Cumbria Archives was awarded Archive Service Accreditation in 2013. It was the first Archive Service (out of approximately 2,000 Archives in the UK) to achieve this national recognition. Cumbria's Accreditation was renewed for a further three years in 2023.
Accreditation is the UK quality standard which recognises good performance in all areas of archive service delivery. Achieving accredited status demonstrates that Cumbria Archives has met clearly defined national standards relating to management and resourcing, the care of its unique collections and what the service offers to its entire range of users.
Accreditation is an independent endorsement that Cumbria Archives is:
- Externally recognised for its good performance in all aspects of governance and management, collections management , and provision of services to all users
- Sustainable and robust, ensuring the long term acquisition, preservation and accessibility of our archive heritage
- Adaptive, relevant and resilient in a changing internal and external environment
- Clear about its mission, ensuring effective planning, decision making and optimal use of resources
- Responsive to all its stakeholders and trusted in the management of its unique collections
- Supported by expert staff within clear and effective governance structures
In giving its decision in July 2023 to Cumbria Archives, the UK Accreditation, "the Panel noted that Cumbria Archives continued to deliver effectively as a strong archive service with good service provision. The Panel also noted that the archive service was adjusting successfully to local government reorganisation".