Community groups who wish to preserve photographs and papers that document their own history now have an easy-to-use guide prepared by the National Archives of Australia.

Keep It for the Future! was written by National Archives staff keen to share their expertise with the thousands of volunteers who care for the nation’s heritage.

The book was produced with support from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship and was launched by Senator Gary Humphries at the National Archives today.

‘It provides a wealth of information and will be of great value to local history groups, genealogical societies, sporting or religious groups, ethnic groups, schools and other volunteer organisations,’ said Ross Gibbs, Director-General of the National Archives.

‘We identified the need for a small book that covered these things in a simple manner to help community groups. We see it as part of our leadership role in the archival field to encourage everyone to know how to preserve records for future generations.’

The book covers everything an aspiring archivist might want to know, including how to identify which records a group should keep, as well as how to register, store and preserve them.

‘It also covers such topics as environmental conditions, handling archives and providing access to researchers,’ said Mr Gibbs.

The book provides tips on keeping textiles, film and electronic records, as well as preparing a disaster recovery plan in case the worst happens.

‘It also points readers in the direction of the grants available for community heritage collections,’ said Mr Gibbs.

The book, for sale at $4.95, is available from the National Archives or from the online shop.