The Digital Preservation Coalition (DPC) is delighted to congratulate our colleague Karyn Williamson, who has been named Record Keeper of the Year 2026 at the Archives and Records Association (ARA) Excellence Awards.
The awards celebrate achievement across the recordkeeping sector in the UK and Ireland. This year, 1,693 people cast votes across three categories: New Professional of the Year, Record Keeper of the Year, and Recordkeeping Service of the Year.
Karyn was announced as Record Keeper of the Year 2026 at the ARA Conference in Glasgow on 6 August, recognizing her work and wide-ranging contribution to the recordkeeping community.
Karyn Williamson, Record Keeper of the Year 2026
Photo credit: Simon O’Connor for ARA
Karyn joined the DPC in 2024 and has since played a leading role in developing the Digital Preservation Toolkit for Community Archives. Created through the Towards a National Collection project Our Heritage, Our Stories, the toolkit was developed in collaboration with community archives to provide practical and accessible digital preservation guidance.
Following the international response to the toolkit, Karyn is now developing the Global Ambassador Programme, which supports organizations wishing to use the Digital Preservation Toolkit for Community Archives in their own communities. The programme brings together introductory resources, practical guidance, presentations and activities that can be adapted to create workshops, training sessions and events.
Karyn’s nomination recognized her extensive contribution to the wider recordkeeping community. Alongside her work at the DPC, she is Campaign Manager for the Explore Your Archive campaign, a Trustee of the Business Archives Council, Executive Officer for the Business Archives Council Scotland, and incoming Vice-Chair of the ARA Board.
Speaking about the award, Karyn said:
“I’m absolutely delighted to have been named Record Keeper of the Year. It means a great deal to have my work recognized by colleagues across the recordkeeping community, particularly as so much of what I do is about collaboration and making digital preservation more accessible and achievable for communities and organizations. I’m very grateful to everyone who voted for me, and to all the colleagues and communities I’ve had the privilege of working with along the way.”
Everyone at the DPC sends their congratulations to Karyn on this well-deserved recognition of her contribution to the digital preservation and recordkeeping community.
The DPC also congratulates all of this year’s ARA award winners and nominees on their achievements and contributions to the archives and recordkeeping community.
ARA Awards Winners 2026
Photo credit: Simon O’Connor for ARA