Volunteer role: Library & Archive
07 May 2025
We are seeking new volunteers to help catalogue, coordinate and publicise our extensive Library & Archive. If you are interested in the history of political and social struggles and movements in the UK, Europe and beyond, are well-organised, and can dedicate a minimum of four hours per week, we would love to hear from you.
Support our work: become a Friend of Statewatch from as little as £1/€1 per month.
About the Statewatch Library & Archive
The Statewatch Library & Archive contains an extensive collection of books, reports, journals, magazines, pamphlets and other ephemera. Much of it is “grey material” (informal/unofficial publications) on political and social struggles and movements. It covers topics such as:
- civil liberties and state power;
- policing;
- racism and anti-racism;
- the security and intelligence agencies;
- immigration, asylum and borders
- state surveillance;
- and much more.
Some materials dates back to the 1930s, though the bulk of the collection covers the period from the 1970s to the 1990s. Much of it is not available elsewhere.
Geographically, the collection mainly focuses on the UK, but there is also an extensive amount of material on countries elsewhere in Europe, the institutions of the EU (including border and police agencies such as Frontex and Europol), and other countries and regions around the world.
It is open by appointment by anyone who wishes to visit. It is currently only used to a limited extent. Users are mainly journalists, researchers, lawyers and academics.
Volunteering in the Library & Archive
We are looking for people to undertake the following tasks:
- Updating and maintaining the Library & Archive catalogue
- Adding new material to the catalogue
- Improving existing catalogue entries (e.g. with additional information, digitised copies of items)
- Ensuring material is catalogued correctly
- Ensuring the catalogue functions as intended
- Supporting visitors to the Library & Archive
- Arranging bookings
- Assisting visitors with finding relevant items
- Keeping the collection in order and easily accessible
- Promoting the Library & Archive
- Producing promotional materials to distribute to relevant organisations and institutions (e.g. NGOs, schools, colleges, universities)
- Contributing to social media publicity materials, using items from the Library & Archive
Express your interest
If you are interested in volunteering in the Library & Archive, please write to library@statewatch.org with the following:
- A CV;
- A cover letter (no more than five hundred words) explaining your interest in and suitability for the role;
- An indication of your availability (hours and days per week)
Expressions of interest will be accepted and assessed on a rolling basis, there is no fixed closing date.
If you would like to visit the Library & Archive prior to submitting an expression of interest, please contact library@statewatch.org.
If you have any other questions, please contact library@statewatch.org.
Our work is only possible with your support.
Become a Friend of Statewatch from as little as £1/€1 per month.
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