Remote Sensing, Photogrammetry & Society News Archive
The Aerial Reconnaissance Archive moves to Edinburgh
The Aerial Reconnaissance Archive
The National Archives, Keele University and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS) have joined forces to secure the future long-term preservation and continued development of the aerial reconnaissance archive.
This internationally important archive of Second World War Allied and German aerial photographic imagery – latterly extended by the addition of more recent Ministry of Defence material – has been in the care of Keele University for some 45 years. During this time the content has expanded and the University has begun to facilitate public access through the provision of finding aids and the creation of a dedicated website.
However, the University has always faced the problem that the storage it is able to provide for the Archive is not ideal and this has limited access to it. It has therefore been agreed that Keele is not best placed to accommodate this resource in the long term. It has been recognised that the clarity of the details, precisely dateable information, and comprehensive cover of this unique historical imagery, is not only a fundamental resource for the landscape historian, archaeologist, and those researching the natural and built environment. It is a significant, irreplaceable and unique component of a shared European heritage.
As such, the complete archive will move to Edinburgh, where it will be in the care of RCAHMS, which has a long track record of effective archive management of large collections of aerial photography, and is a world leader in the delivery of heritage information and digital imagery on-line. RCAHMS already holds collections of Royal Air Force and Ordnance Survey aerial imagery.
The aerial reconnaissance archive will, in the longer term, benefit from an infrastructure already in place at RCAHMS: secure and environmentally stable storage, preservation and collection care facilities, in-house photographic and digital imaging expertise, extensive cataloguing capabilities, public search facilities, remote access delivery, and promotion through established education and outreach functions. Facilities for display and exhibition of original materials are also planned.
To facilitate this move, the current Keele University public service delivery will cease at the end of 2007. The move will commence in early 2008 and be completed within six months. As the whole collection has to be moved, there will inevitably be times when it is not available. However, all three parties will be working together to ensure that the move proceeds as quickly as possible and that the period of disruption is kept to a minimum.
All parties have been careful to consult experts in the field of aerial photography, before embarking on this project. The National Archives, Keele University and RCAHMS share a commitment to long-term preservation, enhancing public service delivery and developing the research potential of the aerial reconnaissance archive.
Alison Webster
Head of Strategic Development
The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 4DU, UK
