ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti ˈeɪt, wɪððə fˈoʊk mˈuːvmənt stɹˈɔŋli səpˈoːɹɾᵻd baɪ ɐ nˈʌmbɚɹ ʌv ˈʌðɚɹ ˌɔːɹɡɐnəzˈeɪʃənz ænd ðə sˈiːdz plˈæntᵻd baɪ ˈɛfds θɹˈaɪvɪŋ, ðɪ ˈɛfds ˈɔltɚd ɪts stɹˈæɾədʒi tə fˈoʊkəs ˌɔn ˌɛdʒuːkˈeɪʃən ænd ˈɑːɹkaɪvɪŋ, wɪð ɪts pɹˈaɪmɚɹi ɡˈoʊl ðə dɪvˈɛləpmənt ʌvðə vˈɔːn wˈɪljəmz məmˈoːɹɪəl lˈaɪbɹɛɹi æz ðə kˈʌntɹiz nˈæʃənəl ˈɑːɹkaɪv ænd ɹᵻsˈoːɹs sˈɛntɚ fɔːɹ fˈoʊk mjˈuːzɪk, dˈæns ænd sˈɔŋ.
In 1998, with the folk movement strongly supported by a number of other organisations and the seeds planted by EFDSS thriving, the EFDSS altered its strategy to focus on education and archiving, with its primary goal the development of the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library as the country's national archive and resource centre for folk music, dance and song.