SERVICES | Adam Archival

Services Overview

We help families, estates and institutions preserve, organise and make sense of photographs, documents and other historical records, so they remain accessible and meaningful over time.

Archival work is rarely a single process.

Collection often move through different stages over time - preservation and organization, to digitisation, research, contextualisation and, where appropriate, legacy presentation.

Our work is scope-based and tailored to the nature, condition and long-term purpose of each collection. Only a limited number of engagements are accepted at any given time, allowing each project to receive the depth of attention required.

The different stages of our process:

01 - PRESERVE

& ORGANISE

02 - DIGITISE

& DOCUMENT

03 - RESEARCH

& DEVELOP

04 - PRESENT

& PUBLISH

MORE THAN DIGITISATION

Digitisation is one part of archival work. The difference is what happens around it.

Type of Services	Scanning / Digitisation Companies	Family History / Genealogy Firms	Adam Archival
On-site archival work for large collections	-	-	✓
High-resolution scanning (600 dpi)	✓	-	✓
Hard drive / thumb drive for digitised files	✓	-	✓
Collection organisation	-	-	✓
File naming & structure	-	-	✓
Metadata & documentation	-	-	✓
Condition assessment	-	-	✓
Preservation handling	-	-	✓
Archival materials & rehousing	-	-	✓
Family tree / lineage	-	✓	✓
Historical research & context	-	✓	✓
Secure cloud archive	-	-	✓
Progress dashboard	-	-	✓
Weekly progress updates	-	-	✓
Cloud access for authorised beneficiaries	-	-	✓
Digital restoration & derivatives	-	-	✓
Physical archival albums	-	-	✓
Ongoing collection development	-	-	✓
Legacy presentation / publications	-	-	✓

Scanning creates digital files.

Genealogy explains family relationships.

Adam Archival brings the collection together.

02 - DIGITISE & DOCUMENT

Digital Archive & Access

Digitised collections can be organised into a secure cloud archive. providing authorised family members, beneficiaries or teams with ongoing access to the collection.

for larger or multi-party projects, a cloud-based progress dashboard provides visibility into project status and is updated weekly for transparency.

Secure Cloud Archive: Access your collection remotely.
Multiple Authorised Users: Share access with beneficiaries, family members or teams.
Weekly Project Dashboard: Track progress throughout the project.

Media Digitisation

Selective / Phased

Digitisation of legacy audiovisual formats including VHS, Hi8, MiniDV and cassette recordings.

Where specialist equipment or technical expertise is required, trusted specialist partners may be engaged under Adam Archival's supervision.

Digitisation can be undertaken as part of a broader archival projects or as a defined phase of preservation.

Family Tree & Lineage Documentation

Research and visual documentation of family relationships and lineage.

Projects may include:

Family tree development
Generational mapping
Historical timelines
Relationship documentation
Integration of family history with photographic and documentary records
Digital or print presentation

Where appropriate, lineage research can provide the contextual framework through which a photographic or documentary collection can be understood.

03 - RESEARCH & DEVELOP

Historical Research & Contextualisation

Selected Projects

Research undertaken where historical context is important to understanding a collection, person, family, estate or institution.

Research may draw on private and institutional sources, including archives, libraries, newspapers, public records and historical collections.

Projects may include:

Historical research
Documentary timelines
Contextual research
Source documentation
Research-led narratives
Integration of historical material with archival collections

Historical photographs, advertisements, documents and other contemporary records may be incorporated where they help establish context.

Legacy Strategy & Initiative Development

Selected Projects

For selected individuals, families, estates and institutions, archival work may extend beyond preservation and documentation into the development of a broader legacy initiative.

This may include:

Legacy vision and conceptualisation
Initiative and programme strategy
Programme development
Partnerships and stakeholder engagement
Communications and public presentation
Implementation support

Available on a selected, scope-based basis.

04 - PRESENT & PUBLISH

Legacy Presentation

Selected Projects

Development of appropriate ways to present and make an archive accessible beyond it original physical form.

Projects may include:

Digital legacy websites
Curated digital presentations
Exhibitions
Commemorative projects
Archival displays
Public-facing historical resources

Presentation is developed according to the purpose, audience and nature of the collection.

Archival Publications

Selected Projects

Research-led publications developed from significant photographic, documentary or historical collections.

Projects may include:

Family and estate histories
Corporate and institutional histories
Documentary collections
Commemorative publications
Curated visual histories

Adam Archival can support reserach, archival development, curation and editorial structure, with publication and production undertaken according to project requirements.

Archival Reproductions

Selected Projects

Selected photographs, documents and other visual records may be reproduced for archival, exhibition, heritage or institutional use.

Reproduction may include high-resolution digitisation, appropriate digital restoration, colour and tonal correction, archival-quality printing and reproduction documentation.

Original source material is preserved separately from any restored or enhanced derivative.

Reproduction is undertaken only where appropriate rights and permission have been established.

FROM RECORD TO LEGACY

An archive does not have to end with preservation.

Depending on the collection and its purpose, archival work may progress from preservation and organisation to research, interpretation, presentation and legacy.

Preserve. Organise. Research, Contextualise. Present. Continue.

Every collection is different. We determine the appropriate scope together, based on the material itself and what you want the collection to become.

Begin a conversation >

01 - PRESERVE & ORGANISE

Photograhic Archiving

Preservation and organisation of photographic collections, including prints, albums, negatives and slides.

Projects may includes:

Condition assessment
Surface cleaning and basic preservation handling
Digitisation to archival standards
Organisation and sequencing
Contextual metadata and file naming
Light digital restoration for legibility
Archival storage and rehousing

The objective is to create a collection that remains intelligible, accessible and usable over time.

Archival Organisation & Storage

Physical organisation and rehousing of photographic and documentary collections using archival-quality materials.

Materials may include:

Acid-free and lignin-free albums
Archival sleeves and enclosures
Protective storage materials
Customer archival albums and volumes
Personalised archival presentation where appropriate

Storage solutions are determined by the nature, condition and long-term requirements of each collection.