The theme for Archives and Records Association of NZ Archives Month is:

Scandalous! The evidential value of records and archives

“The scandal theme is broad, engaging and fun we are told and is sure to reveal the darker and more mischievous side of archivists and their holdings up and down the country”

The Presbyterian Archives Research Centre Theme however is not ‘mischievous’ although there is plenty between the covers of our collections that we become excited over from heresy to falsely declaring oneself a minister to deceit and dishonesty, even bigamy, to the Knox College students UFO prank of the 1950s.   At present these stories are remaining between the covers of the records and we are concerning ourselves with a more subdued theme but one no less significant.

Scandalous Acts of Neglect !

WHEN THE ENEMIES OF PAPER ARE LET LOOSE

A display of damaged records and the stories behind them will be held at:

Archives NZ, 556 George Street, Dunedin

from Tuesday 1 May to Tuesday 31 May 2012

Do visit during the day, other displays will include:

Otago Settlers’ Museum – Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens

Archives New Zealand – Confidence Trickster and Male Impersonator Amy Bock

A couple of blogs will look at some aspects of the way we have ‘scandalously ‘ ignored the value of the collections held by congregations and how we are in a similar situation today as we confront preservation and new technology.