Explore York Libraries and Archives Annual Review 2025-26 - Flipbook - Page 15
Custodians of York’s story
Our Nationally Accredited Archive Service helps more people
discover, share and connect with the city’s story. Our archives tell
the story of more than 850 years of York history – one of the most
significant civic records outside London.
Easier access
Users benefited from a stronger and more
accessible archive service, with improvements
delivered through the Setting the Record Straight
project making collections easier to find and
research.
Disability and lived experience
A fuller picture of York
York’s archive became more representative of
the city’s communities as local people shared
records, memories and stories that might
otherwise have been lost. By making it easier
for people to contribute, the archive captured
a wider range of experiences and perspectives,
helping future generations better understand
York’s diverse heritage.
Volunteers remained at the
heart of this work, building skills,
confidence and connections while
ensuring the archive continues to
grow through community participation.
People with lived experience of disability
took the lead in shaping creative and
heritage projects through partnerships
including Dandelion Arts, York People
First, Riding Lights Theatre and the York
Glaziers Trust. Through National Portfolio
Organisation activity, their perspectives
led participatory work that felt meaningful,
accessible and based on authentic
community experience.
Projects such as Shush, Snip, Rip
produced nationally recognised work
and contributed to York’s first archive
collection capturing the voices of disabled
residents. This ensured that more people
could connect with histories they could
relate to.
National accreditation
At the end of March 2026, we
achieved full Archive Service
Accreditation. This nationally
recognised standard signals
the quality, curation and
accessibility of Explore’s collection.
Explore Annual Review 2025/26
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