The 'UK Archive Service Accreditation Committee' has announced the first fully accredited archive services:
Cumbria Archive Service
Exeter Cathedral Library and Archives
Media Archive of Central England
Network Rail Corporate Archive
Tyne and Wear Archives
Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology Service
Archive Service Acreditation is the new quality standard for archives services across the UK, developed in partnership with the archives sector and its stakeholders. It defines those organisations that maintain good practice and standards, including encouraging and supporting development.
According to The National Archives, "it is aimed at organisations that hold archive collections, whatever their constitution, and covers both private and public sector archives. It enables archive services to review and develop their policies, plans and procedures against a UK wide standard which has been developed by the archives sector, identifying strengths of the archive service and providing a framework to improve areas of weakness."
There's more available from The National Archives website.
The new Accredited Archive Service quality standard now being awarded
What's been happening at The National Archives can be seen in their new communications release entitled 'a year in archives 2012-13'. To find out what's been going on in archive services all over the country over the last year and to see future plans go the National Archives website.
From funding to community archive heritage projects, it's definitely an interesting read.