Portal de Turismo de Castilla y León

Dates

9 June to 30 June 2025

When?

Currently

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International Archives Week 2025 (IAW2025) is being celebrated from June 9 to 13. The chosen theme , #AccessibleArchives: Archives for All, aims to highlight the essential role of accessibility in the digital transformation of archives and their ability to reach a global audience.

As archives evolve in the digital age, the ability to provide greater access to archival content becomes more crucial than ever. This year's theme will celebrate the ways in which archives around the world are embracing new technologies to open up their collections, facilitating access to history, culture, and knowledge for all. From improved digital platforms and user interfaces to innovative preservation techniques, the goal is to ensure that archives are accessible to everyone, regardless of their geographical location or physical limitations.

As archives continue to evolve in the digital age, expanding access to archival content has become more important than ever. Accessibility is not just about digitization, but about breaking down barriers, fostering inclusion, and ensuring that archives serve and represent diverse communities around the world. The #AccessibleArchives theme highlights the need for accessible archives for all people, regardless of their background, ability, or digital access. This year's focus centers on four key subthemes:

Overcoming barriers to archival access: Addressing obstacles such as limited resources, lack of knowledge, and technical challenges that hinder full participation in archival work.

Leveraging Technology to Improve Access: Explore how digital innovations, including AI, are transforming the way archives are navigated and made accessible to a wider audience.

Archives in society: Changing perceptions: shifting the narrative to recognize archives as key players in shaping cultural identity, governance, and accountability.

Inclusion and representation in archival practices: Ensure that the voices of historically underrepresented communities are included in archival collections, promoting diversity and inclusion.

#AccessibleArchives highlights the many ways archives are embracing accessibility, whether by removing physical, digital, linguistic, or cultural barriers. Through technological advancements, inclusive cataloging, and community-driven initiatives, archives are becoming increasingly connected and relevant to people around the world.

In this regard, the Archives System of the Junta de Castilla y León has been working for some time on the implementation of SIEGA , a technological tool used by the centers of the Archives System of Castilla y León for the comprehensive computerized management of the documentary heritage preserved in them, in such a way that their management is facilitated throughout the life cycle of the documents by allowing electronic communication and the transfer of information between them.

Through the online catalogue you can access the documentary collections held in the nine Provincial Historical Archives of Castilla y León, the General Archive of Castilla y León and the Regional Film Library of Castilla y León, allowing you to search and browse the extensive documentary collection held in these centres.

Since its installation at its Concepción Arenal headquarters, the Provincial Historical Archive of Avila has eliminated physical obstacles, and the tasks of describing and disseminating documentary heritage always aim to show who we are and what we have, in order to facilitate access, consultation, and use of documents in the broadest sense of the word, both to guarantee rights and for effective governance, accountability, and understanding our memory.

Likewise, the archive's facilities are open to all citizens who wish to use them and display their creations.

Program of activities:

June 9, at 11:30 a.m.: Presentation of the exhibition TRAZAS , 3rd edition.

June 10, 11, and 12: Open days and guided tours at 12:00 p.m.

Registration by phone: 920221690 or email archivo.avila@jcyl.es

TRAZAS is the third and final exhibition of graphic documents. These documents often accompany textual documents.

These exhibitions aim to showcase, while also collecting and inventorying these highly attractive archival documents. Documents with different layouts, drawings, projects, or designs, graphic documentation blended with textual documentation in the various documentary collections held by this archive.

Among the public funds in custody, we highlight the notarial documents, which exceptionally include graphic documents, sometimes true works of art, with high-quality drawing and strokes.

Notarial protocols are the documents that led to the creation of the provincial historical archives. Avila houses 8,493 volumes from the 15th to the 20th centuries, including all types of deeds, wills, sales contracts, leases, powers of attorney, trade examinations, transfers of estates, construction contracts, etc. between private individuals, public institutions, companies, or private groups. This rich documentary heritage is essential for understanding the daily lives of the people of Ávila and guarantees their rights. This collection is widely consulted by researchers, the curious, and the general public.

There are many collections containing graphic documentation. This time, we can see some from the Provincial Council's works section, a "Catastro" (Catalytic Registry) from the Geographic Cadastral Institute, archaeology reports from the Territorial Service of Culture of the Junta de Castilla y León , and projects from the Provincial Delegation of the Ministry of Public Works. Also included are some documents from private collections, such as Veredas, Gabriel Ramos, and Fausto Blázquez.

For years, in the process of describing this documentation and with the collaboration of researchers, this type of documentation has been compiled with the aim of creating a catalog, the "Graphic Collection," as a dissemination and service tool for researchers and citizens.

The Provincial Historical Archive:

The Provincial Historical Archive of Avila is the institution responsible for the custody and conservation of the Documentary Heritage of this province. In this sense, in addition to collecting the documentation generated by the different administrations, it promotes the collection of private funds of different nature, photographic, literary, from companies, artists or creators that increase the knowledge and collective memory of the people of Ávila.

In addition to the description and identification of the Documentary Heritage it safeguards in order to provide documentation to citizens, researchers and administrations, it is necessary to make this Heritage known. In this context, activities are carried out to disseminate and exhibit the documentary collections, as well as guided tours and educational visits.

The archive is also a cultural institution, open to citizens and to all creators who wish to make their work or research known. In this sense, its facilities are made available for exhibitions, book presentations, conferences, etc.

On this occasion and on the occasion of the seventh International Archives Week

We will have the opportunity to learn about some of the documents in its custody and learn from the archivists and archive staff about the tasks and services carried out through a tour of the archive facilities and what was the provincial prison and the convent of the Calced Carmelites.