Safeguard your content Case Study

How did you get involved with your community group?  

TTHG has a long-standing commitment to preserving the history of Grindon Parish, County Durham. Founded in 2005, the group’s focus is on engaging the local community with its heritage. Over the years, TTHG has completed several projects related to local history, including oral history interviews, archaeological research, and the production of digital and physical publications. With 13 full members and 7 associate members, the group is actively involved in both research and education, leveraging their digital collections to engage the public. 

How do you collect material for your collections?  

TTHG’s collection efforts include: 

• Digitisation of Hard Copy Assets: The group is systematically digitising remaining hard copy materials, such as photographs, manuscripts, and historical documents. They have previously digitised other materials and are now focused on the remainder. 

• Oral Histories and DVDs: TTHG is converting their existing audio files from their oral history project, along with several DVD productions, into web-friendly formats like MP4. These will be uploaded to platforms such as YouTube and their website. 

• Photogrammetry and 3D Models: In addition to traditional media, TTHG is exploring the use of photogrammetry to create 3D digital models of local heritage sites, which will be made available online for public exploration. 

What processes are in place to manage and process your collections?  

Organising and Managing Collections 
TTHG is developing a comprehensive data management strategy that includes: 

• File Naming Conventions and Metadata: A major part of the project is to update and standardise file naming conventions across all digital assets to ensure consistency and easier searchability. This process will also include adding comprehensive metadata to describe each file (e.g., date, location, and subject matter) in a way that can be indexed for future use. 

• Digital Catalogue System: TTHG is implementing a digital cataloguing system to organise their collections. This will likely involve dedicated cataloguing software to manage assets. The group is also exploring the use of a GIS (Geographic Information System) for interactive mapping of historical sites, in combination with WordPress. 

• Storage Solutions: TTHG is adopting a dual-storage solution where digital assets are backed up on solid-state hard drives and simultaneously stored in a cloud-based archive. This combination ensures both physical and remote data security. 

• Website Integration: TTHG is upgrading its website to integrate digital collections directly. Using WordPress, the group aims to make a significant proportion of their archive accessible to the public with interactive features such as 3D models, videos, and GIS-based historic timelines. They are partnering with a professional website design and hosting company to ensure long-term maintenance and scalability. 

How do you preserve your collections?  

TTHG is committed to the long-term preservation of their digital collections, through: 

• Cloud and Physical Backup: TTHG is implementing a storage system that combines cloud-based backups with solid-state drives to ensure that the digital collections remain secure and accessible even if physical devices fail. 

• Planned Transfer to Durham County Record Office: For long-term custodianship, TTHG is preparing to transfer their digital archive to the Durham County Record Office to ensure preservation in a professional archival environment. – Currently we are not planning to share the digital archive but to ensure that it is in a form such that a nominated organisation, such as Durham Records Office (DRO), will be willing to accept it to add to their collection. Only if TTHG is unable to continue as a self-funding organisation will its constitutional dissolution clause be put into effect. This will trigger the donation of its digital archive to one or more nominated local institutions (e.g. DRO or Tees Archaeology etc.).    

• 3D Digital Preservation: The use of photogrammetry and 3D models for recording significant local heritage sites is part of a larger strategy to preserve deteriorating sites digitally. For example, work on the St. Thomas à Becket’s Church ruins will provide a digital record of the site, to be shared with Tees Archaeology and included in the local Historic Environment Record (HER). 

• Training for Long-Term Management: TTHG is investing in digital skills training for its members, focusing on areas like website maintenance, cataloguing techniques, and public engagement through social media. This will empower the group to manage its digital collections more effectively moving forward, ensuring sustainability and proper long-term curation.