Best practice in volunteer management in archives: Analyzing two organizations

This investigation analyzes the volunteer management programmes of two British archival institutions against best practice, taking into consideration the perspectives of both volunteer managers and the volunteers themselves. Results show that, in both cases, despite the variety of measures adopted to attract volunteers, word of mouth and individual initiative are the most effective. Volunteer training and supervision are consolidated and positively received by all volunteers, while more resources should be invested in team incorporation. Overall, it was found that the institutions plan and act according to what they know motivates their volunteers, which proves to be successful considering that most volunteers have been with each organization for over one year. It can be concluded that by following best practice the institutions are equipped with thoroughly planned volunteer management programmes, created and adapted according to the institutions’ goals and resources, and their volunteers’ motivations, expectations, and interests.