Transforming Collections Care at Gwent Archives:  An update

In November we introduced the ‘Transforming Collections Care at Gwent Archives’ project, funded by the Welsh Government Collections Management Capital Improvements Programme (see https://archifau.vs.mythic-beasts.com/2024/11/21/transforming-collections-care-at-gwent-archives/). Now, halfway through the project, here’s an update on progress so far.

It’s certainly been a busy few months!  The first phase of the project was to install new mobile shelving into one of our strongrooms.   But over the years this room had become an ‘overspill’ Isolation Room and needed to be cleared first.  The archives stored in there all required conservation or preservation treatment of some kind.

We set ourselves a deadline of Christmas to work on the items and clear the room, and thanks to the efforts of our fabulous volunteers, as well as our Conservator, Preservation Assistant and 2 Archive Assistants, we made it.  Shelves and shelves of collections were cleaned and packaged into archive boxes by our fantastic staff and volunteers, and almost 150 photographs / images from the Newport Rugby Club collection were removed from their frames for permanent storage.

The result transformed this room, and the new shelving was installed in early January:

Alongside this work we have also purchasing additional equipment for conservation, including a heavy-duty guillotine so that we can make bespoke boxes to protect the collections.

We’re currently working on the next phase, which will see the refit of the conservation storage room to better store materials.  The conservation team use specialist tools and kit, which require a great deal of storage, and we have outgrown the current shelving.  The images below show the progress so far and we’ll update at the end of the project.

The final phase will create the most mess… we’re taking down a wall between the cataloguing room and an unused room next door to create more space to catalogue the collections. 

We’re posting regular project updates on our social media, so follow us to find out more!

@gwentarchives