Community Archives Toolkit
  • 👋Community Archives Toolkit
  • Introduction
    • 💡Getting Started
    • 💖Who are we?
  • 🤝Chapter 1: What is a Community Archive?
    • 1.1 Background on Community Archives
    • 1.2 Benefits of Community Archives
    • 1.3 Scope Your Vision for a Community Archive
  • ✅Chapter 2: Plan and Launch a Community Archive Project
    • 2.1 Tips & Tricks
    • 2.2 Find Initial Partners
    • 2.3 Establish Funding & Support
    • 2.4 Build & Sustain Community & Partner Engagement
    • 2.5 Build Team Capacity
    • 2.6 Design the Archive
    • 2.7 Ethics, Permissions, & Copyrights
  • 🔧Chapter 3: Build the Community Archive
    • 3.1 Overview of Collection Building Approach
    • 3.2 Make Existing Materials More Accessible
    • 3.3 Community Outreach
    • 3.4 Collection Building with Individuals
    • 3.5 Collection Building with Organizations
    • 3.6 Collection Building at Existing Community Events
    • 3.7 Activities at Community Events
    • 3.8 Produce Your Own Community Event
  • 🪴Chapter 4: Share and Sustain the Archive
    • 4.1 Working with Schools
    • 4.2 Raising Public Awareness
    • 4.3 Working with Artists
    • 4.4 Exhibits
    • 4.5 Sustainability
  • 📚Appendix: Further Reading and Resources
    • Appendix A. Planning & Launch Resources
    • Appendix B. Community Archive Toolkits & Resources
    • Appendix C. Examples of Community Archives
    • Appendix D. Oral History Interview Resources
    • Appendix E. Story Fest & Neighborhood Preservation Event Resources
    • Appendix F. Technical Resources
    • Appendix G. Works Cited
    • 🙌Acknowledgements
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👋Community Archives Toolkit

NextGetting Started

Last updated 1 year ago

About: This is a collection of resources that works to build awareness of and skills related to building a community archive. It includes resources from other public libraries and community organizations that have built community archives and other more general resources. The full toolkit is on this website. You can view or print a PDF version of the Community Archives Toolkit here.

How to use this toolkit

What if…

You want to understand historical information, benefits of, and examples of different types of models for a community archive to help you plan your approach?

Go to Ch. 1 What is a Community Archive?

You want to develop partner engagements, funding, ideas on staffing, and consider issues in designing the archive?

Go to Ch. 2: Planning & Launching a Community Archive Project

You need to know the various ways to build your community archive collection (i.e., through individuals, organizations, community events, and activities)?

Go to Chapter 3: Building the Community Archive

You need to raise public awareness of collections and develop strategies for sustainability?

Go to Chapter 4: Sharing & Sustaining the Archive

You need more resources to reference for skill building, increase awareness, examples of other libraries and organizations?

Go to Appendix: Further Readings & Resources

Contact Info

Tacoma Public Library 1102 Tacoma Ave S Tacoma, WA 98402 (253) 280-2819 www.tacomalibrary.org/communityarchives communityarchives@tacomalibrary.org

CC-BY 2023 Community Archives Center at Tacoma Public Library

Cite as (authors listed in alphabetical order): barrow, dindria, Cifor, Marika, Jowaisas, Chris, Nguyễn, Sarah, Trammell, Anna, & Young, Jason (2023). Community Archives Toolkit. Community Archives Center at Tacoma Public Library.

cover image credit

Audience in a standing ovation at Hilltop Story Fest, May 6, 2023. Photo by Mikayla Heineck.

Page cover image
Close-up of a photo being scanned at Hilltop Story Fest, May 6, 2023. Photo by Mikayla Heineck.