Case Study: RBS and NLS UNESCO’s UK Memory of the World Register - business archives of national importance

Sometimes business archives can tell a story of huge national importance. The records of the Company of Scotland are such a collection and were one of the first ten archival collections placed on UNESCO’s UK Memory of the World Register in 2010.

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The case study describes why these business records are of national importance and the benefits gained by UNESCO recognition of the Company of Scotland collections belonging to the Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc and the National Library of Scotland.

The full case study is available here and there others can be found here.

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Case study: John Murray Archive - celebrating the history of the book

The John Murray archive is a treasure trove of over 200 years of the firm's publishing history as well as containing information about 7 generations of the Murray family. It contains stories of travel, adventure, passion and much more.

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The case study describes how the business archive collection is used by a wide variety of researchers through the NLS' events, talks, online activities and education/outreach programs and demonstrates that business papers are essential and integral to understanding authors.

The full case study is available here and there others can be found here.

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New case studies

I'm pleased to say that we have some new case studies on the Business Archives in Scotland website. 

The two new ones feature the John Murray Archive and the importance of celebrating the history of the book and business archives of national importance from the The Royal Bank of Scotland and National Library of Scotland entry into the UNESCO’s UK Memory of the World Register.

I'll blog about each of them separately but in the meantime you can read them here. 

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Scottish Brewing Archive Association Conference

The Scottish Brewing Archive Association are holding their 2nd conference this September in Glasgow.

The conference is titled "A half and a hauf" - a celebration of the links between brewing and distilling in Scotland.  The programme can be viewed online along with a booking form and methods of payment here.

Three experts from the industry will be giving presentations:

• Douglas Murray, Diageo plc - Brewing and distilling: a common heritage 
• Gordon Motion, The Edrington Group - Timber to tumbler: cask use in Scotch whisky 
• Stuart Cail, Harvieston Brewery - Some thoughts on producing wood aged beers 

After the presentations delegates will have an opportunity to participate in a tutored whisky and beer tasting and to chat with the speakers and SBAA committee members over lunch.

The event will be held in the Teachers Building, St Enoch Square, Glasgow on 7th September 2012 and is open to anyone interested in the Scottish brewing and distilling scene: beer and whisky enthusiasts, collectors, members of the industry, historians, students studying brewing and marketing, etc.

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Italian Business Archive ENI on youtube

Thanks to an article in this month's ARC magazine I've discovered the YouTube channel for Eni, an Italian energy company.  They say that:

The history of eni has not only been told in print, but has also been captured on film, hundreds of thousands of feet shot by filmmakers and intellectuals such as Bernardo Bertolucci, Alessandro Blasetti, Folco Quilici, Gilbert Bovay and Leonardo Sciascia, to name but a few.

Eni’s film department operated from the 50s until the mid-80s, and produced authentic works of cinematic art, but mostly documented the history of the twentieth century Italy, and giving us today a complete picture of the years that radically changed the country, both within and beyond its borders.

 Have a look at their films here, including this Italy on Wheels film.

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