Acquisition policy

Statutory position

Plymouth and West Devon Record Office defines itself as the primary repository for locally deposited archives for the City of Plymouth, as described in the Local Government (Records) Act 1962 and the Local Government Act 1972. Under the Local Government Act 1992 Plymouth is a Principal Authority. Implicit in this Act are those responsibilities for archive keeping which were made explicit previously under the two Acts of 1962 and 1972. In particular Local Government Act 1972 Section 224, the contents of which were re-iterated by the Department of Education, Transport and the Regions (DETR) and the Local Government Association jointly in 1999.

External recognition

• appointed by the Lord Chancellor as a repository for individually specified classes of public records (Quarter Sessions, coroner, magistrates, health authorities, National Dock Labour Board, Registrar of Shipping and Seamen, Customs and Excise) under the Public Records Act 1958
• designated by the Bishop of Exeter as a repository for ecclesiastical records
• designated as a Place of Deposit (PoD) by the Public Record Office

in addition, although the record office has not yet achieved the necessary standards, it is intended to aim for the following:

• recognition by the Master of the Rolls as a repository for manorial and tithe documents under the Law of Property Act 1922 and the Tithe Act 1936
• recognition by The Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts (HMC) as a suitable repository under the Standard for Record Repositories
• achievement of such standards as Plymouth City Council aspires to, for example Best Value and audit standards, anti-poverty strategy, and ISO accreditation.

Overall policy

Plymouth and West Devon Record Office (the Record Office) will seek to acquire archive material that is, in its judgement, of actual or potential historical value.

Geographical area

The City of Plymouth and West Devon Record Office shares responsibility with Devon Record Office and Devon County Council for an area outside Plymouth and co-terminus with the Archdeaconry of Plymouth. For convenience two distinct territories have been defined. They are Area I, the Plymouth City Council area, and Area II, the parishes outside Plymouth City Council boundaries, but within the Archdeaconry of Plymouth.

A series of criteria applies for deciding on the suitability of Plymouth and West Devon Record Office for the deposit by loan, gift or purchase of archives for Area II.

• Additions to existing collections, particularly where the records relate strongly to the 'geographical area'.
• New accruals where the balance of the collection relates directly or closely to Plymouth even though the collection was generated in Area II.
• Archives, within Area II, whose owner expresses a strong wish to deposit at Plymouth, and where no substantive reason for refusal exists.

Chronological period

No limitations are placed upon accessions by date.

Genre or media of records accepted

• The Record Office will seek to ensure systematic and consistent transfer of such records of Plymouth City Council as may be deemed to have historical value or potential
• the Record Office seeks to acquire primary sources in manuscript, printed, typescript or machine-readable form; also photographs if they are deemed to be archives
• the Record Office seeks to acquire microform copies or facsimiles of archive material that is held in other repositories or private hands, and where the originals might have been acquired under the terms of this policy, had they been available
• printed secondary sources will not normally be accepted unless they comprise an indivisible part of an archive or contain manuscript additions or are of use for interpretation of archive material held
• the Record Office will not normally seek to acquire moving image material, works of art or artefacts. It is the Record Office's policy to recommend the TSW Film and Sound Archive or a suitable museum respectively as the appropriate alternative

Co-operation

The Record Office will try to avoid competition for documents. However when acquisition may be demonstrated to be in line with best archival practice, the case for records to be transferred here will be argued strongly. In cases of dispute between the Record Office and another repository, the advice of a neutral arbiter will be sought.

Methods of acquisition

• Official transfer of Public Records and other officially created series of records
• Donation, which is the preferred mode of acquisition
• Loans may also be accepted, and on occasion purchases made

Disposal

Plymouth and West Devon Record Office has authority to transfer groups of archives to a more suitable repository if it is felt that the documents or the users of the documents would benefit from their re-location.

The Record Office shall, with the agreement of the depositor or donor, evaluate and schedule for destruction those documents not deemed worthy of permanent preservation.

The Record Office accepts the principle that there is a strong presumption against disposal by sale of documents in its custody. In some cases there is an explicit agreement with a donor or grant body that documents will not be sold.

Conditions associated with accessions

It is expected that the transferor has clear and valid title of ownership or trusteeship

• records will not normally be accepted with open-ended closure periods imposed by the depositor (see separate statement)
• no charge is made for the deposit and care of records though the loan deposit terms reserve the right to claim reimbursement for time and materials should the records be withdrawn, without good reason in the view of the Record Office, within an initial period, currently 20 years Plymouth and West Devon Record Office may require contributions, by payment or in kind, towards cataloguing, storage or conservation
• Plymouth City Council does not insure archives in the custody of the Record Office, depositors are advised by the Terms of Deposit to arrange their own cover

Sources

• The Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts 'A Standard for Record Repositories', 1997
• C Kitching and Ian Hart 'Collection Policy Statements' JSA, vol 16 (1995), pp 7-14
• Instrument Designating Record Offices for the Diocese of Exeter, 1999
• Plymouth and West Devon Record Office 'Terms of Deposit'
• Plymouth and West Devon Record Office 'Notes for Depositors'
• DETR/LGA Local Government Act 1972 S.224: Guidance on Proper Arrangements for Records in Local Authority Custody, 1999
• Lord Chancellors Department Command Paper Government Policy on Archives, 1999

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