# Logjam: An Audit Of Uncatalogued Collections In The North West

## Contents

| Acknowledgments                                       |   2 |
|-------------------------------------------------------|-----|
| 1. Introduction and Context                           |   3 |
| 1.1 Project Aims                                      |   3 |
| 1.2 Expected Outputs                                  |   3 |
| 1.3 Expected Outcomes                                 |   4 |
| 1.4 National and Regional Context                     |   4 |
| 2. Methodology                                        |   6 |
| 3. Results                                            |  11 |
| 3.1 Section A - Size of regional/sub-regional backlog |  11 |
| 3.2 Section B - Size of backlog by repository type    |  13 |
| 3.3 Section C - Size of backlog by type               |  14 |
| 3.4 Section D - Collections covered by FOI            |  16 |
| 3.5 Section E - Future Cataloguing Priorities         |  17 |
| 3.6 Section F - Access Initiatives                    |  18 |
| 3.7 Section G - Cataloguing Status                    |  19 |
| 3.8 Section H - Cataloguing Resources                 |  19 |
| 4. What Comprises the Backlog?                        |  21 |
| 5. Recommendations                                    |  24 |
| 6. Conclusion                                         |  27 |
| 7. Appendices                                         |  28 |
| Appendix A                                            |  28 |
| Appendix B                                            |  29 |
| Appendix C                                            |  30 |
| Appendix D                                            |  31 |
| Appendix E                                            |  34 |

## Acknowledgments

This project was funded by the Resource grant to NWMLAC, which the project partners acknowledge with thanks.

The Logjam project has been guided and monitored by the following members of the Project Board, whose advice and experience proved invaluable: Katherine Taylor, Manchester Archives and Local Studies Simon Wilson, The Mersey Gateway Project, Liverpool City Council Anne Rowe, Cumbria Record Office Eileen Hume, Knowsley Archives Service Katy Goodrum, Cheshire and Chester Archives and Local Studies The project partners also wish to thank all the archivists and institutions who took the trouble to complete the questionnaire concerning cataloguing projects. Thanks are also extended to the members of the North West Regional Archives Council, and the archivists and colleagues from all the participating repositories.

## 1 Introduction

The archival heritage of the North West reflects the region's diverse history and culture from the past thousand years up to the present day. It includes the records of great institutions, people and businesses in the region and reflects the North West's changing landscape, communities and economies. However, if this heritage is to be fully accessible to the growing number of archive users in the North West, then it will be necessary to catalogue collections as yet uncatalogued and improve the physical availability of the material.

Producing catalogues of the contents of archival collections is the bedrock of the work of an archive service. Without descriptions of the documents it holds, an archive service cannot ensure: 

•
Efficient and equitable access
•
A stimulating learning environment
•
Compliance with Freedom of Information and Data Protection legislation
•
An organisation's corporate memory
•
Legal, financial and administrative resources
•
The security and preservation of documents
•
Interpretative exhibitions and publications
In short, archive services with uncatalogued collections cannot fulfil either their record keeping role, or ensure the place of archives at the cultural centre of the community. Without access via catalogues, archival organisations are unable to play a role in people's lives, managing organisations are failing to meet their responsibilities and are wasting money storing inaccessible documents. Taking the form of a detailed audit, the Logjam project was designed to scope the size and type of uncatalogued collections held in 30 of the region's principal archive-holding institutions.

The work was funded by Resource and undertaken by the North West Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (NWMLAC)
on behalf of North West Regional Archive Council (NWRAC). The aim of this report is not only to present the results of the survey but to share the methodology with other organisations.

## 1.1 Project Aims

The aim of the project was to identify, quantify and prioritise uncatalogued archival collections in the North West. Specifically it aimed to:

•
produce a detailed picture of the archival collections which are uncatalogued in each repository and the region as a whole
•
identify the resources required to catalogue these collections
•
prioritise these collections and in particular identify specific priorities for future collaborative projects within the region

## 1.2 Expected Outputs

Expected outputs from the project were as follows:

•
A regional database of uncatalogued collections which can be used to inform future collaborative projects
•
Individualised databases of uncatalogued collections for each participating repository
•
A regional report outlining the aggregated results of the audits and recommendations for future action
•
Individualised reports for each repository, including an indication of the timescale and resources required to catalogue each collection
•
An audit methodology that could be extended to other offices within the region at a later date
During the course of the project a number of organisations have expressed an interest in utilising the project methodology for their own audit of uncatalogued collections. This has lead to the development of a toolkit which can be used to undertake similar projects.

## 1.3 Expected Outcomes

The project aims to achieve the following outcomes:

•
The development of a collaborative
approach to cataloguing which will assist in addressing the problem of cataloguing backlogs on a regional basis
•
Improved access to the region's archives by making finding aids and collections more widely available
•
An opportunity for individual repositories to prioritise their cataloguing work and the results to act as an invaluable advocacy tool for the region

## 1.4 National And Regional Context

Increased access to information has become one of the key priorities for the national and regional agenda for archives in the United Kingdom. It is a central theme for all the regional archives strategies and a number of national initiatives have placed it at the heart of their objectives. It is within this regional and national context that Logjam needs to be considered:

## North West Regional Archive Strategy

Logjam is one of the basic building blocks of the implementation of the regional archive strategy. Under the Theme of Access and Availability, NWRAC aims to improve and widen physical and remote access to the region's archives for the benefit of all users by making finding aids and collections widely available and developing a collaborative approach to managing cataloguing backlogs.

The project forms part of the over-arching Filling in the Gaps initiative, which aims to map archival needs and resources throughout the North West. Comprising of 7 regional projects, it will identify and prioritise needs in the North West and target potential solutions and funding streams. In particular, Logjam and the preservation survey, NW Preservation Assessment, will complement each other to give an accurate picture of the preservation and access needs across the region.

## Freedom Of Information

The Freedom of Information Act (FOI) Act 2000 provides the public with a general right of access to all types of recorded information held by public authorities. Under the terms of the legislation, all public authorities will have to adopt and maintain a publication scheme detailing the classes of information they hold, how this is information is to be published and whether this information is available to the public free of charge. However, archival-holding institutions will be able to claim exemption under Section 21 of the FOI Act if they can claim that their archival collections are already 'reasonably accessible'. Organisations that have a large volume of uncatalogued archival material will find it very difficult to claim exemption and will be obliged to answer FOI enquiries themselves, as opposed to directing applicants towards the relevant finding aids. Penalties will be incurred upon repositories which are unable to answer FOI enquiries within 20 working days. The potential impact for institutions with a substantial number of uncatalogued collections covered by FOI legislation could prove to be serious.

## Full Disclosure

Full Disclosure is a cross-domain initiative, the principal objective of which is to provide access to the nation's heritage by establishing a comprehensive electronic catalogue.1 However, in order to achieve this objective, the initiative acknowledges that fundamental cataloguing work will have to take place on collections as yet uncatalogued. In response to this need, one of its key recommendations is that institutions should "identify and prioritise those collections that remain entirely uncatalogued." As means to prioritise these collections, the initiative advocates the use of their Prioritisation Assessment Matrix, an assessment tool which was specifically designed to enable funding bodies - and those seeking funding - to prioritise collections for retrospective conversion and cataloguing projects. The matrix outlines 5 broad criteria for the prioritisation:

•
The relationship to other collections
•
The institutional context
•
Potential use
•
Collaboration
•
Value for money
Once prioritisation for cataloguing has been established, institutions are then recommended to use this information as a basis for possible regional collaboration.

## Resource: Shared Planning Framework

Resource has recently set out a new framework for the way in which Resource and the nine Regional Agencies work together in the future.2 This is intended to create a greater understanding of common achievements and goals in the heritage sector. The Shared Planning Framework refers to 9 Programmes which Resource and the Regional Agencies will be involved in during the planning year. Under the Programme heading 'Collections', Resource highlights the identification of the "scale of cataloguing/documentation backlogs" and the co-ordination of "strategic planning programmes to address cataloguing documentations backlogs" as key shared deliverables for 2004-07.

## Archives Task Force: National Archives Network

Building upon the vision stated in Archives On-line: the Establishment of a United Kingdom Archival Network, the Archives Task Force is currently trying to investigate the means by which the objective of National Archives Network can be achieved. Professionals and funding organisations have shown commitment to the development of such a network; but in order for it to succeed, essential cataloguing work will have to take place on inaccessible documents. The identification and prioritisation of uncatalogued collections is an important step in the development of remote access to the nation's entire archival heritage.

## 2 Methodology 2.1 Consultation With Stakeholders

In January 2002 the NWRAC Archive Strategy was launched and Logjam was highlighted as a key initiative designed to improve the "knowledge of the scale and extent of cataloguing problems in the North West". This was followed in April 2002 with a regional seminar entitled Spreading the Word - Developing Access to the NW
Archives. The seminar provided an opportunity for representatives from a variety of archive-holding institutions to consider how access to the region's archives could be improved. Delegates were encouraged to discuss *Logjam* and outline their requirements for the project. A project planning meeting was organised for July 2002 at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester. Delegates from 21 of the participating archive-holding institutions were present and recommendations concerning the project methodology were proposed.

## 2.2 Project Board

Following consultation with participating archival institutions, a small project board was formed to oversee the project (see Acknowledgments). Representing a number of different archive services, the members brought a wide range of professional views and experiences to the project. The board helped to guide the project and proved invaluable during the process of refining the audit methodology. The board met twice and regular contact was maintained via email.

## 2.3 Audit Design

An audit of uncatalogued archival collections had not previously been undertaken on a regional level and a recognised methodology did not exist. Therefore a methodology was designed specifically for the project. Several major factors had to be taken into consideration during the designing process:

•
what institutions were to take part 
•
who was to undertake the audit and how 
•
what limits would have to be placed on the project 
•
what data was to be collected
•
how were the cataloguing resources to be calculated
•
how were the collections to be prioritised for cataloguing
•
how to audit repositories where the number of uncatalogued collections was exceptionally large

## 2.4 Participating Repositories

In order to ensure that the project gained a comprehensive view of the region's uncatalogued holdings, 40 of the region's principal archival institutions were contacted and invited to participate in the project; 30 repositories accepted the invitation. The breakdown of participating repositories is as follows: 

•
6 County Record Office repositories 
•
14 Metropolitan archive services
•
10 Specialist repositories
The participating local authority archive services differed greatly in terms of size and core funding: they ranged from large County Record Offices to small local study libraries. The specialist repositories included academic institutions, museums, galleries and business archives (see Appendix A).

## 2.5 Project Limits

Given the limited amount of resources and time available to the project it was logical to propose certain limits:

•
Minimum collection size
The project could not aim to survey every uncatalogued archival item in the region. Therefore only collections of 1 linear shelf metre in size and over were included.

•
Definition of an uncatalogued collection
A number of collections held in archive offices have collections that have basic box lists or poor quality catalogues. This project covered those catalogues which are not easily useable by the public and do not meet the standards outlined below. The Full Disclosure Study states that disclosure of collections at item-level as the fullest level of description is its ultimate aim and that International Standard for Archival Description (General) should be followed. The A2A project guidelines for new cataloguing proposes a number of mandatory fields which are listed in Appendix B. Under this project the aim will be to produce catalogues which meet these mandatory data elements.

## 2.6 Audit Staff

A professional archivist working on a 12 month contract was employed to undertake an audit of uncatalogued collections in each participating repository. The possibility of using a postal questionnaire was discounted as this would have relied heavily upon staff in archive offices having the time and experience to collate the information. The use of a project officer also ensured that the work could be undertaken to a consistent standard and without bias.

## 2.7 Audit Schedule

Following the appointment of the project archivist in November 2002, each repository was asked to provide a preliminary list of uncatalogued collections. The lists were used to estimate how long each audit would take to complete and played a critical part in the design of the project schedule. A number of repositories had carried out their own surveys of uncatalogued holdings and were able to provide the lists with relative ease. Other repositories did not have this information so readily to hand and had to invest staff time in producing the preliminary lists. But despite the time and effort involved, most archivists found this a valuable housekeeping exercise.

## 2.8 Data Collection And Analysis

Each uncatalogued collection was individually examined by the project officer and the following data was gathered:

•
Collection Title
•
Collection Reference
•
Accession Number and/or Collection Reference
•
Collection Management Group (Public Records, Official Records, Religious Records, Deposited Records)
•
Collection sub group
•
Extent of boxes items/maps/plans (linear metres)
•
Extent of volumes (linear metres)
•
Potential cataloguing complexity
•
Level of cataloguing required
Once the audit had been completed, the data was inputted into a Microsoft Access database and analysed using its query and report functions. Each participating repository received a copy of their individualised database and a set of instructions outlining how to use and update the database. It is hoped that NWMLAC will revisit Logjam in approximately five years time to establish how much progress has been made in the reduction of the regional backlog. In order to aid this process, each individualised database includes a cataloguing up-date feature which enables each repository to record their cataloguing progress. The inclusion of this feature ensures that when it is required, the data can be easily extracted from the database and given to NWMLAC for analysis.

## 2.9 Calculating Cataloguing Resources

The cataloguing resources were calculated using a formula designed specifically for the project. In order to take into the complexity of each collection, the formula was based on the following factors:

•
Size of the collection
•
Potential cataloguing complexity
•
Main covering dates of the collection
•
Level of cataloguing required.
Each factor is given a weighting and a total resources score is generated for each collection. The score is then matched against a table of cataloguing resources and the database automatically provides a cataloguing time for archivists and paraprofessionals. For example:
Collection:
Archer Family, Earls of Borsetshire Covering Dates:
18th - 19th century Cataloguing Complexity:
Complex Level of Cataloguing:
High - uncatalogued Size:
40 linear metres Resources Score:
290
Cataloguing Resources:
9-12 months archivist time and 2 months paraprofessional time

## 2.9.1 Size Of The Collection

The weighting for the size of each collection was determined by its actual size in linear metres. However, this only extended to boxed items, maps and plans, and not volumes. As volumes are generally less time-consuming to catalogue, they were excluded from the equation and a separate formula was devised based upon an archivist or paraprofessional cataloguing 2 linear metres of volumes per day.

## 2.9.2 Potential Cataloguing Complexity

The weighting for the potential cataloguing complexity was based upon 5 complexity categories:

•
Very Complex
•
Complex
•
Moderate
•
Moderately Straightforward
•
Straightforward
Definitions for the categories can be found in Appendix C.

## 2.9.3 Main Covering Dates

The covering dates for the collection were aggregated into date ranges:

•
20th - 21st century
•
19th - 20th century
•
18th - 19th century
•
17th - 18th century
•
16th - 17th century
•
11th -15th century
Inevitably, collections did not fall precisely within these specific date ranges. The solution was to take the date range for the bulk of archival material within the collection.

## 2.9.4 Level Of Cataloguing Required

The amount of work that has already been undertaken on a collection impacts greatly on the potential cataloguing time. The cataloguing resources formula distinguished between those collections that remained completely uncatalogued, and those that had been box-listed or listed to series level:

•
High
-
Uncatalogued
•
Medium
-
Box-listed
•
Low
-
Listed to series level

## 2.9.5 Cataloguing Resources Table

The cataloguing resources table was compiled by asking archivists that had recently completed cataloguing projects to complete a questionnaire based upon the four factors indicated (see Appendix D). 41 questionnaires were returned and by using the collated data it was possible to see patterns emerging for cataloguing times according to different resource scores. However, one of the most difficult aspects of this exercise lay in trying to accommodate the great disparity between cataloguing times for collections with similar scores. The cause of this disparity usually lay in the fact that some repositories, such as universities and specialist repositories, had the resources available to catalogue in far greater detail than would normally be considered by some local authority archives. In addition, some cataloguing projects spent a great deal of time creating detailed indexes for each collection. In order to overcome this problem, the lengthier cataloguing projects were used to indicate the additional cataloguing time that would be required for detailed indexing and itemlevel cataloguing. A greater deal of accuracy would have been gained if more questionnaires could have been completed regarding very large collections (over 75 linear metres), but very few collections of this magnitude had been recently catalogued. Many of the returned questionnaires related to medium-large cataloguing projects, and whilst this has produced some consistent data, this level of consistency could not be replicated for exceptionally large collections. Any recommendations concerning cataloguing resources can only be regarded as an approximate indication. Repositories were recommended to undertake more detailed research on potential cataloguing resources before seeking funding to catalogue specific collections.

Whilst it is understood that the estimates for cataloguing resources may not be completely accurate, it is hoped that the data generated from repositories quantifying their cataloguing progress will overcome this problem in the future. A cataloguing up-date form is included in the database and is designed to be used after each collection has been catalogued. This form includes a section on resources, and from this data it will be possible to evaluate the accuracy of the projected cataloguing times. If needed, the data can be used to amend the resources table so that a greater level of accuracy can be gained in the future.

## 2.10 Priority Assessment

Based upon guidelines from the national Full Disclosure Project, an assessment matrix was devised to establish the cataloguing priority of each collection. The cataloguing priorities were based upon whether the collection was:

•
covered by the Freedom of Information Act
•
of high/medium/low local significance
•
of high/medium/low regional significance
•
of high/medium/low national significance
•
uncatalogued because of its condition
•
eligible for inclusion in past or present A2A or Archives Hub initiatives
A priority score was awarded to each collection and this established its cataloguing priority.

The assessment was undertaken in conjunction with the archivist/librarian at each repository. As local professionals have a much clearer idea of the local and regional significance of their own collections, it was felt that their input would ensure that more accurate data concerning the contextual significance of each collections could be collated. Definitions were provided to ensure that consistent data could be gathered across the North West (see Appendix E).

## 2.11 Sampling Collections

In one repository the scale of the backlog (and the holdings as a whole) were such that an audit of all the uncatalogued collection was unfeasible and it was decided that a sample of collections would be assessed. As the repository monitored the production of uncatalogued collections, they were able to base the sample on collections which were in high public demand. The repository was also asked to provide an extent for the unseen uncatalogued collections, so that the regional figure for uncataloged holdings could be calculated.

## Results 3

The results of the audit of the audit have been broken up into the following sections:

•
Section A - Size of regional and sub-regional cataloguing backlog
•
Section B - Size of backlog by repository type
•
Section C - Size of backlog by collection type
•
Section D - Size of backlog covered by the Freedom of Information Act
•
Section E - Cataloguing priorities
•
Section F - Access Initiatives
•
Section G - Cataloguing Status
•
Section H - Cataloguing Resources
Section A includes data for all the uncatalogued collections in the 30 participating repositories in the region.

Sections B - H only contain data pertaining to the uncatalogued collections assessed by the project officer. They do not include data for the unseen material held by the repository in which a sample of collections was audited.

## 3.1 Section A - Size Of Regional And Sub-Regional Cataloguing Backlog Size Of Regional Backlog

collections
uncatalogued
holdings
archival
metres)
metres)
except film)
| 79,429   | 22,820   | 1,220   | 10,253   |
|----------|----------|---------|----------|
Number of
collections
Number of 
film titles
Extent of
uncatalogued
holdings
sub regional
archival
holdings
metres)
(linear
metres)

## Size Of Backlog In Merseyside

Number of
collections
Extent of
uncatalogued
holdings
Total extent
of regional
archival
holdings
(linear
metres)
(linear
metres)
20,386
6,393

## Size Of Backlog In Lancashire

Number of
collections
Extent of
uncatalogued
holdings
Total extent
of regional
archival
holdings
(linear
metres)
(linear
metres)
4778

## Size Of Backlog In Cheshire

Number of
collections
Extent of
uncatalogued
holdings
Total extent
of regional
archival
holdings
metres)
(linear
metres)

*Film archives in Lancashire and Cheshire are deposited at the North West Film Archive in Manchester, thereby accounting for the lack of uncatalogued film titles in these regions.

## Size Of Backlog In Cumbria

holdings
of regional
archival

## 3.2 Section B - Size Of Backlog By Repository Type Size Of Backlog In County Record Offices

holdings
of regional
archival
holdings
metres)

## Size Of Backlog In Metropolitan Archives

of regional
archival
holdings
metres)

## Size Of Backlog In Specialist Repositories

collections

## 3.3 Section C - Size Of Backlog By Collection Type Extent Of Material By Collection Type Definitions:

Public Records
- Archives covered by the Public Records Act 1958, such as hospital 
records, court records and prison records
Official Records
- Archives of local authorities and all of their predecessor bodies
Deposited Records
- Archives deposited by private businesses, individuals and organisations
Religious Records
- Archives relating to religious institutions, of various types.
Number of
film titles
Collection
Management
Group
Number of
collections
Extent
(linear
metres)
44
1379.88
524
Public records
190
6941.73
342
Official records
639
10752.4
9387
Deposited records
32
206.2
0
Religious records

The results indicate that 36% of the region's uncatalogued holdings comprise Official Records. 84% of this material relates to the administrative records of local authorities and their predecessor bodies. Covering every part of local administration in the region from Civil Parish Councils and Urban District Councils, to County Councils and Borough Councils, these records are of great evidential value to the people of the North West and are quickly gaining recognition as a rich source of information for family historians. As records covered by the Freedom of Information Act, they also allow for a much greater understanding and knowledge of the way we are governed at a regional level. 

Number of
collections
Extent
(linear
metres)
44
190
6941.73
639
32
206.2
44
190

Given the history of the history of the region it is unsurprising that nearly 50% of the holdings for deposited records should comprise of business collections. Nearly a quarter of these collections are associated with the region's pivotal role within the industrial revolution and form an important part of the region's economic and cultural heritage. Of particular note are the textile and engineering records of Lancashire and Greater Manchester; the shipbuilding records of Cumbria; and the shipping and mercantile records of Merseyside. However, the sheer size and complexity of these collections tend to negate their inclusion in day-to-day cataloguing programmes. Over 2.5 miles of the uncatalogued records in the region are comprised of family, estate and solicitor collections. In most instances the medieval documents that form part of these collections had been calendared, but 20 collections contained medieval records of 1 box or more. The most prolific uncatalogued documents within these types of collections were uncatalogued title deeds and their associated papers, but there were also large quantities of material relating to local and national politics, agriculture, the arts, industrial development, diplomacy, colonialism and war.

## 3.4 Section D - Uncatalogued Collections Covered By The Freedom Of Information Act

Under the Freedom of Information Act, which will be implemented by 2005, archival-holding organisations will be required to provide access to any records covered by the legislation. Public records, records of public authorities and deposited collections owned by local authority archive services are all covered by the Act and will have to be made available to the general public. In addition, repositories will be obliged to answer Freedom of Information enquiries within 20 working days following the receipt of an enquiry. However, without catalogues it will prove very difficult for repositories to fulfil these obligations. In order to comply with FOI legislation it is important that records covered by the Act are catalogued.

## Extent Of Uncatalogued Material Covered By Foi Collections Covered By Foi By Collection Type 3.5 Section E - Future Cataloguing Priorities Breakdown Of Cataloguing Priority Scores 3.6 Section F - Access Initiatives

Improving remote access to the region's archival heritage is one of the core aims of the NWRAC
Strategy. Currently this is being achieved by means of the Access to Archives (A2A) Programme, the Archives Hub and specific regional projects such as Greater Manchester Past Finder, Mersey Gateway and Spinning the Web. However, despite the excellent work that has already been undertaken, evidence provided by the project suggests that a further 530 archival collections could have been made available to remote users had they been catalogued. This equates to over 6 miles of records and 10,111 film titles. Of particular concern is the fact that 91% of the uncatalogued material eligible for access initiatives would have been eligible for inclusion in the North West's latest A2A project *Mills, Mansions and Corner Shops*. Without their inclusion, this project cannot provide remote users with access to the full complement of the region's business, industry, family and estate archives.

## Access Initiatives:

Mills, Mansions and Cornershops - Latest regional A2A project covering the records of business, industry, landed estate and families see www.a2a.org.uk Our Mutual Friends in the North - First regional A2A project relating to voluntary and mutual organisations and Protestant non-conformity see www.a2a.org.uk Archives Hub - National gateway to descriptions of archives in UK universities and colleges see www.archiveshub.ac.uk

## Collections Eligible For Electronic Access Initiatives

Number of
film titles
Number of
collections
(linear

## 3.7 Section G - Cataloguing Status Definitions:

Uncatalogued
- No cataloguing work has been undertaken on the documents.
Box-listed
- A basic list of the contents of each box of documents has been 
produced.
Catalogued to series level
- Catalogued to series level is the next level of detail in cataloguing 
but is not classified as fully catalogued in this project.

## Cataloguing Status Of Collections

Cataloguing
status
Number of
collections
Extent
(linear
metres)
690
1843.35
Uncatalogued
183
4535.31
Box-listed
32
12901.55
Catalogued to
series level

## 3.8 Section H - Cataloguing Resources

An important part of the Logjam project was to seek solutions to the backlog of uncatalogued archives. Calculations of the resources required were therefore made on an individual office and a regional level. The audit suggests that at least 900 years of archivist and support staff time have already been invested by archive services in the region in direct cataloguing work to make the 71% of catalogued records available.

## Number Of Staff Years Required To Eliminate The Backlog Number Of Staff Years Required To Catalogue High Priority Collections (Priority Score Of 70 And Over)

Number of archivist years
Number of paraprofessional years
Number of archivist/ paraprofessional years to eliminate backlog of volumes
62
299
9.65
Number of archivist years
Number of paraprofessional years
Number of archivist/ paraprofessional years to eliminate backlog of volumes
13
65
2.4

## Number Of Staff Years Required To Eliminate The Backlog Of Public Records

Number of archivist years
Number of paraprofessional years
Number of archivist/ paraprofessional years to eliminate backlog of volumes
1.5
16.1
1.2
eliminate the backlog of Religious
Number of archivist years
Number of paraprofessional years
Number of archivist/ paraprofessional years to eliminate backlog of volumes
8.5
3.8
31
Number of staff years required to eliminate the backlog of Official Records
Number of archivist years
Number of paraprofessional years
Number of archivist/ paraprofessional years to eliminate backlog of volumes
18.85
55
3.9
Number of archivist years
Number of paraprofessional years
Number of archivist/ paraprofessional years to eliminate backlog of volumes
41
224
4.425

## 4 What Comprises The Backlog? The North West'S Hidden Archival Heritage

The following examples of uncatalogued records highlight the richness of our archival heritage and illustrate why they are so crucial to the understanding and development of the region.

•
Lowther Family, Earls of Lonsdale
Like most of the exceptional family and estate collections throughout the region, the Lowther family papers are a particularly vital source of information for the early history of the North West. This collection contains manorial papers, maps, surveys, title deeds, estate accounts and personal correspondence, which reflect the lives of the landed classes and their tenants. Indeed, having been resident in Cumbria for over 1000 years, the uncatalogued Lowther family papers - equivalent to the length of three football pitches - are an important resource for the study of land-ownership, local politics and agricultural history in the North West. 

"The family collections......are inade-
quately catalogued and there is great
public demand for them. My experience
is that it is difficult to attract funding to
catalogue them, because of their tradi-
tional associations with antiquarianism,
and the false perception that they repre-
sent the interest and views of the landed
elite. In fact they are very revealing of
the lives of ordinary people: tenants,
servants, trades people etc. They are
hugely important for genealogical
research and local studies, but many
collections are also of national and
international importance, because of
families' involvement in political and
court life, and their overseas interests"

The collection also includes important resources for the study of West Cumbria's early industrial expansion and its importance as a centre for overseas trade. But until these records are fully catalogued, the great research potential of these archival treasures remains fundamentally hidden.

•
Earls of Derby
The Derby papers represent a major uncatalogued collection of personal, political and family papers which are of incredible national significance. As major figures in the world of the nineteenth century politics, the Earls of Derby assumed the most important positions within government. The
14th Earl of Derby, for example, served as Prime Minister on no less than three occasions and also served as Secretary of State for War and the Colonies and Chief Secretary of Ireland. The 15th Earl was Foreign Secretary twice and Secretary of State for the Colonies. The 13th Earl was a leading natural historian of his time, and at his seat at Knowsley he created a world famous menagerie which attracted the leading painters of the day. He was also a notable supporter of Edward Lear and the nonsense poem, *The Owl and Pussycat,* was written for his grandchildren. Accepted in lieu of inheritance tax, these papers are owned by the nation, but are stored and not fully accessible to the nation.

•
Manchester Ship Canal Company
During the Industrial Revolution, the once rural communities grew into thriving industrial conurbations, and textile mills, engineering works, railways and canals dominated the landscape. This exceptionally exciting era is captured in the uncatalogued business records of companies that literally changed the face of the North West, especially those of the Manchester Ship Canal Company. Without the construction of the canal, which was one of the greatest engineering projects of the Victorian era, the North West would not have become one of the most important cotton manufacturers in the world. Its development ensured that cotton could be cheaply transported to the Mersey estuary for exportation to America, and the technical planning that lay behind its construction became a showcase for Manchester's engineering companies, attracting customers from all over the world. Equating to over a quarter of a mile of uncatalogued records, the Manchester Ship Canal collection helps to illustrate how and why the North West became such an important centre for industrial growth. The collection includes financial, personnel and administrative records which illustrate not only the development of the canal company, but also the development of the other industries it supported, such as textiles, coal and manufacturing. However, until it is catalogued, its immense research potential cannot be exploited and the true worth of the collection cannot be realised. 

•
Walker Gallery Papers 

"The Access to Archives project is
visionary and worthy of the strongest
support. I can think of no other single
area of funding which would benefit so
many groups and individuals. The
potential is enormous...."

The Walker Gallery is the national gallery of the North and for 120 years it has housed Liverpool's finest works of art. Its history is intrinsically linked with the economy and society of Liverpool and its archives reflect not only the founding and administration of the gallery, but also the exceptionally rich artistic scene which flourished in this part of the North West. The collection includes records relating to The Liverpool Society for Fine Arts, the Liverpool Academy and papers of great artists and sculptors, including Augustine Rodin and Conrad Dressler.

Other significant records include the gallery's exhibition papers, particularly those relating to the Liverpool Autumn Exhibition. Based on the Royal Academy's annual exhibitions, they were launched in 1871 and aimed to exhibit contemporary painting and sculpture. Over the years, they attracted some of the world's leading artists and each exhibition is recorded in the detailed records maintained by the gallery, which include correspondence with exhibiting artists. The Gallery records are tremendously important source of information, not just for art historians, but social and economic historians. They depict how prosperity within one particular locality can create a climate of great cultural and artistic vibrancy. But without catalogues, these papers remain inaccessible. The collections highlighted within this report only represent a very small sample of the regionally and nationally significant uncatalogued archives in the North West. Had they been catalogued, a significant proportion of these archives could have been included in recent regional Access to Archives projects (www.a2a.org.uk), which aim to create a national, virtual archive catalogue on the World Wide Web. A2A has an enviable record in attracting new users to archives and the North West is regularly the most heavily searched region.

"This [A2A Mills, Mansions and Corner
Shops] is a most important development
in a region where so many records/
archives are interconnected."

Thanks to their uncatalogued status, over six miles of these records are excluded from the current initiative, Mills, Mansions and Corner Shops. Their inclusion would not only have increased access to these collections, but would have helped to promote the region as a centre for the study of the Industrial Revolution. In addition to increasing accessibility to archives, cataloguing also has a number of other benefits, to communities and organisations. This is most effectively demonstrated by the recent cataloguing project on the Merseyside Jewish Community Archives that took place at the Liverpool Record Office. The project not only made records available to the public for the first time, but it has resulted in a dramatic increase in the level of use of the collections, the rescue of further archives. Furthermore it has galvanised the Jewish community into celebrating, securing and supporting their history and community.

"I applaud Liverpool Records office and
the archivists for getting to grips with
such a complex and extensive collection
of records. Thanks to their work, they
have thrown light onto events that even
we in the Jewish of Community had
forgotten and in some cases were not
even aware of. By cataloguing these
records they have provided a fasci-
nating story not just for the Jewish
community to research and follow but
anyone around the world interested in
social history."

## Recommendations 5

The findings of the Logjam audit have revealed that 29% of the region's holdings remain uncatalogued and inaccessible to the public. This equates to 1220 separate archival collections and over 14 miles of archival material (just over the width of the Isle of Man). Whilst some repositories have as little as 5% of their holdings uncatalogued, the average percentage of holdings uncatalogued in each repository is 38%. In repositories without an archivist in place to maintain the collections, this figure rises to 69%. 3 organisations in the region had 100% of their holdings classed as uncatalogued. The North West's archive holding organisations differ widely in terms of their size, type and resources, but as user numbers in the archival sector have continued to grow in the last few years, many have found it increasingly difficult to devote time to largescale cataloguing. In the last ten years visitor numbers to North West archive services have increased by over 250%. There are over 140, 000 annual visits to archive services in the North West (this is the highest number of visits outside London) and resources in many of the region's repositories have had to be redirected towards public service delivery. This includes meeting the demands made upon services by postal, telephone and email enquiries.

"As with all small archive services our
problems are money and staffing. We are
clearly understaffed and have been since
inception, having only one temporary
staff in addition to the archivist. This
means that we are unable to run a
comprehensive service, carry out survey
work and we are accumulating a
backlog of uncatalogued items…"

This problem is exacerbated by the
provision of longer opening hours, without
the concomitant increase in staff. Additional
problems are engendered by the fact that
the region has a high proportion of single-
staffed repositories. This is most common
within metropolitan archive services where
archivists undertake archival duties single-
handedly. Admittedly, there has been a
recent increase in externally funded
cataloguing projects, which has seen the
widening of access to a number of the
region's key collections, but this approach
alone will not eradicate the backlog in many
repositories. Small archive services are not
always able to devote time and resources to
writing project bids which may not
necessarily result in external funding.

"It should be strongly emphasised that
improved provisions depends upon
addressing the issues of core funding for
organisational stability..Serial project
funding works against the retention of
skilled specialist staff and the
development of strong relationships
with users"

Despite the tension between meeting the
demands of public-service delivery and
cataloguing, many repositories were able to
report that they were up to date with
cataloguing recently acquired accessions
and some repositories had made inroads
into cataloguing their backlog of collections
of less than one linear metre. However, in
most cases the inherited backlog is far too
great for them to be able to tackle the
problem without the provision of additional
resources. In many instances the sheer size
and complexity of the uncatalogued
collections - particularly those of solicitors,
businesses and landed families - have

prohibited them from being catalogued as part of routine cataloguing programmes. Indeed, the additional resources required to tackle the backlog extends beyond the simple need for more staff. Many repositories, irrespective of their size or type, do not have sufficient space available to them to sort and catalogue medium to large collections, whilst other repositories have not had the resources available to purchase cataloguing software. During the audit process a certain number of recommendations had to be made to nearly all the repositories; whilst these primarily focused on staffing levels, other recommendations concentrated on the lack of basic cataloguing facilities. The main recommendations made to repositories were as follows: 

•
Additional cataloguing staff should be employed to catalogue large unlisted collections. At the moment archivists have to devote much of their time to public service delivery, thereby making the listing of large collections unfeasible. The provision of additional cataloguing staff would ensure that time could be entirely devoted to cataloguing. Cataloguing staff should hold a recognised archival qualification in order to enable cataloguing to be undertaken to recognised international standards 
•
Additional paraprofessional staffing should be provided to assist with the cataloguing process and reduce cataloguing times
•
The repository holds a large number of records covered by the Freedom of Information Act which should be considered a high cataloguing priority
•
The Freedom of Information Officer for the council should be informed of the extent of the uncatalogued material
covered by FOI 
•
Given the size of some of the uncatalogued collections, it would be wise to consider the employment of two archivists to work on each large collection. This would ensure that the cataloguing time could be drastically reduced and also guarantee that work could continue uninterrupted on each
collection, irrespective of staff holidays and sickness 
•
A secure cataloguing area for staff to undertake cataloguing and sorting work needs to be sought as soon as possible. The addition of networked computers with the appropriate cataloguing software would also ensure that cataloguing could be undertaken more efficiently and could potentially help in the reduction of the cataloguing backlog

## Regional Recommendations

The Logjam audit has revealed that cataloguing backlogs are endemic throughout the region and whilst individual recommendations to repositories are a starting point in the bid to try and reduce cataloguing backlogs, there is an opportunity to tackle this problem regionally. Inevitably, cataloguing backlogs will not be reduced in the region without the provision of additional resources. The approximate cost of tackling the entire backlog assessed is 29 million pounds and the cost of cataloguing the priority collections is estimated at 4 million pounds. It is recommended that these resources could be secured by means of the following regional cataloguing strategy. NWMLAC aims to work with and support north west archives to carry out the following strategy:

- PART 1
Individual offices prioritise the cataloguing of collections identified as high priority by the Logjam Audit, both within current resources and by securing additional internal resources.
This solution is already being undertaken by offices already in receipt of their Logjam report, and is expected to yield positive results. Organisations managing archive repositories are encouraged to provide the necessary resources to begin to tackle the backlogs identified and to meet the other recommendations regarding IT, cataloguing work space and Freedom of Information.

- PART 2
Individual offices prioritise the cataloguing of collections identified as high priority by the Logjam Audit, making individual bids to external funders. NWRAC and NWMLAC support these projects.
A number of offices intend to use their Logjam reports in this way, but a larger number of offices do not have the resources to devote to submitting and managing such a project. Some specialist repositories are ineligible for funding from these organisations.

- PART 3

Individual offices combine their
resources and seek to solve the
problems on a regional basis through
an externally funded project. NWRAC
and NWMLAC to lead this project.

The adoption of this section of the
strategy would be most cost effective
and ensure that all archive offices are
able to tackle backlogs. A 5 year
project supported by a variety of
funding bodies could aim to catalogue
all those collections which are of a
high cataloguing priority. This could
also be combined with the employment
of sub regional outreach officers, with
the aim of encouraging more people to
become involved in archives,
particularly in the collections covered
by the project.

Working in conjunction, these three
steps would ensure that the identified
backlog was tackled.

## Conclusion

The results of the logjam audit reveal that 29% of the region's archives remain inaccessible to the people of the North West. This figure represents an alarmingly high proportion of uncatalogued material and equates to nearly three hundred years worth of archivist cataloguing years. The 14 miles of uncatalogued records are an integral part of the region's heritage and chart the development of communities, businesses and institutions from the 12th century to the present day. A large number of the collections depict the integral role that the North West played within the Industrial Revolution and are of great regional and national importance. The extensive family and estate collections are pivotal for our understanding of the region's early history and are a significant source for a wide range of research disciplines. Over 6 miles worth of archival material would have been eligible for inclusion in A2A and Archives Hub initiatives and, if catalogued, could have been made available to users throughout the United Kingdom and beyond. The results also indicate that 48% of uncatalogued records are covered by the Freedom of Information Act and their uncatalogued status could have severe consequences for repositories in the North West when the legislation comes into force in 2005.

The region's repositories are currently experiencing a tension between providing a high level of public-service delivery and addressing cataloguing backlogs. User numbers have reached unprecedented levels in the region and the demand from email, postal and telephone enquiries continues to grow. However, whilst staffing problems are the greatest cause of cataloguing backlogs in the region, the basic lack of space and IT provisions is also impeding the cataloguing process in a number of repositories in the region.

Without the provision of additional resources, it will become increasingly difficult for repositories in the North West to tackle their cataloguing backlogs and increase access to their archival collections. One possible solution to this problem would be the implementation of the suggested regional cataloguing strategy. In committing to the strategy, repositories throughout the North West would have the opportunity to secure resources from up to 3 different funding channels and could drastically reduce the region's cataloguing backlog. Such a commitment would also ensure that the region would be able to take the first steps towards the creation of a National Archive Network and ensure that future generations of archive users could have access to the North West's archival heritage, irrespective of their location. And by working co-operatively, repositories could cost-effectively catalogue their collections and strengthen working relationships with other archive-holding organisations in the region. In undertaking such a strategy, the North West would be able to take the first steps towards ensuring that its archives can be fully accessible to established and potential users throughout the world.

## Appendix A List Of Participating Repositories

Bolton Archive and Local Studies Service Bolton Museums Bury Archives Service Cheshire and Chester Archives and Local Studies Chetham's Library Cumbria Archive Service, Barrow Cumbria Archive Service, Carlisle Cumbria Archive Service, Kendal Cumbria Archive Service, Whitehaven Greater Manchester County Record Office Knowsley Archives Manchester University - Labour History and Archive Study Centre Lancashire Record Office Manchester and Archives and Local Studies Manchester University - John Rylands University Library of Manchester Merseyside Maritime Museum, National Museums Liverpool Museum of Science and Industry North West Film Archive North Sefton Local Studies Library Oldham Local Studies and Archives Rochdale Local Studies Library St Helens Local Studies and Archives Stockport Archives Service South Sefton Local Studies Library Tameside Local Studies Library Unilever Walker/Lady Lever Galleries, National Museums Liverpool Wirral Archive Service

## Appendix B Mandatory Data Elements

In order to conform to these guidelines the following elements are mandatory. All other ISAD(G) elements may be used. The level element (3.1.4) is mandatory at all levels. ISAD(G) terminology should be used:

•
fonds; sub-fonds etc
•
series; sub-series etc
•
file
•
item 
The following elements are also mandatory at all levels (the ISAD(G) reference is given in brackets):

•
Reference (3.1.1)
•
Title (3.1.2) (except at file and item levels if scope and content is preferred)
•
Dates (3.1.3)
•
Extent (3.1.5) (except at file and item levels)
•
Access conditions (3.4.1) (where a negative condition applies)
•
Scope and content (3.3.1) (except at file and item levels if title is preferred)
At file and item levels the following are also mandatory if applicable:

•
Language of material (3.3.3)
•
Physical characteristics (3.4.4)

## Appendix C Cataloguing Complexity Definitions

Very Complex - Typically a family and estate collection would merit a rating of 100. This is traditionally a very complex type of collection to catalogue and in most instances there is very little original order left. Personal papers may relate to a myriad of different family members and large bundles of title titles add to the complexity. Parts of the collection may require expertise in medieval palaeography. 

Complex - A collection of business records would usually be regarded as complex to catalogue and would warrant a rating of 80. Whilst one would expect to find a consistent series of records such as financial and administrative records, each business conducts itself uniquely. In many instances it maybe difficult to recreate original order.

Moderate - A collection of Urban District Council records would merit a rating of 60. In most instances the records created are quite consistent and would contain a large run of minutes and rate books. In very few cases would there by any palaeographical difficulties.

Moderately Straightforward - Hospital records are usually moderately straightforward to catalogue. The records are usually consistent, mostly comprising of admission registers, patient and staff records and financial volumes. 

Straightforward - A collection of council minutes.

## Audit Of Uncatalogued Archival Collections In The North West Cataloguing Resources Questionnaire 1. Repository Details

1.1 Repository Name
1.2 Name of contact

## 2. Collection Details

2.1 Collection Name 2.2 Collection Type - please put a cross in the appropriate box below

Public Records  
Official Records  
Charity Commission Civil Aviation Authority Coroner's Records County Court Records Court of Session (Cheshire/N Wales only) Customs and Excise Development Corporations Dock Labour Board Hospital and Health records Insurance and Pension Committees Land Tax Commissioners Records Lord Chancellor's Advisory Committee National Coal Board Palatinate of Lancaster Records Palatinate of Chester Petty Sessions Prisons Probate Records Quarter Sessions Registrar of Shipping and Seamen Tithe Records Valuation Office Vehicle Licensing
Boards of Guardians of the Poor Borough Council Civil parish Councils County Council District Councils (post 1974) Drainage Boards Electricity Boards Gas and water records Highway and Bridge Boards Joint Boards Municipal Borough Councils Police records River Boards Rural District Council Sanitary Authorities School Boards School records Shrievalty Turnpike Trusts Urban District Council 

## Religious Records

Buddhism Church of England
Congregational Free Church Council Hinduism Inghamite Islam Judaism Methodist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints 
(Mormonism)                
Pentecostal Presbyterian Rastafarianism Roman Catholic Sikhism Society of Friends Unitarian United Reformed Religion:Other Christian Religion:Other

2.3 On a scale of 1-5, where 1 is straightforward and 5 is complex, how would you rate the difficulty of cataloguing this type of collection?

Please put a cross in the appropriate box

## 2.4 Covering Dates Of The Collection

If the collection included pre 16th Century material, please specify the proportion

## 2.5 Linear Metres Of Boxed Items 2.6 Linear Metres Of Volumes Deposited Records

Antiquarian collections Business records: Architects, Building
and Civil Engineering Business records: Banking and finance Business records: Brewing Business records: Chemical Business records: Engineering Business records: Gas Business records: Manufacturing Business records: Mining/extractive industry Business records: Nuclear Business records: Railways Business records: Retailing Business records: Shipbuilding Business records: Shipping and trade Business records: Solicitors Business records: Textiles Business records: Waterways Business records: Other Charities Estate and Family records Personal records Societies & Voluntary organisations Trade Unions and Employer's Associations  

## 3. Cataloguing Resources 3.1 Please Cross As Appropriate The Level Of Cataloguing Required

High
A catalogue useable by the public did not exist. Only the accession record or basic level description existed 
Medium
Basic collection level description existed and/or the collection had been box listed 
Low
Collection and series level descriptions completed to ISAD(G) basic level. Descriptions only required at file level 

## 3.2 Time Taken To Catalogue The Whole Collection

(including appraisal/labelling/numbering/packaging, etc)

## 3.3 Approximate Time Taken To Catalogue 1 Linear Metre

3.4 Number of staff required to catalogue the collection:

Archivists Records Assistants Volunteers

3.5 If there is any additional information you wish to include regarding the collection, please enter below

## Appendix E Cataloguing Priority Definitions

The assessment of collections as being of Local, Regional and National significance have been based upon the definitions used by the South West Museums Service Mapping Project. 

| Significance                          | Definitions                                                         |
|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Local - Geographically close          |                                                                     |
| community, for example a parish,      |                                                                     |
| town or city                          |                                                                     |
| -                                     | Records of significance for local communities                       |
| -                                     | Records of local,  political, social or historical importance       |
| -                                     | Records of local significance for the study of humanities, arts,    |
|                                       | sciences and technology                                             |
| -                                     | Records of evidential value for the local community                 |
| Regional - The North West of England, |                                                                     |
| or its sub-regions i.e. Cheshire,     |                                                                     |
| Lancashire, Cumbria,                  |                                                                     |
| Greater Manchester, Merseyside        |                                                                     |
| -                                     | Records of significance for regional communities                    |
| -                                     | Records of regional,  political, social or historical importance    |
| -                                     | Records of regional significance for the study of humanities, arts, |
|                                       | sciences and technology                                             |
| -                                     | Records of evidential value for the regional community              |
| National                              |                                                                     |
| -                                     | Records of significance for local communities                       |
| -                                     | Records of significance for the nation                              |
| -                                     | Records of national,  political, social or historical importance    |
| -                                     | Records of national significance for the study of humanities, arts, |
|                                       | sciences and technology                                             |

Each category would then have to be qualified by whether the collection contains high/medium or low grade material of local/regional/national significance and then weighted accordingly.

| Significance                    |
|---------------------------------|
| Local - as defined as           |
| The collection contains a       |
| large amount of material of     |
| local significance, which is    |
| central to the heritage         |
| of the locality                 |
| The collection contains a       |
| moderate amount of material     |
| of local significance, which is |
| central to the heritage         |
| of the locality                 |
| Regional                        |
| The collection contains a       |
| large amount of material of     |
| regional significance, which is |
| central to the heritage         |
| of the locality                 |
| The collection contains a       |
| moderate amount of material     |
| of regional significance,       |
| which is central to the         |
| heritage of the locality        |
| National                        |
| The collection contains a       |
| large amount of material of     |
| national significance, which is |
| central to the heritage         |
| of the locality                 |
| The collection contains a       |
| moderate amount of material     |
| of national significance, which |
| is central to the heritage      |
| of the locality                 |
| The collection contains a       |
| ephemeral material which is     |
| of little relevance to the      |
| heritage of the locality        |
| The collection contains a       |
| ephemeral material which is     |
| of little relevance to the      |
| heritage of the region          |
| The collection contains a       |
| ephemeral material which is     |
| of little relevance to the      |
| heritage of the nation          |

Written by; Janice Tullock and Alexandra Cave Designed & produced by; PCD (015396) 21906
The North West Museums, Libraries and Archives Council Malt Building · Wilderspool Park · Greenalls Lane · Warrington · WA1 6HL
Email: info@nwmlac.org.uk · Web Site: www.nwmlac.org.uk