Preserving Archive

As the new year began, the final touches were being implemented in the reimagined archive space.

This year, we look to welcome more of our community to the Barker College of yesteryear, descending floor by floor to the secret underground cavern of the library to view the rich collection of records, photographs, textiles, and memorabilia stored in the archive and on display.

The disruption that COVID produced gave the Archives department time to think, plan, develop, and grow. A lot of work has gone on behind the scenes to care for the roughly 20,000 items in the collection over the past two years. Since 2020, the Archives have built on the solid foundations laid by previous archivists to:

• improve preservation and conservation practice

• grow and develop the collection, increasing accessibility and security

• streamline research, answering more queries, more efficiently; and

• collaborate with departments to streamline and centralise records throughout the School

Additionally, a great deal of effort has gone into decluttering the archive space to create more areas for storage, processing, researching, and display. In 2023 the Archive looks to include more of the community in our work, inviting past and current students to engage with the stories in our collection through events, volunteer programs, research initiatives, and classroom activities.

For more information about how you can get involved with the Archives, please contact Senior Archivist, Rachel Byrne on 02 8438 7299 or at archives@barker. nsw.edu.au. The Archive is open Monday to Friday 8am-4pm (including school holidays), by appointment.

Rachel Byrne Senior Archivist