Elizabeth Oxborrow-Cowan B.Sc., M.Sc., RMARA-
Consultant Archivist
Profile
A highly experienced senior professional archivist and qualified management consultant with extensive experience across all elements of the UK archive sector resolving both technical and strategic issues.
- Wide understanding and experience of all types of archive services including local authority, museum, university, arts, community and private sectors.
- Unique combination of technical archive and management consultancy skills to provide strong, informed critical analysis and relevant solutions.
- In-depth familiarity with working with all levels of management and users including cabinet members, professionals, volunteers and community groups to provide a balanced awareness of relevant issues.
- Strong reputation for delivery of high quality and independent analysis with is focused on action and productive outcomes.
- Up-to- date knowledge of sector issues and direct involvement in the development of high-level strategy and advocacy for the archives sector through senior involvement with the Society of Archivists. The National Council on Archives and the Archives and Records Association.
- All projects are delivered to time, budget and specification.
Key Skills
- Strategic and transformational planning for archive services
- Consultation with stakeholders institutionally, regionally and nationally
- Feasibility and evaluation studies, and options appraisals
- Integrating archive services into museum and library services
- Collection access reviews
- Archive building assessment and design against BS5454 Recommendations for the Storage and Exhibition of Archival Documents and individual archive service needs.
- Collection reviews of content, condition and significance
- Heritage Lottery Fund documentation and evaluation
- Training in the principles of caring for and accessing archives, creative thinking and team building.
Employment
2003- Present Consultant and Director – Elizabeth Oxborrow-Cowan Associates Ltd
Elizabeth has built up a very successful archive consultancy in the last seven years. Her client base is wide-ranging – public, private, large, small, practitioners, managers and policy makers. She works with individual institutions, local and regional bodies and on the national scale. Elizabeth is also very familiar with working alongside other professionals including architects, conservators, curators, librarians, and engineers, as well as staff at all levels from the frontline to board members.
2000-2003 Deputy County Archivist, Greater Manchester County Record Office
Elizabeth was responsible for a variety of areas within the operation of this large local authority archive service including developing on-site user facilities, funding bids, staff development, volunteer management and management of specific collections such as the renowned Documentary Photographic Archive and the Manchester Ship Canal collection.
1996-2000 Archivist, Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester
Responsible for all aspects of collection management and access including proactive collecting, preservation management, cataloguing and access initiatives. Also involved in the design and implementation of a new object storage and archives access areas in a multi-million pound capital development of the museum site funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Professional Activity
- Expert Adviser to the Heritage Lottery Fund
- Director of the National Conservation Services Ltd
- Preferred supplier for MLA’s Light Touch Peer Review Scheme to provide support in using MLA’s Culture and Sport Improvement Toolkit
- Mentor and Assessor for the Society of Archivists' Assessment Scheme for Registered membership
- Member of the UK Working Group for the United Nation’s Memory of the World Programme
Qualifications
- Registered Member of the Society of Archivists
- Diploma in Management Consultancy jointly awarded by the Institute of Business Consulting and the Certified Management Institute
- An endorsed programme by the Institute of Leadership and Management on Leadership and Management, equivalent to an NVQ Level 4.
- M.Sc. (Econ) Archive Administration, University of Wales
- B.Sc. (Hons) Modern History, Economic History and Politics, University of London
- Assessor and Internal Verifier for the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) in Archive Studies
Publications and Papers Given
- A National Archives Awareness Campaign for the UK, Comma The Journal of the International Council on Archives Autumn, 2003
- Photographic Care at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, Journal of the Society of Archivists April 2002
- ‘The Archive Service of the Future’ – the Society of Archivists’ Conference, 2007.
- ‘The Dark Side of the Moon – Communicating the archives’ message to public policy makers’ – Society of Archivists Regional Sub-committee November, 2007
- ‘The Impact of Capital Investment in Archive Services’ – The Society of Archivists’ National Conference, September 2000.
Relevant experience
Examples of previous relevant projects Elizabeth has worked on are available on request.
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