The ADS is currently a mandated archive for the following national organisations and funding councils:
The ADS is the mandated data centre for NERC funded archaeological science data. We are committed to providing archive services for relevant projects, including ensuring information is provided to the NERC Data Catalogue Service. See our advice for NERC grant holders or applicants for more information.
The ADS is a MEDIN accredited Data Archive Centre (DAC), as member of the federated Historic Environment DAC in partnership with Historic Environment Scotland (HES) and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (RCAHMW).
The ADS is an approved digital repository for archaeology and heritage data created during AHRC funded projects. See our advice for AHRC grant holders or applicants for more information.
The ADS is a Nature recommended repository for the long-term preservation of datasets accompanying publications in its peer-reviewed, open-access journal Scientific Data.
The ADS have a long-standing partnership with Historic England, to archive and disseminate the digital outputs of Historic England funded projects.
The ADS also acts as the recommended trusted digital repository for digital data generated from projects undertaken within the historic environment, on behalf of local authorities and museums.
The ADS is a recommended repository for Birmigham Museum Trust. Current guidance from Birmingham Museums Trust states that digital archives should be transferred to a Trusted Digital Repository to ensure preservation and accessibility. All born digital material must be archived digitally and deposition with the ADS is strongly recommended. This can currently be achieved either through the transfer of files to ADS (including the use of ADS-easy), or through the OASIS record for small sites with only digital images.
The ADS is the preferred repository for digital archives for Buckinghamshire County Council as stipulated in their Briefs and Archaeological Guidance for Carrying Out Work.
Buckinghamshire Council’s Generic Brief states that the digital archive should be deposited with an accredited digital repository. The preferred repository for the digital archive in Buckinghamshire is the Archaeology Data Service.
ADS is a recommended repository for Cambridgeshire County Council. Current guidance from Cambridgeshire County Council states that projects with a digital archive element are expected to deposit this with a publically accessible repository with CoreTrustSeal status such as the Archaeology Data Service.
Chippenham Museum Guidelines and Conditions for the Preparation and Deposition of Archaeological Archives state that digital data must be transferred to a Trusted Digital Repository (such as the Archaeology Data Service) to ensure preservation and accessibility. All born digital material must be archived digitally (subject to an agreed Selection Strategy). Contractors are advised to not create born digital data unless they are willing to deposit such data.
The ADS is the mandatory archive for Archaeological building recording undertaken within the City of York.
Crawley Museum Deposition guidance states that all digital archives connected with the collection should have a Data Management Plan and be deposited with the Archaeology Data Service (ADS), to ensure the long-term preservation of digital data.
The ADS is the mandated repository for Derbyshire County Council. Four museums, Derby, Sheffield, Buxton and Chesterfield, along with the Derbyshire Record Office, collect material from archaeological investigations in Derbyshire. Their standards state that digital data should be deposited with the Archaeology Data Service.
The ADS is the recommended repository for digital archaeological archives as part of the Standards for undertaking archaeological work in the county. Current guidance from Devon County Council states that a “Digital archive must be deposited with a Trusted Digital Repository and thus made publicly accessible, in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework (2018). It is understood that the only suitable repository for digital archaeological archives is the Archaeology Data Service (ADS).”
The ADS is a recommended repository for Durham County Council and Darlington Borough Council. Guidance from Durham County Council states that if receiving museums do not have Trusted Repository status then all born digital aspects of the archive should be archived with the Archaeology Data Service (ADS).
The Countywide Standard for the Creation, Compilation and Transfer of Archaeological Archives in Gloucestershire states that Digital Archives should be transferred to a Trusted Digital Repository to ensure preservation and accessibility. The Museums in Gloucestershire recommend deposition with the Archaeology Data Service (ADS) and all briefs issued by Gloucestershire County Council and Gloucester City Council will include a condition requiring digital Archives to be deposited with the ADS or through the OASIS system as appropriate.
The ADS is a recommended repository for the Great North Museum. Guidance states that the museum does not accept digital archives for deposition. For digital archives, the project archaeologist should contact the Archaeology Data Service to consider deposition and calculate costs that would be incurred by the ADS.
Current Guidance from Hampshire County Council that Digital Archives should be transferred to a Trusted Digital Repository to ensure preservation and accessibility. Hampshire County Council Arts and Museums Service recommend deposition with the Archaeology Data Service (ADS).
Hertfordshire Museum’s Guidance states that Digital Archives should be transferred to a Trusted Digital Repository to ensure preservation and accessibility. The Museums in Hertfordshire recommend deposition with the Archaeology Data Service (ADS) or through the OASIS system as appropriate, in line with their guidelines.
LCCMS recommends the Archaeology Data Service (ADS), a Core Trust Seal accredited archive, as the digital repository in their deposition guidance. From April 2020, all briefs for archaeological work issued by Lancashire County Council will include a condition requiring digital archives to be deposited with the ADS and follow the ADS Standards and guidelines for deposit.
The ADS is a mandated repository for Lincolnshire County Council archaeological archives. Current guidance states that all digital media submitted to the Heritage Service must also be submitted to ADS.
Museum of Liverpool Guidance recommends that the born digital archive is deposited with an accredited and trusted digital repository. The Archaeology Data Service is the only accredited digital repository in the UK for heritage data. A Digital Object Identifier for the digital archive must be provided before finds and paper archives can be deposited at the Museum of Liverpool. From 2021 it will be obligatory that born digital data is deposited with the ADS, and this should be included in costings for projects.
Archaeological units working in Northamptonshire with a born digital element to their archive are advised to deposit their archive with a CoreTrustSeal accredited digital archive repository. As of January 2020, the Archaeology Data Service is the only repository in England with this accreditation that will accept digital archives deriving from archaeological and historic environment fieldwork.
The ADS the mandated repository for Oxfordshire Museum Service. Guidance states that from April 2020 Oxfordshire Museums Service will require all units to deposit digital files with the Archaeology Data Service (ADS).
The ADS is a recommended repository for the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery. Guidance states that the Depositor will transfer the primary digital archive for the project to a trusted digital repository such as the Archaeology Data Service (ADS).
RAMM guidance expects that the documentary element of an archive is deposited as digital data with a trusted and respected digital repository, such as the Archaeology Data Service (ADS).
Rutland County Museum Archaeological Archives Standard states that digital archives should be transferred to a Trusted Digital Repository to ensure preservation and accessibility. RCM recommends deposition with the Archaeology Data Service (ADS) and all briefs issued by RCM include a condition requiring digital Archives to be deposited with the ADS or through the OASIS system as appropriate.
Salisbury Museum follows the same guidance as Rutland County Museum, which states that digital archives should be transferred to a Trusted Digital Repository to ensure preservation and accessibility. RCM recommends deposition with the Archaeology Data Service (ADS) and all briefs issued by RCM include a condition requiring digital Archives to be deposited with the ADS or through the OASIS system as appropriate.
The current Standards for the Creation, Compilation and Transfer of Archaeological Archives issued by Southampton City Council states that “The digital archive will be transferred for curation by the Archaeology Data Service (ADS)”.
The ADS is a recommended digital repository for the South West Heritage Trust. The Trust’s Historic Environment Service Archaeological Handbook states that digital archive material must be deposited with a suitable Trusted Digital Repository that specialises in archaeological archives. Currently only the Archaeology Data Service (ADS) meets these criteria.
Museums Worcestershire is working in partnership with Archaeology Data Service (ADS). All briefs for archaeological work issued by Worcestershire County Council or Worcester City Council will include a condition requiring digital archives to be deposited with ADS.
Wiltshire Museum deposition guidelines require digital archives to be transferred to a Trusted Digital Repository (such as the Archaeology Data Service) to ensure preservation and accessibility. All born digital material must be archived digitally (subject to the agreed Selection Strategy and version control). Contractors should not create born digital data unless they are willing to deposit such data with a Trusted Digital Archive.
The ADS also works with the following organisations, providing guidance for funding applications and project-based digital preservation where required.
