Since 1977, Scotland is fortunate to have had eighteen Surveying Officers, specifically responsible for the surveying of historical records held by a variety of businesses, industries and organisations across the country. As a result, Scotland is recognised as having an incredible volume of surviving business records, which tell the important stories of some of the country’s most notable and oldest brands, and industries.

Records surveying

Supported by the National Records of Scotland, the Surveying Officer undertakes a national programme of archive surveying, and provides a free half-day survey to any Scottish business or organisation with historic records.

A visit and assessment of the records results in a recommendations report that will typically include a detailed inventory of the archive records, and recommendations on best practice for the management and preservation of the archive.

Further information about what is involved in a records survey and how to arrange one can be found on our FAQ page.

Records at Risk

The Surveying Officer is a member of the UK’s Crisis Management Team for Business Archives which co-ordinates efforts to preserve historical business records that might be at risk of loss due to administrations, liquidations, acquisitions, takeovers, and a range of other circumstances.

The Surveying Officer is the point of contact in Scotland if you are concerned that an archive or collection is at risk. Read about previous examples of collections at risk saved by the Surveying Officer in these case studies.

Consultancy & Other Services

A number of paid services are offered by the Surveying Officer to Scottish businesses, organisations, and others caring for historical records, including company history research, anniversary preparation, as well as best practice advice on archives and records management.

Further information about services and charges can be found here.