The Local Studies Toolkit

The Local Studies Toolkit is a comprehensive and practical resource to help support and inspire local studies professionals and the wider heritage sector to provide an excellent heritage service within their community

Written by members of the CILIP Local Studies Group, the toolkit covers all aspects of local studies and contains tips and advice throughout on how to structure a local studies collection and ensure an effective service. Topics covered include:

• Why local studies matter;
• Working with volunteers, fellow heritage professionals, crowdfunding and community archives;
• Budgeting, measuring impact and emergency planning;
• Marketing, social media and exhibitions;
• Project management;
• Copyright, cataloguing and classification;
• Collection development, conservation and digital preservation;
• Making the most out of local history resources such as maps, newspapers, photographs and ephemera;
• Local studies in a global context.

This toolkit is the ultimate guide for experienced local studies librarians and professionals and those new to the profession seeking to develop their skills. It will also be an invaluable resource for those working in local museums, local authority archives and special collections.