Introduction to Disability and Access

An in-person training event led by Philip Milnes-Smith and lida Saarinen.

Sessions include:

• Introduction: Taboos, Tropes, and Models of Disability
• The Long view: History of Disability
• Telling Disability Histories
• Disability and the Workforce

Panel Discussion including representatives from disAbility Cornwall and Kresen Kernow, exploring how archivists can support the development of disability history, and the access and use of archives by disabled people by organisations working and learning together.

Tour of building with discussion of accessibility and work with The Sensory Trust’s resources led by Deborah Tritton, Archive Services Manager, and Tamsin Mallett, Collections and Development Manager, Kresen Kernow

Philip Milnes-Smith

Philip Milnes-Smith is a disabled archivist employed at Shakespeare’s Globe but with some freelance practice including in disability history. As the Chair of the Accessibility Working Group of the Diversity and Inclusion Allies set up to be a critical friend of the Archives and Records Association, he is co-ordinator of, and regular contributor to, the Accessibility and Archives blog. He set up the Disability Collections Forum in 2022 for those working in libraries, archives and museums, to share and develop good practice.

Iida Saarinen

Iida Saarinen is a disabled archivist and public records officer working for National Records of Scotland. A Finn on a very prolonged Scottish adventure, she was previously engaged in the academic study of history and higher education teaching, but has since found her place in the recordkeeping sector. With a particular interest in equity, diversity and inclusion, Iida is a Diversity and Inclusion Ally for Archives and Records Association, a Diversity Officer for ARA Scotland, and a member of Disability Collections Forum.

Note: lunch is not provided. We are expecting the Arch Café at Kresen Kernow to be open. You are also welcome to bring a packed lunch.

Timings

We are aware that people may need additional time for travel to attend. As such registration is from 10:15 - 10:30am, with the first session starting at 11:00am after the tour. We will finish the day at 15:30.

ARA SW Regional Meeting

The ARA SW regional meeting will be held this day at 13:00 and can be attended remotely. There is no charge to attend this meeting - please choose ARA SW meeting ticket when booking.

Travelling to Kresen Kernow

Kresen Kernow is situated on the edge of Redruth, just off the A30. We have six accessible parking spaces and limited general parking, all free of charge. If we are busy, there are plenty of other car parks nearby. Please note, we lock the car park gates overnight.

We strongly support using public transport where possible. We are a fifteen minute walk from Redruth railway station (with direct trains across Cornwall and to London Paddington), and a local bus stop is situated at Tesco Redruth, less than five minutes’ walk away. Several buses stop near Kresen Kernow, usually including Go Cornwall Bus numbers 34 and 49, and Hopley’s coach number 315, but we recommend checking current routes and timetables. Taxis also operate from outside the railway station.

A short walk along the stream on the town side of the building leads directly to the town centre where there are a number of shops and cafes. Please note, although there is signage in the town centre directing visitors to the building (including finger posts and town maps), we do recommend that walkers to or from the railway station check a map.

Accessibility guides

A short pre-visit film about using Kresen Kernow is available on YouTube channel.

ARA SW is very thankful to (‘Cornwall Centre’), who is hosting this event. Kresen Kernow is home to the world’s largest collection of documents, books, maps and photographs related to Cornwall’s history. Everyone is welcome to visit and explore these amazing collections. Kresen Kernow is a state-of-the-art archive centre built in the shell of the former Redruth Brewery, which opened in 2019. As well as 14 miles of shelving to store over 1.5 million of Cornwall’s treasured archives, the centre has research and exhibition spaces, learning rooms, preservation and digitisation studios. Visitors can carry out research, pop in and browse the library and exhibitions, or take part in our varied activity programme featuring workshops, courses and fun family events.

Host or Publisher ARA South West Region