Heritage Open Day at the Kent History & Library Centre

About

The encounter with Kent’s archives during our tour can make a lasting impression. Seeing a large number of archives gathered together in one place in our strongrooms. Experiencing a personal closeness to documents that are hundreds of years old. Watching the reprographer explain and demonstrate the Phase One camera and the minute level of detail it captures, and tell the story of the ongoing digitisation and indexing programme.

Witnessing an archivist’s work: the collecting, accessioning and cataloguing undertaken in order to process newly taken-in material and describe it in their finding aids. And stepping into the spacious and well-equipped Conservation Studio, devoted to the physical care of books and documents, to see its features and examples of items undergoing conservation treatment.

All this, we are confident, will help those who take the tour understand how Kent’s biggest archive office functions, how a record becomes an archive, preserved for future generations, and how we strive to make the collections accessible to in-person and distance users alike.

The tour will be supplemented with a small display of original archival material on the theme of 'Routes, Networks & Connections', and there will be special Storytime and Craft and Lego Club activities for children reflecting the same theme.

Tours must be pre-booked via email to archives@kent.gov.uk or ringing 03000 420673.

The exhibition and children's activities don't require booking in advance.