Guides & Resources
for UK Archivists

Practical advice on open-source archival software, migration, and digital infrastructure. Written by a qualified archivist.

These articles are written for practising archivists considering open-source cataloguing systems, CALM migration, HTR, or IIIF infrastructure. No vendor fluff — just practical information based on real deployments across UK and Irish archives.

CALM Migration June 2026

CALM Alternatives for UK County Record Offices: AtoM and ArchivesSpace Compared

Licence costs, CalmView add-ons, and Axiell's roadmap are prompting more county archivists to explore open-source alternatives. Here is what AtoM and ArchivesSpace actually offer in comparison.

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Migration June 2026

How to Migrate from CALM to AtoM: A Practical Guide for UK Archives

A step-by-step walkthrough of the CALM to AtoM migration process — from exporting your data out of CALM, through field mapping and data cleaning, to staging, verification, and go-live.

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HTR June 2026

eScriptorium Hosting for UK Archives: HTR Without the Technical Overhead

eScriptorium is the open-source alternative to Transkribus — no per-page fees, no vendor lock-in. But it requires a server, GPU access, and model management. Here is what a managed instance looks like.

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