In this paper I propose that there is significant value in revisiting archival theory to revitalise core service practice. I will argue that professional curiosity and challenging the status quo can involve building positively on the foundations of previous generations, while also reconciling past practice with current archival theory. I will use a case study from Cumbria Archives, but link this to archival theory and established professional practice.

The case study will focus on work to make Cumbria Archives’ collections provenance and terms of deposit information more readily accessible and useful, drawing on the longstanding legacy of professional archive work in Cumbria to provide a strong foundation for future cataloguing and engagement work. I will highlight some of the challenges faced in this ongoing project and give examples of realised benefits for internal archives staff, depositors, and record users. These will be explored from a position of respect for previous generations of archive professionals, while also discouraging complacency and promoting a reflective approach to even the most fundamental processes. I will highlight the organisational risk of not undertaking this kind of review work and suggest efficient approaches against a background of scarce staff resources.

By combining a case study element with a focus on archival fundamentals, I hope to avoid an excessive focus on organisational specifics and thoughts of “well that couldn’t work in my service”; I aim to encourage attendees to leave feeling empowered to question, review and improve core working practices.

Appraisal is one facet of the archival workflow which has always received attention in public and academic discourse, particularly concerning where and when we dispose of material. Essentially, appraisal is scary, and archivists are often without the time to carry it out, leading to far reaching consequences.

Edinburgh University is not exempt from this archival universality. More than two hundred years of record keeping has resulted in an administrative machine churning out unwieldy levels of records which staff are still unpicking to this day.

A business case was made for appraisal to be seen as a significant function of the archival work at the University in its own right. We have the privilege of being able to create a culture that takes away the fear of disposing, has the support of senior management, and prioritised the time to carry it out.

My initial task on joining the University was to understand the scale of the issue and what work had been undertaken prior to my arrival. With a systematic approach now in place, we have run into conundrums which shaped the methodology: impact on space management, differences between appraisal and cataloguing prioritisation, the inevitability of mistakes, knocking out quick wins, acknowledging sunk cost fallacies, the likelihood of erasing a backlog, and the compromises that smaller institutions would have to undertake in similar circumstances.

The talk and Q&A session will give insight on appraisal which goes beyond theory to better help institutions wanting to tackle backlogs in a meaningful manner.

As Archivists and Records Managers, we are constantly working within cross-generational perspectives; wherein our working lives are at once shaped by the legacies of the past, the priorities of the present and concerns for the future. This is especially true for Appraisal, which at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) is one of the key mechanisms for collecting records which have been created by NI Government Departments and the NI Public Sector for future generations of researchers. Simultaneously, Appraisal is becoming an increasingly complex exercise for current and future archivists.
Written from the perspective of a new sector professional, this paper aims to draw a combination of personal working experiences and quantitative data analysis to:

- Demonstrate how legacy issues have affected our ability to appraise Public Records effectively, and how we can learn from this for the benefit of future archivists.
- Discuss the ability to use appraisals to diversify our collections for future researchers and the risk of ‘tick-boxing’ this presents.
- Highlight how unconscious biases, strained resourcing, and other factors on the modern sector can impact our perceptions of what records are worthy of collecting.
- Reflect on how all of the above could be exacerbated by the shift to appraising primarily digital records within the next five years.

This paper will also examine how these challenges present exciting opportunities for cross-generational collaboration within the sector and the how the development of new technology could be used to mitigate some of these issues.