrewshire) amanda.robb@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk Craig Statham (East Lothian)

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