FAQs

Project Background

What is Memories Scotland?

Memories Scotland is the latest development of a Scotland-wide project connecting heritage resources with reminiscence activity.  Originally launched in 2009 as Football Memories, over the years the archive and local groups have expanded to include additional sporting heritage - namely cricket, rugby, golf, shinty and speedway.  In 2021, the archive was relaunched as Memories Scotland which includes a new focus on social history thanks to a partnership with Scottish libraries.

Who is involved?

Memories Scotland is the latest development of a Scotland-wide partnership project.  The project originated as an innovative partnership between Alzheimer Scotland, the Scottish Football Museum and members of the Scottish Football Heritage Network.  The current phase reflects a new partnership with Scottish libraries thanks to support from the Scottish Government’s Public Library Improvement Fund administered by the Scottish Library and Information Council.  So far, twenty-three regional library services have signed up to the project, sharing social history resources from their local studies collections and working to develop Memory Groups within their venues.  The project is managed by a Steering Group under the leadership of North Ayrshire Libraries, with representation from East Dunbartonshire Leisure and Culture Trust, Falkirk Community Trust, Glasgow Life, South Ayrshire Libraries and South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture Trust as well as the National Library of Scotland and both the Chair and Football Memories lead of the Scottish Football Museum.  A Library Development Officer is working with library partners to coordinate their contributions to the archive and plan for the roll-out of new Memory Groups.

Getting involved

How do I get in touch with you?

Thank you for your interest in the project!  Please send us an email.

How do I find details of my local Memory Group?

Watch this space.  We will be sharing details of Memory Groups on our website and social media as the project progresses and groups get up and running.

How do I join a Memory Group as a participant?

We will soon be sharing details of Memory Groups on our website and social media so that you can find your local group.  Once these groups are up and running, you can register your interest and find out how to participate by contacting your local group.  You do not need to receive a referral or invitation to join a group, although we will be working with partners such as social prescribers who may refer or signpost you.  During Covid-19 your group facilitator will need to register basic contact details for contact tracing purposes and to ensure there is sufficient physical space for the number of people attending a particular session.  There is, however, no pressure or expectation of attendance – you may choose to come to every session, occasionally or just once to try it out.  We call the people who attend our sessions “participants”, but there is similarly no pressure to say or do anything: it’s okay if you want to just sit and listen.

What happens at a Memory Group?

What happens at a Memory Group will vary depending on local circumstances, participant preferences and facilitator resources – but most group sessions will have a degree of structure.  This means that a group could have an hour-long session including a welcome chat, a cup of tea and a look through old photos, film and audio using the resources provided on the Memories Scotland website.  Some Memory Groups will be focussed exclusively on social history, while others may be focussed on sport such as football.  Other groups will be a combination of the two!  You might take part in an activity focussed on a particular theme – anything from “seaside holidays”, “days out at the shops”, “first jobs” – or something more specific such as local industry and gala days.  Some participants will bring a companion, carer or dependant.  Memory Groups will meet in public venues, such as libraries or community centres, or health and social care facilities such as care homes.  The venues will be accessible and have toilet facilities.  Groups will operate in accordance with current guidance/legislation around Covid-19.  If you are feeling nervous or unsure and would like more details about any aspect of coming along to a group, please email us so we can try and help.

How do I volunteer at a Memory Group?

We warmly welcome interest from potential volunteers interested in helping deliver Memory Groups.  We use the term “facilitator” to refer to the people who coordinate and deliver the sessions.  We offer training and support to new facilitators.  We will eventually use this website to advertise vacancies, but in the meantime please email us for more information about volunteer opportunities.  Please note that we have an application process for new volunteers including reference and other checks.

I have some images/film/audio clips I would like to donate to the archive.  Do you want them?

Yes please!  Building on the foundation of image submissions from local library collections, we will soon be inviting wider contributions to Memories Scotland with the aim of making the archive a rich and sustainable long-term resource.  Please email us if you are interested in making a submission.

Using the website

What is this website used for?

As well as providing information about the project, the Memories Scotland website hosts our archive of digital resources and is the main resource used by Memory Groups.  The archive includes a sizeable bank of historical images and an increasing selection of film and audio clips.  These resources span both sports and social history.  Access to the full image files, film and audio is available to logged in registered users of the website.  Memory Groups can choose whether to print images from the website for reminiscence activity, or to use monitors/iPads or projection to share images and multimedia resources during their sessions.  These resources are fully searchable by logged in, registered users of the website.

How do I register an account on the website?

Facilitators of Memory Groups are eligible to register an account on the website.  Registration links to create an account will be issued to you when you sign up to the project.  However, if you have not heard from us and require a new registration link - or wish to have an existing count deleted - please email us.  Registering an account gives full access to the archive, including source files of high-res images, audio and film.  By registering, you will be required to supply your name and email address.  This information will be stored securely and will not appear on the website.  Please keep your account information up-to-date, confidential and secure. 

How do I change my password?

This option appears within your Account page.  The Account option appears to the right of the menu at the top of your screen.  You can also amend your details or log out using this page.

How do I search for an image?

Using the Collections page, searches can be performed either by typing words into the search box or using the drop-down menus.  There are options to filter searches by theme (e.g. sports or social history), decade (e.g. 1960s), category (e.g. holidays) and partner (e.g. South Lanarkshire - in other words, image from a particular region or collection).

How do I print an image?

Once you have found the image you want to print, select either “Print PDF” to include the accompanying descriptive text or “Print Image Only”.  Both options will generate a PDF on your screen.  You can then adjust your local printer settings to print out as required.

What is a lightbox?  How do I create one?

Lightboxes are in effect photograph albums that allow you to pick and store your favourite images.  After clicking on an image you will have the option to create and name the lightbox by entering your preferred details and selecting “Add”.  You can then add further images to this lightbox and access these all from your Account page by clicking the “Lightboxes” option.

Help!  I’m stuck.  Can you show me how to use the archive?

Yes, we offer training on using the archive.  Please email us for more information.

What happened to the old website?

The previous Sports Heritage Scotland/Football Memories archive was relaunched as Memories Scotland with a new URL, memories.scot.  The sports content from the original archive is still available here alongside the new social history resources.

I cannot find the items I’d hoped to. What can I do?

You can request an image or further information on our archive by emailing us.

Terms and Conditions of use

Where is your website policy?

The Terms and Conditions of the website is available here in full.  The memories.scot website is published by the partnership project Memories Scotland.  Please note that the content on this website does not, and may not be used to, indicate endorsement of, or affiliation with, any product, service, or organisation; nor may it be used in any advertising or publicity without prior written permission from the project Steering Group. 

Where is your copyright policy?

The Copyright Policy is available here in full.  While we make every effort to ensure content shared on our website and social media does not infringe any party’s copyright or other intellectual property rights, please contact us if you believe we have shared information which infringes these rights.

How can I interact with you on social media?

Memories Scotland has a presence on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  Please be aware that our accounts are monitored sporadically during office hours only (Monday to Friday).  We will use social media to post about our news and events as well as share selected digital resources from our website.  We will also share information about external events and subjects we feel may be of interest to our followers (please note, however, that retweets or shares are not endorsements).  We will adhere to each networking website’s rules and guidelines and politely ask that you do the same.  Further to this, we reserve the right to turn off commenting on all or any posts at any time and without prior notice.  We similarly reserve the right to: remove offensive or inappropriate comments/content; block/ban users interacting with our accounts; report specific comments or users as necessary.  Please do not share private or sensitive information via our social media accounts.  While we will do our best to reply to any comments or messages received through social media, the best way to get in touch with Memories Scotland is by emailing us.