This is an exciting opportunity to work at Dorset History Centre and help expand access to heritage and archives for all. Dorset History Centre is the principal archive repository and local studies collection for the county of Dorset, preserving over 1,000 years of history. We are ambitious to grow both our physical storage capacity (now at over 96% capacity) and our audiences for the future. Dorset History Centre has received support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for its Past Lives, Future Proofed project. Thanks to National Lottery players this project aims to provide new and expanded storage for Dorset's archives to keep them safe for the future, and to improve access to archives through a programme of activities and public engagement. This project will help widen and diversify our holdings, ensuring that our collections are more representative of communities in Dorset today. We aim to increase knowledge and skills relating to archives across the county, raising standards in the acquisition and preservation of oral histories and in digital preservation, ensuring that heritage at risk of being lost forever is preserved for the future. We have received just over £603,000 from the Heritage Fund for the initial development phase, which will help us progress our plans to apply for a full grant of £3.8 million, with the delivery of the second stage project predicted to run from 2028-2031. There will be a gap in the funding between the development and delivery stages but there will be a project archivist role within both stages. The project archivist role is crucial to the success of the overall project.
What's in it for you?
During this exciting time you will work with a range of colleagues to deepen your knowledge and understanding of Dorset’s rich history. You will gain valuable experience for a career in archives, including helping to revise and update Dorset History Centre’s acquisition and collections development policies. You will also gain valuable experience in accessioning and cataloguing using Epexio software, which is widely used in the archive sector and conforms to ISAD (G). Additionally, there will be opportunities to gain practical experience in volunteer and staff supervision.
What you can expect to be doing?
You will work closely with the Principal Archivist and our existing team of three full‑time archivists to support the successful delivery of the Past Lives, Future Proofed project. Your duties will include accessioning and cataloguing digital and hard copy archives using Epexio software; supervising volunteers who list collections, such as those from the Poole Lighthouse Arts Centre archive and a sample from the Dorset Quarter Sessions rolls; collaborating with museums and community history organisations to share knowledge and skills about caring for archived materials; collating appropriate statistics and feedback to facilitate evaluation of and reporting on the project to the Heritage Fund; and helping with marketing and promotion of the History Centre and the project, for example by writing blogs, social media posts, or delivering talks about your work.
About You
The post holder will ideally have experience of cataloguing large, complex archive collections and will be familiar with using archival cataloguing software such as Epexio. Knowledge of Quarter Session archives would be an advantage but is not essential. This position has no significant travel requirement, although occasional travel to other heritage organisations in Dorset or to the Lighthouse in Poole will be required.
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