'Iolani School Archives: Collection Management Policy

Note: Policies are currently under scheduled review - 2022.

Policies

Collection Management Policy

Reading Room Guidelines

'Iolani School Archives
Sullivan Center for Innovation and Leadership

 

I. INTRODUCTION

The ‘Iolani School Archives, established in the late 1970s, is located in the Sullivan Center for Innovation and Leadership, next door to the Upper School Library. The Archives comprises school publications, photographic and multimedia images, artifacts, institutional records, and manuscript collections in analog and digital formats, which elucidate the historical events, growth and development of ‘Iolani School. The ‘Iolani School Archives, managed by a professional archivist, is available for the use of the ‘Iolani community and private researchers by appointment. The following Collection Management Policy describes standards and procedures for acquisition, deaccession, access, preservation and use of all materials in the Archives collection.

 

II. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

The ‘Iolani School Archives collects, organizes and preserves ‘Iolaniana documents, artifacts and other primary source material, which promote an understanding of and appreciation for the history of the school as an institution - and for the individuals who laid its foundations and nurtured its development - in order to make these collections available for research and educational purposes.

 

III. SCOPE OF THE COLLECTION

The Archives collection is comprised of analog and digital formats. Major features of the collection include:

• ‘Iolani serial publications, specifically the yearbook Ka Mo‘olelo O‘Iolani, the ‘Iolani School Bulletin, the school newspaper ‘Imua ‘Iolani, and others;
• Non-print material including photographs, slides, audio cassettes and moving images of ‘Iolani events and people;
• Books by ‘Iolani authors - faculty, staff, alumni, or those about ‘Iolani and its students;
• Scrapbooks;
• Special collections:
  • Father Bray Collection
  • Harold Keables Papers
  • Sun Yat-Sen Collection;
• Artifacts associated with school traditions or commemorating significant events;
• Framed artwork, calligraphy and architectural renderings;
• Newspaper clippings about ‘Iolani;
• Administrative records such as minutes, correspondence and financial records.

 

IV. RESPONSIBILITIES

The Board of Governors and the Head of School have ultimate authority over and responsibility for ‘Iolani School, including its archival collections. Primary management authority is invested in the Head Librarian, who oversees the daily implementation of this policy by the Archivist.

 

V. ACQUISITION POLICY AND OBJECTIVES

Development of the ‘Iolani School Archives collections will be guided by the Statement of Purpose (see Section II). Both analog and digital materials are eligible for acquisition.

A. Materials Relevant for Acquisition

1. Records, books, manuscripts, audiovisual materials, photographs, artifacts, drawings, correspondence, and newspaper clippings that reflect the programs, policy, organization, functions, and other activities related to the daily operations and life of ‘Iolani School.
2. Internal publications of lasting historical value:
   • Ka Mo’olelo O ‘Iolani, the yearbook;
   • The ‘Iolani School Bulletin, a quarterly serial;
   • ’Imua ‘Iolani, the school newspaper, and its precursors;
   • Student literary periodicals;
   • Annual catalogs, handbooks and directories;
   • Summary statements of special ‘Iolani programs.
3. Records, publications or archival materials of other organizations and institutions affiliated with ‘Iolani School, such as the Hawaiian Church Chronicle.

 

B. Method of Acquisition

1. Gifts and bequests. Gifts and bequests may be accepted for the Archives if they meet the criteria of the acquisition policy.
2. Transfer. ‘Iolani materials are transferred as needed from administrative offices and academic departments for permanent retention at the Archives in order to ensure ongoing preservation and accessibility.
3. Purchase. The Archives occasionally purchases materials for its collections but primarily seeks to expand the collections through gifts, bequests and transfer.
4. Exchange. Exchanges with other institutions may be made in accordance with collection objectives outlined in this policy when the Archivist has determined that the net exchange will not diminish the Archives. Proposed exchanges must receive approval of the Head Librarian.

 

C. Selective Acquisition

Acquisition will be selective to prevent indiscriminate growth of collections. In addition to criteria outlined above in A and B, when making decisions regarding acquisition, the Archives will consider its ability to provide adequate storage and preservation for materials, as well as its ability to make accessioned materials available for research and education.

1. The primary source of acquisition will be the various departments of ‘Iolani School. Material produced by other sources may be acquired if an event was not documented by ‘Iolani School.
2. ‘Iolani publications. The Archives may retain up to three copies of a publication.
3. Sun Yat-Sen Collection. The primary focus of the collection is Dr. Sun's education at and relationship with ‘Iolani School.
4. Digital formats that are both standardized and widely used, making it more likely that tools will be developed to ensure long-term access. Content may also be normalized (transformed into another stable format) to provide additional assurance that functionality is preserved.

 

D. Declining Acquisitions

Items and artifacts not conforming to Materials Relevant for Acquisition outlined above in A or meeting any Selective Acquisition criteria in C above will not be acquired by the ‘Iolani School Archives. Wherever possible, the Archives will direct the owner of materials declined for acquisition to another school department, archives or public collection.

 

E. Legal Considerations

The Archives will collect materials only when it is ethically and legally appropriate to do so, upon consideration of applicable Federal, State, local and international law, especially those pertaining to copyright and privacy. The Archives will not accept any materials it has reason to believe were acquired by unethical or illegal means.

 

F. Acknowledgement

All gifts to the collection, as compared with those acquired by transfer, will be acknowledged by the Archivist in writing with the following information: name of donor; description of gift; signature of the Archivist.

 

G. Appraisals

Under no circumstances will Archives or Library staff provide appraisal services to donors or other interested parties.

 

VI. DEACCESSIONS

Although one of the primary reasons of the Archives is to collect and preserve objects in perpetuity, it is occasionally appropriate to deaccession items in order to refine and improve the collections. Due to constraints of budget, staff time and space, the ability of the Archives to adequately care for all of its collections while providing for future growth must be monitored.

Deaccessioning may be considered when materials no longer contribute to the stated purpose and collection objectives of the Archives, when their retention violates the Collection Management Policy, or when they are in such seriously deteriorated condition that they have lost their research potential. An item proposed for disposal is considered on the basis of its documentation, attribution and provenance, condition, quality, cultural origin, research potential and restrictions of use. The presence of duplicate items in the collection will also be considered in making deaccession decisions.

No object or collection will be removed from the Archives or physically disposed of except by strict conformity to the conditions and procedures outlined in this policy.

 

A. Holdings Precluded from Deaccession

The following materials represent core collections and may not be deaccessioned:

1. Professional publications of ‘Iolani School. An ‘Iolani School publication which is not the sole copy may be exchanged with another institution or party in order to obtain an ‘Iolani School publication not currently held in the collections;
2. Materials for which there are no duplicates;
3. Duplicates of items frequently used, out of print or otherwise hard to obtain;
4. Duplicates needed to replace deteriorating original.

 

B. Initiating Deaccession

1. Ownership of an object by the ‘Iolani School Archives will, if possible, be verified before deaccessioning or disposal procedures begin.
2. A written deaccession proposal is then made to the Head Librarian and Head of School by the Archivist. The proposal will include a statement of justification for recommending deaccession and the proposed method of disposal.
3. No object may be deaccessioned without the signature of the Head Librarian and Head of School. The entire process will be documented and permanent records will be kept in the Archives.

 

C. Methods of Disposal

The method of disposal will be determined on a case-by-case basis and must be approved by the Head Librarian at the time h/she considers the deaccession proposal. Some deaccessioned items may be appropriate to transfer in-house to other departments such as the Alumni or Institutional Advancement offices.

Other possible methods for disposal include: exchange, transfer or donation to another school or cultural institution; repatriation to original owner or affiliated cultural group; sale to another institution (private or public) or individual; sale at private auction; disposal as waste; or destruction. Very careful consideration will be given to determining the most appropriate method of disposal for each deaccession.

 

D. Sale of Deaccessioned Items

To prevent any potential conflict of interest, no faculty or staff member, member of the Board of Governors, or any other ‘Iolani official may purchase or otherwise acquire objects deaccessioned by the Archives.

 

VII. ACCESS

The ‘Iolani School Archives is committed to making research materials available to users on equal terms of access. This is in accordance with the standard professional policy on access adopted by the Society of American Archivists and the American Library Association.

 

A. Physical Access

1. The Archives will be open to researchers for reference use on a regular basis, the schedule to be set and posted each semester, or otherwise by special appointment.
2. Researchers from outside of ‘Iolani School will register to use the collection, and must agree to and comply with the policies and procedures imposed by the Archives.
3. The Archivist will assist researchers in the use of catalogs and finding aids and retrieve items as requested.
4. The Archivist reserves the right to restrict use of materials which are exceptionally fragile. Duplicates such as photocopies, typescripts, or digital surrogates may be supplied in place of original materials.
5. ‘Iolani School is under no obligation to facilitate access to the collections for purposes that are inconsistent to or in conflict with the Archives' commitment to preservation, education and research.

 

B. Preservation Statement

A climate-controlled environment will be maintained at all times to protect the archival collections. This includes, but is not limited to, the maintenance of proper temperature and humidity levels in accordance with the physical preservation needs of the various materials housed in the Archives. An Integrated Pest Management System will further monitor the collections.

The Archives will collect digital formats that are both standard and widely used, making it more likely that effective tools will be developed to ensure long-term access. Also, the Archives staff will integrate the creation of backup copies into regular workflows. When necessary, the Archives staff will consult the Information Technology Services Department.

Preservation needs of the collections will be balanced with the commitment to provide scholarly access. Additionally, copyright provisions include the right of libraries and archives to make up to three copies for preservation purposes (Title 17, USC §108). Integrity of and long-term access to materials is the ultimate aim of preservation.

 

C. Restrictions to Access

It is the responsibility of the ‘Iolani School Archives to adhere to existing Federal and State laws governing privacy and confidentiality. The Archives strives to balance the researcher's need for access with the need for confidentiality of persons and departments whose activities are reflected in the materials. Therefore, the use of some materials in the ‘Iolani School Archives is subject to restrictions.

1. Records that may be restricted include:
   1. Materials containing information, the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy or a libel of a living person;
   2. Materials containing confidential business and financial information;
   3. Materials containing confidential employment or personnel information;
   4. Materials by request of the donor, pursuant to the provisions of the Deed of Gift.
2. Restricted records may be disclosed only:
   1. To regular employees of the ‘Iolani School Archives in the performance of normal archival work on such materials;
   2. To those officers and employees of the office of origin or its successor in function who have a need for the record in the performance of their duties;
   3. If the depositing office agrees to its release;
   4. To the named individual, his/her descendants, or authorized representative;
   5. If the party with whom the confidential relationship has been established agrees to its release;
   6. To the donor of the materials or to the donor's designees, pursuant to the provisions of the Deed of Gift;
   7. In accordance of State and Federal law.

 

D. Loan Policy

This loan policy has been established to ensure the safety and security of the objects in the ‘Iolani School Archives' collection. The archival collection is non-circulating; materials are not loaned to individuals. Loans are made as determined by the Archivist. Loans for on-campus exhibition will be considered for faculty and staff of ‘Iolani School departments. With the approval of the Archivist, certain materials may be loaned to responsible external offices and institutions, often for exhibition, reproduction, or preservation.

Each loan request is judged on its own merits and the final decision to loan an item(s) is based on the following criteria:

• the condition of the item(s);
• the format of the item(s);
• the nature and length of the exhibition;
• the facilities of the borrowing department/institution;
• the anticipated need of the item(s) for the Archives' own research or exhibition purposes.

Some objects in the collection are not available for loan, including those judged too fragile or too environmentally sensitive to travel. If loan is permitted, proper documentation is required.

The Archives exists to preserve surviving documentation. Lending an original document, photograph, or file outside the Archives imperils its survival. Therefore, archival loans are rare and carefully managed to ensure protection of material during its absence.

 

E. Duplication and Publication

The ’Iolani School Archives is responsible for safeguarding and preserving collections for both their physical and intellectual posterity. In order to ensure this, as well as provide a balance between the needs of patrons and the rights of the copyright holder, all requests for duplication will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Reproduction may be subject to a fee based on cost of materials. Fee information will be made available to the patron prior to ordering.

The Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S. Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse duplication if, in its judgment, said duplication would involve a violation of law.

Requests for copies of large amounts of materials are discouraged, and may not be permitted under copyright law. Patrons with extensive requests for research purposes are strongly encouraged to study in the ’Iolani School Archives' Reading Room.

The Archivist will provide photocopies or digital scans of materials which are structurally suited to this process, i.e., strong enough to withstand the rigors of duplication. Methods of duplication may be limited if determined necessary to protect the originals from damage.

Personal photographs may be taken in the Reading Room upon approval and supervision of the Archivist or Archives staff. Due to issues of preservation, no additional lighting or flash may be used. No unauthorized copies or publication should result from personal photography.

Duplication of multimedia materials will be handled by the ‘Iolani School Audiovisual Department, except under special circumstances. Please allow at least two week for duplication of multimedia materials.

Requests for permission to publish need to be submitted in writing. The Archives will permit publication of its materials for scholarly or educational purposes, subject to reasonable conditions, including those related to copyright law, intellectual property restrictions and donor restrictions. In addition, the ’Iolani School Archives must be credited in use.

The Archives does not hold copyright on all materials in its collections. Users are responsible for obtaining permission to publish from any other copyright holders. The researcher assumes all responsibility for complying with libel, privacy and copyright laws.

THE GUEST WILL DEFEND, INDEMNIFY, AND HOLD HARMLESS THE ‘IOLANI SCHOOL ARCHIVES, AND THE ‘IOLANI SCHOOL, ITS OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AND AGENTS AGAINST ALL CLAIMS, DEMANDS, COSTS, AND EXPENSES INCLUDING ATTORNEY'S FEES INCURRED BY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT OR ANY OTHER LEGAL OR REGULATORY CAUSE OF ACTION ARISING FROM THE USE OF THE ‘IOLANI SCHOOL ARCHIVES.

The 'Iolani School Archives requires that a gratis copy of any publication (in any medium) that is based on its materials be given to the ’Iolani School Archives for its collections.

 

VIII. CONCLUDING STATEMENT

The Archives' staff strives to provide long-term access to these irreplaceable and culturally valuable materials. Any eventuality or circumstance not addressed in this Collection Management Policy will be informed by the principles of preservation and by an enduring commitment to retaining the historical heritage of ‘Iolani School through its archival records.