Users of our services deserve the best. Measuring themselves against agreed standards helps institutions to improve their services to the people of the West Midlands and their visitors. We define standards widely, including codes of practice, best practice and guidelines, as well as the narrower definition of technical specifications. We acknowledge the diversity of the sector and the qualitative and quantitative nature of existing standards within it.

We will:

• Engage with bodies developing new standards to ensure that they are fit for purpose
• Provide commentaries as required by the Audit Commission and other standards bodies
• Using existing evidence, gain a regional overview of standards achieved across the region in our sector
• Develop programmes of support for professional standards in partnership with domain specific bodies
• With the Museum Hub run Accreditation, the museums’ national standard scheme, in the region
• Implement the new Designation Scheme which will identify and support nationally important collections in museums, libraries and archives
• Support the sector in compliance with the Freedom of
• Information and Data Protection Acts
• Work with English Heritage to enable historic buildings housing our institutions to meet both domain and heritage conservation standards
  

For news on 'Museums Accreditation Scheme replaces Registration' and 'The Designation Scheme opens to Libraries and Archives' click here