Statement of Interest
The Fort Nelson Public Library (FNPL), through the Fort Nelson Public Library Northern Rockies Region Archives (“FNPL Archives” or “the Archives”), is dedicated to the preservation of the history of the town of Fort Nelson and the surrounding Alaska Highway communities, within the boundaries of the current Northern Rockies Regional Municipality. To achieve this purpose, the Archives will pursue the proper care of our collections as both a means for research and study and cultural and educational enrichment of our community.
Mandate
The mandate of the FNPL Archives is to acquire, preserve, and provide access to archival materials of value related to the history and culture of local families and district history. The Archives means to serve researchers and the general public.
Scope of Collection
The FNPL Archives collection consists of historic archival material that relates to the history, development, and cultural significance of the town of Fort Nelson and the surrounding Alaska Highway communities within the current boundaries of the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality.
Definition of the Collection
The FNPL Archives collection consists of primary resources related to the history of the town of Fort Nelson and the associated Alaska Highway communities within the current boundaries of the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality (photographs, oral histories, interviews, letters, diary entries, poems, music, etc). Primary resources include items that were created by a witness to, or participant of an event. For storage and preservation purposes, the Archives does not accept physical items defined as artifacts. Those wishing to donate those items should be referred to the Fort Nelson Heritage Museum.
Care of the Collection
The FNPL Archives will be responsible for ensuring that the collections are adequately protected against fire, theft, and vandalism. Consideration must be given to maintaining a high level of awareness and understanding of professional collections standards and procedures.
An important part of the collections’ care procedures shall be the implementation and maintenance of a comprehensive records system that includes the following:
- Documents recording the legal status of the title of an item;
- All correspondence and documents pertinent to an accessioned item;
- Accessioning, cataloguing, and deaccessioning records;
- Digital and print records for each collection;
- Condition and conservation reports and;
- Current location and inventory records.
The Archives Collections Manager/Local History Librarian (the “Archives Manager”) is responsible for the establishment and maintenance of the records system on an ongoing basis.
Access to the Collection and Records
(1) The FNPL Archives storage shall be off-limits to the public and accessible only by the Archives Manager, Library Director, temporary collections staff or interns, or other professionals as designated by the Archives Manager
(2) The Archives Manager shall make every effort to comply with requests for access to and information from the collections that are in keeping with the stated objectives of the FNPL Archives’ goals. The FNPL Archives Research Access and Fee Schedule Policy provides further information on research requests.
(3) Collections records shall remain restricted in use to all individuals, with the exception of the collections staff. Only the basic accessioning information shall be made available for viewing. Donor files and location records shall remain confidential.
(4) The FNPL Archives reserves the right to obtain copies of scholarly publications that result from the utilization of information from its collection.
Conflicts of Interest
(1) No Board Member, FNPL employee, or member of their representative or immediate family shall take advantage of the information available to him or her concerning the acquisition or deaccessioning of collections item(s) for his or her own personal collecting activities unless they are the original donor.
(2) No Board Member, FNPL employee, or member of their representative or immediate family may compete for personal gain in the purchase of any item which is considered or is likely to be considered for the FNPL Archives collection.
(3) No Board Member, FNPL employee, or member of their representative or immediate family may directly or indirectly purchase or otherwise acquire items from the collections through the act of deaccessioning or any other means.
(4) Should conflict develop between the needs of an individual and the FNPL Archives, those of the Archives are always considered to have priority and shall prevail.
Revisions to this Policy
The Archives Collections Manager and Library Director will review the Collections Policies and Procedures no less than once every three years to ensure it is meeting the Archive’s needs. The Policies and Procedures may be revised at any time based on the recommendation of the Archives Collections Manager or Library Director and subject to the final approval of the FNPL Board.
Pages of Interest:
Northern Rockies Region Archives
Research Access, Fees and Services