Home About Us Membership Commissioning History Resources
|
COMMISSIONING HISTORY
A history is a way of sharing the story of your community
group, government department, school, church, union, community
organisation, family or area with the wider community.
PHA (WA) and the Australian Council of Professional Historians
Associations (ACPHA) advocate the engagement of people for history
projects whose qualifications and experience meet the National
Accreditation Standard established by ACPHA.
Professionally qualified historians bring a broad historical knowledge,
strong research skills, an independent outlook and effective writing
skills to a history project. Trained historians have the skills and
experience to identify, collect and interpret research materials,
conduct oral histories, research pictorial collections and other media,
and produce an engaging and lively end product which locates your story
in a wider historical context.
The outcome of a commissioned history could lead to a book or a booklet
being prepared by a professional historian. For some projects other
outcomes may be recommended such as a collection of oral histories, an
exhibition, a radio program, or even a website or CD-ROM.
HOW TO FIND A PROFESSIONAL HISTORIAN
There are a number of ways that PHA (WA) can assist you with
finding the right professional historian for your project:
ASSISTANCE TO COMMISSIONING BODIES
From time to time outside individuals, for example businesses,
local government authorities, schools to sporting groups, will request
assistance from PHA (WA) about starting on a history project.
In these instances, enquiries should be directed to either the President or the Convenor of the Commissioned
History Sub-Committee.
PHA (WA) also offers the following services:
- Available for purchase - PHA (WA),
Commissioning History: A practical guide to engaging consultant
historians, Occasional Publication No. 2 (2004). Pre-payment
required of $20.00 plus $2.00 postage and handling. Send invoice
& payment to Treasurer, PHA (WA) Inc., PO Box 8381, Perth
Business Centre, PERTH WA 6849.
These guidelines are useful, if not essential, for people who are
planning to engage a consultant historian. They outline the issues
that need to be considered before work starts on a history project;
that is, finding the appropriate person, defining the work, the scope
of the manuscript, responsibilities of the commissioning body and the
historian, project time and costs, historians’ credentials and
fees, framing an advertisement, the contract, management of the
project, and copyright/ownership of any associated working papers.
- PHA (WA) can also arrange for a consulting
historian to advise on project development and to assist a
committee responsible for selecting a historian. For this service,
the consulting historian would require a meeting fee, plus
reimbursement for any travel or other reasonable expenses. For
further information about this contact the Convenor of the Commissioned
History Sub-Committee.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For more information about Commissioning a History see
ACPHA’s website.
ACPHA has also devised a National Standard and Scale of Fees
recommended for professional historians, which is available here.
PHA (WA) members only can contact the Membership Secretary for
documents relating to the Model Contract or Memorandum of Agreement
& a check list and Information on fees, on-costs and
travel costs.
|
