The IHBC has commenced the posting online of the complete issues of Context, originally the ‘Newsletter’ of the predecessor organisation, the ACO, and today the historic environment practitioner’s best source for accessible expertise in contemporary conservation, with issues 1-20 now available, except No.4, so if you have a copy, please let us know.
IHBC Director Seán O’Reilly said: ‘For many of our members Context is one of the IHBC’s most important contributions to the sector. It offers both specialists and – as Wikipedia testifies – non-specialists, an expert and extremely accessible resource on all aspects of the diverse and multi-disciplinary practice of built and historic environment conservation.’
‘While more recent issues have been posted online in their entirety, only selections from our earlier issues have been made available. Now, taking advantage of new technology and resources, we going to make the full suite of this historic – and contemporary – resource accessible online’.
Mike Taylor, Chair of the Context Editorial Board said: ‘‘Hello. Welcome to the ACO.‘ That’s how Context, then a 10-page newsletter typed out on Roneo stencils, began in 1983. Since then Context has changed and grown to the flagship professional journal we know today, while in July it will celebrate its 150th number.’
‘Readers and researchers can now get access to every word of the journal, including that pioneering first number, as Contexts 1-20 go online in the Context Archive. Through the IHBC’s web Archive readers can trace the history of the Institute, much of the history of conservation in the last 35 years, and can find that vital article they need for a current project. Explore!
Aysha Taylor, who led the arduous process of creating high-quality digital versions of the original hard copies, said: ‘Scanning the Context archive was a considerable undertaking due to the sheer number of publications the IHBC have produced. The process allowed me a glimpse into each publication and their immense progression over just a few years.’
See Context Issue 1 online, edited by John Fidler
Compare, access and circulate Fidler on ‘Conservation’ in Context, in old and new formats.
For Bob Kindred on editing Context see old and new formats
For more online issues see the Context archive
