Records and Archives Roadshow

Have you found old school photos out in the shed or letters hidden in Uncle Charlie's old valise? Are those Gentle Giant tape recordings showing some wear? Is that King Kong home movie starting to buckle?

A Conservation Roadshow in Wellington this weekend will offer the public free advice on how to care for family and personal records.

The Roadshow forms part of Records and Archives Week (May 1-7), which celebrates the importance of records, archives and the recordkeeping professions.
Andy Fenton, of the Archives and Records Association of New Zealand Council (ARANZ), says, "We are inviting people to bring along their letters, journals, old books, photographs, home movies, sound recordings, maps and drawings. Our team of conservators and specialist curators will offer advice on long-term preservation and conservation. It is a wonderful opportunity to have your neglected treasures appraised."

The theme for this year's Week is Protect Your Records. "Losing family records can be tragic. Losing business records like contracts can be very expensive. Yet there are simple things you can do to protect your records, and professionals like archivists and records managers can help you to do it," says Mr Fenton.

Participants in the Roadshow include private practice conservators/archivists and professional staff from Archives New Zealand, the National Library of New Zealand, the National Preservation Office, the Alexander Turnbull Library, the State Services Commission and the New Zealand Film Archive.

Records and Archives Week is an initiative of ARANZ, in association with the Records Management Association of Australasia (RMAA). It is part of Information Awareness Month, an Australasia-wide initiative.

For more information on the week, please visit www.aranz.org.nz