What do we do?

The Société Jersiaise Photographic Archive (SJPA) exists to collect, preserve and provide access to photographic materials. We actively facilitate research, share knowledge and promote the shared heritage of Jersey, for the enjoyment and benefit of our community.

We do this by following four key principles:  

PROTECT, by ensuring appropriate collections management policies are in place for the preservation of collections and contexts. This includes physical and intellectual control but also considered collections development to preserve the unique nature of the archive.  

PROVIDE, access in an open, transparent and equal manner to the shared cultural heritage and research resources within the SJPA collections.  

PROMOTE, the SJPA collections to celebrate and draw attention to their local and international relevance; both to expand our reach and to attract funding to support the effective management of the collections.  

COLLABORATE, with partners on island and internationally to develop our services and serve our community more effectively.

Our commitment to open access and active engagement with records is how we support the mission of the Société Jersiaise and enrich our community.

Background 

The Société Jersiaise is an educational charity concerned with the history, language, culture and environment of the island of Jersey. The SJPA serves this purpose by preserving and providing access to records.

The archive is a unique and important cultural heritage asset for Jersey, documenting our archaeology, geology, ecology, economy, community, architecture and culture through 150 years of producing and collecting photographic materials.  

The SJPA was established in 1992 to manage the photographic collections held by the Société Jersiaise Library. The practice and collection of photography at the Société Jersiaise dates to at least 1875 and it remained a prominent function throughout the 20th Century. A shared Collections Management Policy between Jersey Heritage and the Société Jersiaise was agreed in 2018 which identifies the SJPA as the primary repository in Jersey for photographic collections, excluding those relating to public bodies or collections held by Jersey Heritage.

The archive serves both the organisational needs of the Société Jersiaise and those of our island community. The Société Sections are volunteer led research groups specialising in specific fields. The SJPA serves the Sections by collecting records relevant to their area of research and as a repository for the records the Sections produce. The archive also holds many commercial and private collections, covering all aspects of life, learning, work and play. 

The archive is therefore the heritage of all and the SJPA seeks to both serve and reflect all aspects of our community, and our diverse cultural identities.