While working from home I have had the opportunity to get to know some parts of the collection better than I would have if we had been in the office constantly over the last few months. However, being able to open the doors again and welcome visitors back to do their research is what Northumberland Archives is ultimately about. It is great being able to re-connect with colleagues and visitors on a face-to-face basis – even if that is behind layers of PPE and with a 2 metre gap!
At the Woodhorn site we re-opened in May, with staff returning a couple of weeks beforehand in their bubbles to start preparation. The work of the Archives Assistant begins only after our visitor has booked a timeslot to visit and had a discussion with an archivist about the availability of the documentation that they are interested in. In our bubbles, one team is responsible for retrieving items and the other for returning them, this allows for both secure storage and maintaining quarantine guidelines. It is more time consuming than it sounds, ensuring the correct item is located involves checking and checking again as any errors cannot be put right on the day. Everything has to be labelled so it is clear who has requested what, and who handled items last, not just the individual document but also the box or shelf it was removed from. After months of sitting at home, going up and down the stepladders and lifting boxes feels like a much-needed visit to the gym! The frequent cleaning of workspaces after use by colleagues and visitors is a new and necessary part of our role too. Safety is paramount.
The return to the office also means that we too can look at items within the shelves. We are encouraged to find things of interest and to share information about the county and its people with our social media followers. The long list of things that have peaked our individual interests over the last few months will finally get reviewed. So, keep your eyes open as hopefully some that will make its way online soon.