Limestone Archives Policies
Collection Policy:
The Limestone University Archives is the official repository of records related to the history and operations of Limestone University, including its role in the surrounding community. Its holdings include, annual catalogs, yearbooks, minutes, correspondence, reports, promotional materials, photographs, publications generated by the university community, administrative documents, fiscal records, and legal documents of historical value. The archives also serves as long-term storage for the Winnie Davis Hall of History Museum and for artworks and portraits of historic value to the institution.
The Limestone University Archives is an institutional archives. The archivist and historian acquire, collect, and preserve materials and records relevant to Limestone University, including those indicated above. Donations are welcome, and will be accepted for accessioning pending a review by the archivist, historian, or relevant member of staff. The university archives does not provide monetary appraisals for donated items.
The archivist or other designated member of staff will review all proposed donations for relevance to the collection and condition. Items will be accessioned to the permanent archival and special collections at the discretion of the university archivist. If the position of university archivist is vacant, collections development decisions will be delegated to the archives committee, consisting of the director of the library, the university historian, and their designees.
Donations to the archives are space permitting. The archivist will not accept items that cannot be properly stored or that do not the criteria of the collections development policy.
Regulations:
- The Limestone University Archives will be accessible to the library staff, the University Historian, and the University President. Other individuals interested in using the archives must apply for permission from either the archivist, director of the library, or the university historian.
- Access to the University Archives reading room is by appointment only. All researchers and visitors to the archives are required to sign in at the front desk for access. The archives are available for use only during normal business hours.
- Food and drink are not permitted in the archival rooms. Ink pens are prohibited from the reading room.
- All materials must be handled with great care, and kept in order. If a filing error is suspected, researchers should report it to the sibrary staff.
- Items may be photographed or scanned at the discretion of the staff.
- Researchers may be required to wear cotton gloves (provided) when examining the material.
Evaluation:
The following questions guide the reappraisal and possible subsequent culling of materials in the department:
- Does the material support the collection development policies and mission of the archives?
- Would the collection strengths of the department suffer if the material were culled?
- Are there duplicates of the material in the collections?
- Has the physical condition of the material deteriorated to the point that it can no longer be preserved?
- Is the archives capable of providing proper storage and care for the material? Does the material require continuous special treatment?
- Is there a donor agreement or other legal stipulation that might impose restrictions on culling0?
- Has the donor’s original desire for the collection been honored?
- Has an item been found to be inauthentic (is the material forged or otherwise misrepresented)?
- Do restrictions on use prevent the material from being effectively used for research and education?
- Would culling the material limit public access to the information presented in that material?
Disposal:
Archival materials will be disposed in the following way, according to the appropriate circumstances:
- Materials may be transferred to another institution.
- Materials may be discarded in a proper and safe manner appropriate to the material.
- Materials may be sold; all proceeds are to be disposed of according to university regulations.
- Books or other published works may be offered to the library’s general circulating collections, if appropriate.
Disclosure:
The department will share upon request, according to its guidelines, information about the reasons behind the weeding of material to appropriate parties and how that material will be disposed of.
Copyright:
The Library complies fully with all of the provisions of the U.S. Copyright Law (title 17 U.S. Code) and its amendments. The library strongly supports the Fair Use section of the Copyright Law (17 U.S. Code, 107) which permits and protects citizens’ rights to reproduce and make other uses of copyrighted materials for the purposes of teaching, scholarship, and research.
