Best practice in volunteer management in archives: analyzing two organizations

ABSTRACT

This investigation analyzes the volunteer management programmes of two British archival institutions against best practice, taking into consideration the perspectives of both volunteer managers and the volunteers themselves. Results show that, in both cases, despite the variety of measures adopted to attract volunteers, word of mouth and individual initiative are the most effective. Volunteer training and supervision are consolidated and positively received by all volunteers, while more resources should be invested in team incorporation. Overall, it was found that the institutions plan and act according to what they know motivates their volunteers, which proves to be successful considering that most volunteers have been with each organization for over one year. It can be concluded that by following best practice the institutions are equipped with thoroughly planned volunteer management programmes, created and adapted according to the institutions’ goals and resources, and their volunteers’ motivations, expectations, and interests.

KEYWORDS:

• Volunteer management
• volunteering
• archives
• best practice

Acknowledgement

The author would like to thank the organizations who participated in this study, her dissertation supervisor, Jennie Hill, and all colleagues who helped structure and improve this article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. Holmes and Smith, Managing Volunteers in Tourism.

2. Hewlett, ”Volunteering in Libraries,” 45.

3. Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, ”Taking Part 2019/20.”

4. Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, ”Taking Part 2006/07.”

5. The National Archives, ”The (UK) National Archives Approach,” 2.

6. Ray, ”Volunteering in Archives,” 8.

7. Williams, ”Volunteering in Archives,” 2.

8. Ibid.

9. Charmicheal, Involving Volunteers in Archives; Frevert, ”Archives Volunteers;” Randle, ”Volunteer and Friends.”

10. Ray, ”Volunteering in Archives”; Williams, ”Managing Volunteering in Archives;” Williams, ”Volunteering in Archives”; Williams, ”The Impact of Volunteering.”

11. Bolton and McKenzie, ”Guidance for Volunteer Cataloguing.”

12. Lindsay, ”Volunteering in Collections Care.”

13. Cary and Flynn, ”Managing Volunteers in Archives.”

14. See note 9 above.

15. Brudney, ”Effective Use of Volunteers,” 220.

16. Howlett, Machin and Marlmersjo, ”Volunteering in Museums,” 3.

17. Ray, ”Volunteering in Archives.”

18. Williams, ”Managing Volunteering in Archives.”

19. Lindsay, ”A Research Report;’ Williams, ‘Volunteering in Archives.”

20. Williams, ”The Impact of Volunteering.”

21. Smithson, Rowley and Fullwood, ”Promoting Volunteer Engagement.”

22. Cantillon and Baker, ”Career Volunteering.”

23. Cary and Flynn, ”Managing Volunteers in Archives.”

24. Davenport, Newman, and Moffatt, ”Older People’s Wellbeing.”

25. Houghton-Foster, ”Learning from the Past.”

26. Museums Galleries Scotland, ”The Whole Picture;” Deery, Jago, and Mair, ”Volunteering for Museums;” Ward and Greene, ”Affectively Committed Volunteers.”

27. Kappelides and Johnson, ”A Heavy Load;” Casselden, Pickard, and McLeod, ”Role of Volunteers;” Păceșilă, ”Motivation of Volunteers.”

28. Williams, ”The Impact of Volunteering,”’24.

29. Randle, ”Volunteer and Friends,” 84; Frevert, ”Archives Volunteers,” 153–154.

30. Hill and Yates, ”Successfully Recruiting and Retaining,” 4.

31. Lindsay, “Best Practice Guide,” 3.

32. Williams, ”Managing Volunteering in Archives,” 23.

33. Randle, ”Volunteer and Friends.”

34. Museums Galleries Scotland, ”The Whole Picture.”

35. Lindsay, ”Best Practice Guide.”

36. Ibid., 4.

37. Ibid., 2.

38. See note 32 above.

39. Randle, ”Volunteer and Friends,” 87.

40. Carmicheal, Involving Volunteers in Archives, 6.

41. Bolton and McKenzie, ”Guidance for Volunteer Cataloguing,” 15.

42. Smithson, Rowleym and Fullwood, ”Promoting Volunteer Engagement.”

43. Williams, ”The Impact of Volunteering,” 23.

44. Frevert, ”Archives Volunteers,” 158.

45. Lindsay, ”A Research Report,” 17–18.

46. See note 32 above.

47. Society of American Archivists, ”Best Practices for Volunteers,” 2.

48. See note 6 above. 23.

49. Williams, ”The Impact of Volunteering,” 24.

50. Randle, ”Volunteer and Friends,” 92.

51. Lindsay, ”Volunteering in Collections Care,” 8.

52. Păceșilă, ”Motivation of Volunteers,” 6.

53. See note 30 above. 15.

54. See note 53 above. 8.

55. Ibid., 13.

56. Geiser, Okun and Grano, ”Motivated to Volunteer,” 4.

57. Cantillon and Baker, ”Career Volunteering,” 360.

58. Deery, Jago, and Mair, ”Volunteering for Museums;” Davenport, Newman, and Moffatt, ”Old People’s Wellbeing.”

59. For example, see ARA Archive Volunteering Award 2020 winner, ”Anne Lister Diaries Digitisation Project — WYAS.” https://www.archives.org.uk/s/2020-Winner-Case-Study-Anne-Lister-Diaries.pdf

60. Geiser, Okun and Grano, ”Motivated to Volunteer,” 6.

61. Williams, ”Volunteering in Archives,” 10–11.

62. Stamer, ”Managing Heritage Volunteers,” 212.

63. Randle, ”Volunteer and Friends,” 83.

64. See note 32 above.

65. Ibid.

66. See note 52 above. 3.

67. See note 32 above.

68. See note above 29.

69. Randle, ”Volunteer and Friends,” 84; Frevert, ”Archives Volunteers,” 154; Williams, ‘Managing Volunteering in Archives,’ 15.

70. See note 61 above.

71. Cantillon and Baker, ”Career Volunteering.”

72. Ray, ”Volunteering in Archives;” Williams, ”Volunteering in Archives.”

73. Păceșilă, ”Motivation of Volunteers;” Hill and Yates, ”Successfully Recruiting and

Retaining.”

74. Cary and Flynn, ”Managing Volunteers in Archives,” 193.

75. Bolton and McKenzie, ”Guidance for Volunteer Cataloguing,” 15.

76. Hill and Yates, ”Recruiting and Retaining,” 8.

77. Hewitt and Eve, ”The Use of Volunteers,” 41.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Inês M. Ferreira

Inês M. Ferreira is the archivist, records manager and librarian of the Portuguese architecture practice Ventura + Partners. After obtaining an MA Archive Administration at Aberystwyth University, she was an intern in various international organizations, where she worked in records management and historical archives. Inês is an active member of the Portuguese Association of Librarians, Archivists, Information and Documentation Professionals (BAD).