New Zealand ArchivistVol I No 2 Winter/June 1990 ISSN 0114-7676

A Stimulating ExperienceCollege Archives Workshop, 9-10 March 1990

Padianne W Neely

Many colleges throughout New Zealand have seriously neglected their historical records, and these have fallen victim to damp, mildew, dust, sil verfish, rodents, and theft. But over the last few years this problem has slowly been recognised, as colleges become aware of the losses and appoint archivists to rectify the matter.

Ray and Pauline Hogg have spent the last eight years establishing an archives at Kings College Auckland. Their work has attracted attention from many other colleges anxious to learn how the preserve their heritages. The interest in their efforts led to the Auckland Branch of ARANZ, in conjunction with Kings College, organising a workshop to show the other colleges how to set up an archives. Jocelyn Hicks, a Woolf Fisher award winner from Diocesan School Auckland, co-ordinated the workshop, which was held on Friday 9 and Saturday 10 March 1990.

Twenty-three participants, with seventeen colleges represented, attended. The experience of the people involved ranged from 'absolutely nil', to individuals who had been labouring away independently through trial and error, to some well practised archivists. This was discovered when each person was asked to give a brief resume of their personal involvement.

The programme on the first day was held at Kings College and a welcome was extended to those present by the Headmaster, John Taylor, and from Janet Foster, Chair of the Auckland Branch of ARANZ. Ray and Pauline Hogg then addressed the workshop on the history of the IGngs College archive programme, which they began in 1983. They spoke of requirements such as finance and salaries, and the importance of a good budget at the start of the project. They emphasised space in which to work, proper storage facilities, accessibility, security and conservation of materials, and the necessity of support from the various organisations within the col­lege. They also stressed the importance of recording work completed and hours spent doing this work.

Thelma McWatt, the official Kings College photogra­pher was introduced, and participants were told of the importance of recording every facet of college life on film and video. An inspection of the College allowed everyone to view such areas of interest as the magnifi­cent Chapel windows, the Great Hall tapestry, and the large dining room with its splendid collection of team photographs. The archives rooms were of major inter­est, as were the displays of newspaper files, photo­graphic storage, videotapes, badges, uniforms, table settings of crested college crockery, and the compre­hensive filing system.

The second day of the workshop was held at Na­tional Archives, and participants were treated to the expertise of Mark Stoddart and Narelle Scollay, and given plenty of prepared notes for later perusal. Mark and Narelle discussed the workings of National Ar­chives, and how the organisation was able to assist groups such as those represented. They explained in detail the basics of archives including such things as ac­quisition and accession registers and their layout, the importance of provenance, listing and labelling, and they showed examples of guides for the location of material. Two exercises for "hands on" experience were even squeezed in. Rosanna Orange, a conservator who is presently a student at the School of Architecture,

In This Issue

College Archives Workshop Padianne W Neely

National Archives Auckland Staff

Archives Education in AustraliaSue McKemmish, Frank Upward, Ann Pederson

Managing Unlisted and Disordered Accessions Mark Stevens

New Local Government Archives Schedule Editorial notes and comment

NZSA NewsNew members; progress with constitution; Direc­tory and other projects; Special General Meeting.

News ItemsCode of Ethics for Genealogists; Newspaper Collec­tions, care and use; Ordering archives books from the USA; Maori thesaurus; Charges for access; APPM 2nd edition; Directory of software for archives; ASA conference 1991; An historian's view of archi­vists; Archival value of personnel files; Transitions; Archives cutback and closed.

About the Contributors

Small Adverts

Auckland University, then demonstrated encapsula­tion, and the repair of documents using handmade tissue. The group were given advice about materials used for simple repair work and for storage of artifacts, as well as lists of tire names of suppliers.

This was probably the first course in New Zealand to be held dealing only with college archives. A vast amount of information was covered. It was a wonderful chance for people to share their similar interests and responsibilities for the care of many kinds of memora­bilia, and discuss the common problems which seem at times so large when individuals work alone. The oppor­tunity to see an actual working college archives was extremely valuable. The follow-up workshop planned for later in the year is looked forward to with anticipa­tion!

Course participants were: Mrs Tattersfield & Doreen Boughen, St Cuthberts College; Jeanette Muggeridge, ARANZ; Bro. Lawrence Bennett, Marist Brothers; Brent Mayson, Tikipunga High School; Sr Karin, Marist Sis­ters College; Peter McLaughlin, Macleans College; Pauline & Ray Hogg, Kings College; Arthur Lennan, Kings School; Sr Gaulter, Baradene College; Greg Cave, Mt Albert Grammar School; Joyce Fairgray, Otahuhu College; Angela Edgington, Jocelyn Hicks, Beverley Williamson, Diocesan School; David Voisey, Manurewa High School; Gaye Robertson, Woodford House; Eve­lyn Ross, Kristin School; Patricia Hammond, Dargaville School; Padianne Neely, Scots & Queen Margaret Col­leges; Narelle Scollay, National Archives, Janet Foster, Anglican Diocese of Auckland Archives.

Archival Value of Personnel FilesThe bulk of the files accumulated by any sizeable or­

ganisation on its individual employees is a deterrent to archival retention. For the most part these files contain routine papers on salary increments, annual leave enti­tlements, promotions transfers and so forth. It is rare to find them earmarked for permanent retention. If any are saved as archives, it is on some sample basis, per­haps no more sophisticated than the retention of files of top managers only. Intermediate retention usually expires a few years after departure of the individual.

But two recent cases in New Zealand should serve as a warning that such a retention policy may be no longer appropriate. The routine destruction of personnel files in the former Ministry of Works means that no scientific analysis can now be undertaken to discover details of staff exposure to asbestos during power station con­struction up to forty years ago. This has become a public issue with the decision by an ex-employee to sue the government (as his former employer) for $2M in respect of a mesothelioma condition that could be related to asbestos exposure (Evening P ost26 April 1990). Earlier, in 1987, it was only the survival of naval service records that permitted the Defence Department to attempt to track navy personnel who may have been exposed to nuclear radiation during the Christmas Island atmos­pheric hydrogen bomb tests in 1957.(EvngPostl Octo­ber and 18 November 1987).

Archivists have long been aware of the potential uses of systematically-retained personnel records for re­search purposes, but have to balance that against the limited resources that are available for preserving these bulky series. Now a new weight may have been placed

on the scales. Does the emerging trend by which Society expects greater accountability and responsibility by employers to their employees, tip the archival balance in favour of preservation? Should archivists and rec­ords managers recognise an increased likelihood of permanent administrative and legal value in personnel records?

TransitionsIan Thwaites has retired as Librarian at the Auck­

land War Memorial Institute & Museum. His replace­ment is Peter Hughes, formerly with the Auckland University Library. The Chief Librarian of the Alexan­der Turnbull Library, Jim Traue, will retire at the end of June and take up a teaching fellowship at Victoria University School of Librarianship. At the New Zea­land Film Archive, Jonathan Dennis has resigned as Director, and Cheryl Linge is Acting Director pending a permanent appointment. The Film Archive Board of Trustees has also appointed an interim management team of senior staff: Elizabeth Street, Cushla Vula, Peter Sakey, and Vincent Dwyer. At National Ar­chives (Wellington), Iri Barber, Michael Jarker, and Alison Midwinter have joined the staff as Archives Assistants. Jonathon London has been appointed Conservator. Clive Sowry is on study leave to the University of NSW to complete the archives diploma. Sarah Bush and John Lozowsky have transferred to the Records Management Branch, as RM Advisory Offi­cers. In the National Archives regional offices, Philippa Fogerty (Christchurch) has resigned, to travel overseas, Sarah McAlley (Auckland) is also leaving for travel offshore, and Ian Thwaites is assisting with the ar­rangement and description of Railways plan records in the Northern Regional Office, Auckland. Under the auspices of the Auckland Public Library, Theresa Graham and Jane Wild are surveying Maori research sources, and research resources in Auckland.

An Historians View of Archives & Archivists

"Archives are a resource whose usefulness depends on the knowledge and enthusiasm of their custodians. The searcher is helpless without them. Fortunately, archivists are a genus who seem actually to get their satisfaction from locating for you what you want. At the prototype of them all, the Public Records Office in London... I once asked for the papers of the English delegation to the Hague Conference of 1899 and re­ceived the originals within fifteen minutes.... The chief disadvantage of the PRO is gastronomical: there is no place to eat a quick lunch in Chancery Lane... and when absorbed in a pile of original papers one hates to waste time by going far afield for food. In these circumstances my solution is a small package of raisins and nuts which can be carried in one's purse and eaten surreptitiously while working.... JMJajor archival collections [are] places so seductive that, notwithstanding the nutritional handi­caps, historians have been known to enter and never emerge, or at least never publish because they cannot bear to bring their research to an end."

Barbara Tuchman, 'The Houses of Research', originally published in Authors Guild Bulletin, March 1972. Re­printed in Practising History, London (MacMillan Papermac) 1983: pp76-79.

National Archives Auckland StaffStaff of the Northern Regional Office of National Archives pose in the T-shirts they wore in the 'Round the Bays Run', 18 March 1990. From left: Mark Stoddart (Regional Archivist), Ruth Stoddart (Senior RM Advisory Officer), Narelle Scollay (Archivist), Sarah McAlley (Archives Assistant), Deidre Ayrton (Typist/Receptionist), Leigh Duncan (Archivist), and Torrance Scott (Records Centre Assistant). Absent: Barry Jordan (Records Centre Manager), Coral Hair (RM Advisory Officer). Photograph: Gil Hanly.

Archives Education in AustraliaUniversity level education in archives practice or

management is available at two principal institutions in Australia - Monash University in Melbourne, and the University of New South Wales, in Sydney. The latter is the more familiar to New Zealand archivists because numbers of us have undertaken the Diploma course in Sydney. National Archives in particular has forged a strong connection with UNSW and sends one staff member there nearly every year. In 1990, Clive So wry the National Archives film archivist, is at UNSW.

The University of Melbourne Institute of Education, in Melbourne, also offers a graduate diploma in ar­chives and records management. This is offered to part­time students only, and is thus less likely to attract people from New Zealand, but details will appear in the next issue of NZA.

Entry to university in Australia is not difficult for New Zealanders. The major obstacle is the need to uproot from job, and perhaps family, and support oneself financially in Australia for the academic year (March to October). The rewards are exposure to the larger archivist community across the Tasman, the opportunities to learn, to make contact with a range of archivists and absorb a wider range of viewpoints, and to think and reflect on archives concerns which is diffi­

cult to do under the daily pressure of our normal jobs.Both Monash and UNSW offer one year Diploma

courses, for which the prerequisite is normally an undergraduate degree. This can be waived in excep­tional circumstances. One can also build on the Di­ploma course, taking further study for a year or two for a Masters level degree in archives.

Graduate School of Librarianship, Records, and In­formation Management, Monash University.Sue McKemtnish and Frank Upward

The Master of Arts (Archives and Records) is a two- part course designed as a first professional qualification and can be taken full-time over two years or part-time over 4-6 years. Part I provides a general education in recordkeeping, associated information, records and archives services, and their environment. Part II pro­vides students with an opportunity to develop speciali­sations and pursue advanced study through a range of electives and thesis work.

The Diploma in Archives and Records Management is a one-part course that provides a general education in archives and records management services and an over­view of the context in which these services operate. The six required courses are in fact the same as for Part I of

Managing Unlisted and Disordered Accessions

the Masters degree. The course is taken over one year full-time, or two years part-time.LBD409 Computers in Information Transfer.LBD451 Information Services (Archives & Records). LBD452 Information Science & Technology LBD453 Managing Information & Cultural Heritage ResourcesLBD454 Handling Recorded Information.LBD455 Literature of Archives & Records Manage­ment.

Part II normally consists of three elective courses, plus a thesis weighted at 25%. Electives are chosen from those offered by the School, or from appropriate courses in other departments or faculties at Monash or related campuses. Some of the more obviously relevant courses for archivists include:LB501 Management of Library & Information Services LB511 Preservation of Library & Archival Materials. LB551 Issues in Archives & Records Management LB552 The Impact of Technology on Archives & Rec­ords Management.

In 1990 there are eleven students enrolled in Part I of the Masters or Diploma, and six enrolled in Part II of the Masters.

All enquiries to: the Chairman, Graduate School of Librarianship, Records, and Information Management, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, VIC 3168. Telephone (03) 565-2959.

School of Librarianship, University of New South Wales.Ann Pederson

This year the UNSW course has about forty students enrolled for the Diploma of Information Management (Archives Administration), which confirms its place as the most significant archives education programme anywhere south of the Equator. The diploma is taught alongside a Library diploma, and the two share some 'common core' courses, which cover basic principles of information storage retrieval and utilisation which are common to all information environments. A Masters qualification in archives is also available from UNSW, and there are plans to repackage it into a 'Diploma plus one more year' course. Other development plans in­clude expanding records management and automation subjects in the archives courses. The elements of the Diploma (showing the hours devoted to each, in brack­ets) are:Common Core Subjects55.400 Information Storage & Retrieval (77).55.401 Information Technology & Media (42).55.402 The Information Environment (56).Total core hours: (175).Archives Subjects55.641 Archive Theory & History (28).55.642 Management of Archives (77).55.643 Administrative History (28).55.644 Records Management (28).55.645 Conservation of Archive Materials (30).55.646 Archives Fieldwork (120).55.647 Special Project (28).Total archives hours: (339).

All enquiries to: The Chairperson, School of Librari­anship, UNSW, PO Box 1, Kensington, NSW 2033. Telephone (02) 697-3438, Fax (02) 313-7092.

Mark Stevens

It is not unusual for records to arrive at the Archives without any accompanying list, and in no clear order. This can happen, for example, as a result of an emer­gency rescue operation to save archi ves from danger or remove them from an unsatisfactory location. It may also arise when records are deposited at short notice or with no warning at all. This article is based mainly on experiences in the Auckland Regional Office of Na­tional Archives in the mid 1980s, and in particular on a number of operations to retrieve archives from the flood-prone town of Thames.

The material was for the most part nineteenth and early twentieth-century in origin, and largely in the form of volumes, and bundles of papers. Large volumes used as registers or accounting record books often survive in precarious situations when papers and files are destroyed or eroded. This is partly because a heavy book, protected by its covers, resists better than flimsier record formats. It may also result from a measure of human respect accorded to impressive-looking vol­umes, that is not extended to files and papers.

The objective of an archivist on taking custody of a consignment of such records must be to gain a sufficient measure of physical and intellectual control over them to be able to(a) provide a receipt for the former owner or control­

ler,(b) maintain the chain of custody by recording Ar­

chives control,(c) locate the items for users, provide at least an

elementary finding aid to guide them, and(d) note any necessary future action (for example a

conservation problem) and record any clues or in­formation that could assist later work.

Physical control is easier, and this article assumes the Archives has in place both an accessions record system, and a location control system: so that you can tell where the items came from, and where you have housed them. Intellectual control can be more difficult. Accessions that arrive or are rounded up under difficult conditions or without warning frequently present problems such as:(a) The chain of provenance of the records (or some

of them) may be uncertain even if the donor or forwarder is known There may have been earlier creators/users/custodians, about whom you can discover little without extensive research and who may not even be apparent to you at first. In the case of records retrieved from Thames Hospital for example, we gradually discovered that most were not originally from that institution at all. They were from hospitals and community charitable bodies later absorbed by Thames Hospital, and their records presumably taken over, too.

(b) The original order of some or all of the items may well be quite unclear, and require a degree of detailed study that cannot possibly be done until much later if at all. The relationship between dif­ferent items (a ledger and cashbook, for example) may only be able to be tentatively reconstructed,

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or there may be within a volume or bundle of papers some apparently significant changes of use or format.

Given the difficulties, experience suggests there is an optimal strategy to manage these sorts of accessions of records, by following the steps set out in the remainder of this article.

1. Item identificationThis is the very first step: each item in the accession

must be given a unique identification as a reference and control code. The order in which these are allocated need bear no relation to how the items may fit with one another, either physically or intellectually, so long as the codes are unique, that every item has one, and that they tie the items into the same accession.

Item identification consists of two parts: the acces­sion number, and the item number within the accession. So the first item in accession A431 is A431/1, then A431/2 and so on.

Volumes should be identified with bookmarks cut from long strips of acid-free paper or very light card - cut them the same height as the volumes, and about 50mm wide.. The markers should be split vertically to within about 75mm of the top, and the tails inserted to either side of an endpaper. This prevents the marker slipping out, and leaves a 'flag' 50x75mm poking out of the top of the volume, for recording identification codes. Do not stick labels on the spines of old volumes, or write on them directly. Such directly-applied marks should be applied in a standard form inside the cover. Loose papers and folders should be boxed, and identified at that level rather than individually.

2. Preliminary sortingIt is useful to begin by sorting the items, being careful

not to break up any surviving original order (such as bundles that have clearly been long tied together, or loose index-folders inside volumes). The sorting serves several purposes.(a) Provides clues as to the provenance and order of

the archives, for picking up later when more de­tailed investigation is possible. Sorting also helps reveal more immediately important links, such as between registers and their indexes.

(b) Enables archivists to become more familiar with the material than is usually the case when simply packing or unpacking it during transfer. In par­ticular sorting allows one to think interactively about how items and series could be entered in the inventory, lessening the risk of misunderstood or inconsistent citation.

I have always found the ideal space to do this sorting is a large area of floorspace, where it is possible to spread the items around like pieces of a jigsaw - which in effect they are, only you won't know how many may be missing or what the final picture may be! But obvi­ously a clear tabletop will be large enough in other cases.

3. Card entriesThis is the most time-consuming part of the task, and

so it is important to strike a balance between recording so much detail that the job slows to a crawl, and so little that satisfactory identification cannot be made.

For every item, a card must be completed, bearing in the top left comer the accession and item numbers. Lined cards, 75x100mm are suitable. Capture of the following data about each item is desirable, as far as as it can be determined.(a) Provenance.Not necessarily the transferring agency, which is al­ready tied in via the accession number and accession control system, but the creating agency if this is differ­ent and can be determined. For example, all the items in accession A431 were transferred from Thames Hospi­tal. But the two cards illustrated show that some items, at least, had different creating agencies.(b) Item title.Consistency is vital here, and there may be some false starts, for example failure to distinguish press-copy letterbooks and letterbooks, or confusing different types of financial records. The preliminary sorting will help you to establish some ground rules. Many volumes are pre-headed and ruled, and tend to be self-titling - but check that they have actually been used for the intended purpose. Bundles of papers and artificial items will require some imposed title [which should go in square brackets] such as 'Business licence applications'.(c) Date range.This can be tricky to establish, especially for cash books and other accounting records, where the dates may be recorded only as day and month. Also difficult can be press-copy letterbooks, which often record only the terminal digit of the year: for example '6', which could be 1896,1906, etc.(d) Volume number, content runs.Many volumes are identified by creators or intermedi­ate custodians, for example with spine labels and numbers. These are worth recording as they can help tie items into a series, and can point to changes in admini­stration (when a new numeration began).For clusters (bundles, boxes ...) of papers, and for registers and record books, note the run of registration numbers that each contains.(e) Indexed items,enclosures, loose papers.Note if the item (usually a volume) is indexed. Note also if there are loose papers or enclosures, although a specific description of what they are is not necessary unless some appear of unusual significance, such as photographs or a loose index.(0 Multiple use.If an item has been used more than once, for different purposes, then a separate card is required for each usage - the same item identification code is always used. It is not uncommon to discover a volume initially used for one purpose has been recycled at a later date. The provenances of the two or more bits can differ considerably.(g) Conservation ratingIf the item shows damage that requires conservation treatment to prevent further deterioration, the details of the damage should be briefly noted.

4. Sort the cardsThe principal advantage of completing cards, be­

sides the facility with which errors may be corrected, is that the items may be intellectually shuffled and rear­ranged into order, by manipulating the cards.

When doing this, rules to bear in mind are:(a) Primary division of the items should be by prove­

nance, if more than one creating agency is in­volved. This is the case when for example, an agency sends you records of its predecessors as well as its own records. Items whose provenance cannot be confirmed may be listed at the end.

(b) If, within a group of items with the same prove­nance, series are not to be specifically delimited (perhaps because the items are too few or too various) then items should be listed in some hier­archical pattern, and the pattern repeated for each grouping. For example place letterbooks before accounting records, ledgers before cashbooks.

5. Compile the inventoryThe inventory sections illustrated give the general

layout suggested, compiled from the final arrangement of the cards.The main heading at the top of every page, refers to the transferring agency. Subheadings show the various creating agencies whose records turned up in the accession - that is, the different provenance group­ings.

The cards themselves should be retained after the in­ventory has been compiled. Refiled into item number order, they will serve as a shelf-list showing items in physical order (whereas the inventory shows intellec­tual order).

IllustrationsExamples of cards completed for three physical items,

or four intellectual items, in an accession; and sample sections fromthe inventory later compiled for the same accession.

New Local Government Archives ScheduleExtract from NZ Gazette,15 February 1990, No. 23, p. 452

Protection of Local Archives - Notice Specifying Classes of Local Archives that may not be Destroyed Unless Prior Approval is given by the Chief Archivist Pursuant to section 256(1) of the Local Government Act 1974, the Chief Archivist hereby gives notice that the classes of local archives specified in the Schedule hereto may not be destroyed by the local authority having custody of them without the prior approval of the Chief Archivist, and without notifying the Chief Archivist of its intention to destroy those archives.The notice by the Chief Archivist published in the New Zealand Gazette, of 5 June 1980, No. 63 on page 1695 is hereby revoked.

Schedule1. Local Authority meeting papers, consisting of

agenda, a set of signed minutes, monthly, annual and special reports, meeting papers and signifi­cant correspondence tabled.

2. Electoral records: those specifically created by the authority, including rolls, returning officers' dec­laration of results, reports, ratepayers' lists and

official returns from local elections and polls.3. Rate records, within the meaning of section 113 of

the Rating Powers Act 1988 or any former enact­ments, made on an annual basis or whenever rates are levied and collected.

4. Statutory records relating to local Acts of Parlia­ment, local by-laws and standing orders, includ­ing one sealed copy of all existing, superseded and consolidated by-laws, and registers of licences issued under statute, including those of cultural and natural features preserved under authority.

5. Legal records relating to agreements, contacts, legal opinions and registers and indexes for these.

6. Financial records: including one audited set of annual accounts, statements and statistics, reports and capital loan programme records, a selection of ledgers and cash books illustrating significant activities and registers of plant and equipment.

7. Planning records: one set of draft and final certi­fied or sealed planning scheme papers and maps relating to development applications, public hear­ings and approval documents for district, mari­time and regional or district schemes and locally generated civil defence plans and programmes.

8. Property records, including registers of all prop­erty owned, leased or administered by the author­ity, maps and plans of subdivisions, complete with registers and indexes, and all property and permit files.

9. Policy records, including correspondence files, manuals and procedures and circulars specific to the authority.

10. Master copies, or negatives, of all visual and sound archives consisting of photographic records, in­cluding aerial photographs: video, film and sound records; art works, including posters; prints, models, sculptures and illuminated addresses.

11. Publicity material, including one mint set of an­nual reports, brochures, newsletters, press state­ments, newspaper clippings and scrapbooks.

12. Cemetary records: registers and indexes and (sic) burials cremations and grave plots as well as plans of cemetary plots.

13. Registers and indexes to correspondence and list­ings of all records destroyed and those retained as archives.

14. Staff records, salary lists and wagebooks, registers of current and previous staff and a selection of rep­resentative or significant personal files.

15. Works and development records, tenders, con­tract documents, specifications, plans, especially as built, photographs and other records relating to major and significant works undertaken by the authority.

16. Valuation rolls and farm land rolls.17. Maps and plans produced or commissioned by

the authority and registers and indexes to these.18. Similar classes of archives belonging to merged,

preceding, abolished or other authorities, now in the custody of the local authority.

Dated at Wellington this 12th day of February 1990.R F GROVER, Chief Archivist

Editorial notes & commentThis new schedule of local government archives

greatly extends the number of different types of records

that must not be destroyed without approval from the Chief Archivist. The previously operative (1980) sched­ule by contrast covered only records referred to in sections (1),(2),(3),(16),(18), and parts of (4),(6),(7),(12) and (15). In this sense the new schedule is a step back towards the comprehensiveness of the first (1978) ar­chives schedule, which was withdrawn in 1980 as too complex to apply in practice.

This time a generally reasonable balance may have been struck, between the management and resourcing realities of local government, and the values of archives both administratively and culturally.

There are a few places in which the new schedule seems less satisfactory, by imposing on local govern­ment a potential burden that is difficult to justify except by rather global claims for the scope and value of archives.

For example: section (10) of the schedule identifies 'models' as archival. Such objects are usually architec­tural models of new buildings, parks etc. They are typically bulky, fragile, constructed of temporary mate­rials, not supposed to last, and are furthermore only supplements to plans and drawings. Preservation of 'models' as archives is a potential major burden. They require special storage and conservation treatment. And the justification must be marginal at best - possible exhibition value, perhaps? Where is the permanent legal, fiscal or administrative value, or informational val ue, that is supposed to characterise archival records?

Other examples where there could have been some tightening up are in section (6) where it is possible to read an intention to require the preservation of all financial records, and section (16) which perpetuates the silly situation that arises because nearly all local government valuation rolls are no more than copies of Valuation New Zealand rolls. Why not state that only rolls compiled by the local authority or to its specifica­tions, are required to be retained as archives? Such a dis­tinction is made in section (2). And the whole question of rating records has been sidestepped again, bearing in mind the electronic formats used by most local govern­ments for years now, which imply a constantly chang­ing database and indeed the existance of 'virtual rec­ords' in the information management sense.

The intent behind the extension of the 1980 schedule in this revision appears to be twofold. Firstly to bring within the definition of 'local archives' some important omissions in the earlier enactment: for example works and development records. Secondly to increase the degree of oversight that National Archives exercises over local government records disposal. My interpreta­tion is that the extension of coverage to most or all categories of records created by local government, and the use of inclusive words and definitions in the sched­ule, will mean that virtually any records disposal will require an application to the Chief Archivist. It will be interesting to learn how National Archives responds to the requests it will now inevitably receive to destroy classes of records covered by the new schedule.

If local governments can be convinced of the wide values of archives (and there are signs that this is happening) then this new schedule will be a sound basis on which to establish an archives management programme.

The Records Management Branch of National Ar­chives (which among other activities provides consul­

tancy services to local government on a user-pay basis) has published two booklets that supplement the sched­ule. The first, Our Local Heritage Is In Danger, provides an introduction to key archives and records concepts, and on how to establish an archives programme. The second, Saving Our Past For The Future, suggests some of the values of local archives, and provides elementary guidance in interpreting the schedule itself. The book­lets are obtainable from the Records Management Branch, National Archives, PO Box 6580/Fax 828-789 Wellington, or Box 2220/Fax 732-748 Auckland.

NZSA NewsNew MembersWelcome to the following new members of NZSA. Marcia Baker (A)Methodist Church, PO Box 931 Christchurch Anna Blackman (P)Archivist, Dunedin City Council, PO Box 5243 Dunedin Sean Brosnahan (P)Archivist, Otago Early Settlers Museum,220 Cumberland St EiunedinRosemary Collier (P)Archives consultant, PO Box 11-100 Wellington Janet Foster (P)Diocesan Archivist, Anglican Diocese of Auckland, PO Box 37-242 Auckland Gail HamblinArchivist, NZI Corporation, PO Box 3476 AucklandBro. Gerard HoggSenior Archivist, Marist Archives,342 Oriental Pde Wellington Anne Hutchison (A)Dept of Conservation, 32 Park St Hokitika Terri McClintock (P)Archives & Records Mgr, Manukau City Council, Private Bag Manukau CityRichard Overy (P)Archives consultant, PO Box 1405 Wellington Alan Richardson (A)Dept of Librarianship, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600 WellingtonStephen Riley (P)Senior Archivist, Radio NZ Sound Archives,PO Box 275 TimaruFrank Rogers (P)Archives consultant & publisher, 43 Gordon Rd PlimmertonCheryl Y Simes (P)Consultant archivist,Bruntwood Road, RD1, CambridgeMark Stoddart (P)Regional Archivist, National Archives PO Box 2220 AucklandRuth Stoddart (P)Senior Records Mgmt Advisory Officer,National Archives PO Box 2220 Auckland

By press time, eight libraries and other institutions in New Zealand and Australia had also subscribed to New Zealand Archivist.

Progress with ConstitutionThe Constitutional Review Committee is busy pre­

paring revisions to our foundation Rules, and the new Constitution for NZSA will be ready for presentation to the SGM on 14 August (see below). The tenor of the present Rules is being continued. The names of, and qualification for, classes of membership will be some­what revised, to allow for Auxiliary (present Associ­ate), Ordinary (present Professional) members, plus the grade of Associates for Ordinary members meeting certain requirements of experience and qualifications - in other words fully professional archivists.

Special General MeetingThis will take place on Tuesday 14 August 1990,

starting at about 5.00pm. The venue has not yet been finalised. It will be in Wellington. Members will receive full details, and meeting papers, through the post nearer to meeting time, but please mark your diaries now. We are planning to provide supper. The meeting will fall into two parts: the SGM called to ratify the new Consti­tution only; and a less formal forum for members to discuss the direction of NZSA and what they would like to see it doing in the future. Among the topics that will likely come up are: training initiatives; a code of ethics and NZ adaptation of the 'role delineation' developed by SAA (see NZA #1); and plans for the 1991 Confer­ence.

Directory of Archivists in NZGood progress is being made with this project. The

paperwork (information circular, form for providing entries, sample entries etc) has been developed and is under pilot testing. It will probably be mailed out to all known NZ archivists sometime in late June or early July. Responses will be due by 1 September and DANZ will be published in November/December.

Other projectsProgress with the employment resource document

project has been slower but it is moving forward. It won't be out this year, however.

Council decided not to proceed with a Conference this year, partly because the workload was becoming too heavy, and partly because of a wish not to prempt ARANZ who normally hold their Conference in the only feasible timeslot, August-October. We have tenta­tively rescheduled for around March 1991 and will be seeking membership views about this at the meeting on 14 August. If you cannot be there, please write to us with your ideas.

Code of Ethics for Professional Genealogists and Record Agents

The Genealogical Research Institute of New Zealand Inc has published this Code as a leaflet. It covers obliga­tions to the profession and the client, and standards of research and reporting. Also included is a guide for clients, to help them evaluate services offered, and advising on what expectations are reasonable. Copies of the code are available from GRINZ, PO Box 36-107 Lower Hutt.

Newspaper Collections: Care and UseTwo significant leaflets on this subject have recently

been published by the Alexander Turnbull Library. They are entitled New Zealand Newspapers, how to use them for research, and Newspapers, how to look after them.

The first leaflet is designed to help intending re­searchers, and includes: information about what in­dexes may be available, including on-line databases; general information about original and microfilm hold­ings; and related records such as clippings services. There are also useful sections suggesting how newspa­per material can be related to other research sources, and a listing of major metropolitan papers and their dates of publication.

The second leaflet is for custodians of newspaper col­lections. It covers preservation concerns, including shelving, humidity, water and pest damage, and the handling and repair of newspaper volumes. Also cov­ered is the technique of encapsulating newspaper pages for display. The national newspaper preservation strat­egy being folio wed by the Na tional Library is explained, and there are references and suggestions for obtaining further advice.

The leaflets are obtainable from Publications Sales, Alexander Turnbull Library, PO Box 12-349, Welling­ton. The research leaflet costs $1.00, the other is free.

Ordering Archives Books from USAGood news for archivists who are tired of aranging

bank drafts for North American publishers, or sick of paying NZ prices (and waiting months) for ordering through local booksellers. The Society of American Archivists will now accept Visa and Mastercard when you order. The address is SAA, 600 S Federal Suite 504, Chicago IL 60605. And any North American book in print can be ordered by credit card from Bookcall, 59 Elm St New Canaan Connecticut 06840, Fax 001 + 203 + 966-4329. Bookcall usually despatch within a week of receiving your order, and will airmail on request.

Maori ThesaurusThis year the National Library will be joining forces

with the Maori Language Commission to create a bilin­gual Maori Thesaurus. The thesaurus will be used within the National Library to provide subject access to Maori materials held in all of its collections including those of the Turnbull Library. It will also be available for use by other libraries wishing to standardise subject access to their Maori collections.

A plan for developing a Maori Thesaurus was drawn up by a working party established during July 1989. The members were Hohua Tutengaehe (Kaumatua at Christ­church Polytechnic); Pou Temara (Tohunga at Victoria University's Maori Studies Department); Jane McRae (Maori Studies Librarian at Auckland University); Jef­frey Waite (Researcher with the Maori Language Commission); and National Library staff with respon­sibilities for Maori materials and advising onbicultural development.

In September 1989 the working party's report and recommendations were presented, and have been ac­cepted in full by Peter Scott (National Librarian) and Timoti Karetu (Maori Language Commissioner). The major recommendation was that a bilingual Maori

Thesaurus should be created, which will form the nu­cleus of a bilingual New Zealand Thesaurus.

The decision to create the thesaurus both in Maori and English recognises the fact that many users of Maori collections in libraries approach their search with Maori words in mind. This group of people is rapidly increasing with the renaissance of Maori language and culture. A team of three will work together to compile the thesaurus. In this way an appropriate level of exper­tise can be brought to the project in the areas necessary for a successful result, including expert knowledge of Maori language and culture as well as technical library skills. Work will begin as soon as suitable staff can be found.

National Library Society Newsletter #13, February 1990

Charges for AccessAt least two New Zealand institutions now make

some kind of charge for access to archives. The Otago Early Settlers Museum in Dunedin has a charge of $10.00 for a day ticket giving access to the research area. This was introduced because of the increasing use made of the research collections, and the time spent

servicing requests for information. Members of the Museum are not subject to the charge. The Taranaki Museum in New Plymouth provides free access to the reading room area, and to the full range of reference works held there, which include indexes and guides to the archives. But there is a Research Fee of $10.00 per hour after the first 30 minutes, for staff time; and an Access to the Collections Fee of $5.00 per day, for museum materials including archives, requested from storage areas. The archivist at the Museum reports a very high degree of acceptance of the fees by research­ers.

APPM 2nd Edition AvailableThe Society of American Archivists has now

published Archives, Personal Papers and Manuscripts: A Cataloging Manual fo r Archival Repositories, His­torical Societies, and Manuscript Libraries, compiled by Steven L Henson (Chicago: SAA, 1989,196 pages). The new edition includes a thirteen page index, a table of USMARC equivalents for descriptive elements, and extensive appendix of tagging examples and an appen­dix of complete USMARC AMC records. APPM now covers such matters as choice of access points, headings for persons, geographic names, and corporate headings

THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF ARCHIVES AND

MANUSCRIPTS IN NEW ZEALAND

The latest instalment is now available providing the locations and descriptions of 375 Manuscripts and Archives

collections held by institutions throughout New Zealand

This instalment, fully indexed, completes the B series of entries of 1-1000 and is priced at:

$27.00 incl G ST

A limited number of back instalments are available.

A Series 1-1000 entries with B Series 1-625 entries at $50.00 and $65.00 with folders.

Please order by contacting:

The Alexander Turnbull Library

National Library of New Zealand

lb Puna Matauranga O Aotearoa

PO Box 12-349

Wellington

NEW ZEALAND L I B R A R Y

If you’re looking to buy a new home

or you’d like to breathe a little life into your old one,

Westpac has the mortgage moneyto lend.

If you’re looking to buy a new home, or your next one, or you have some home improvements in mind, come in and see Westpac.

We have mortgage money to lend, with an exciting range of home finance plans to complement our very competitive rates of interest.So whether you bank with us or not, come in and see

your local Westpac Manager.

11#You can bank on W estpac.

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and uniform titles, which users of the previous edition had to seek out within appropriate chapters of AACR2 . With this edition,... archivists have in hand a volume that can be a complete cataloging manual. It even takes some steps towards resolution of differences in catalo­ging practices of archivists in special materials collec­tions, fitting in more closely with manuals by Betsy Betz-Parker and Wendy Hensen. Available from the SAA, $US19 to SAA members, $US26 others.

Archives and Museum Informatics, Winter 1989/90

Directory of Software for Archives1990 Directory o f Software for Archives & Museums. Archives & Museum Informatics Technical Report #12 (ISSN 1042-1459). David Bearman.

This expanded and revised edition of the directory first published by A&MI in 1988 includes detailed de­scriptions of over fifty products, and extensive com­parative tables of applications and utilities.

Two-page profiles of each product describe the ven­dor, hardware environment, terms of availability, mar­ket history, product support (training, maintenance, upgrades and releases, vendor services), costs for prod­ucts and services, system limits, general application characteristics, hardware integrated in existing instal­lations, software integrated with the application, stan­dards supported by the product, utilities, applications and the number of systems installed or sold since Janu- aiy 1989.

Readers may compare products making similar claims by consulting tables that list specific functions and features of applications: cataloging and descrip­tion, collections management, event management and ticketing, membership and development, and records management. Software listed in these tables are addi­tionally described in a second set of tables for the utilities and sub-systems - authority control and data validation, data entry, query and information retrieval, reporting - which support the application.

The product profiles and each of the tables are pref­aced by explanations of terms used and advice on how to interpret the information recorded. An introductory essay to the entire report analyses the direction of software developments and gives strategic considera­tions for archives and museum managers considering the purchase of software in the current marketplace.

Available from the Managing Editor, A&MI, 5600 Northumberland St, Pittsburgh, PA 15217, USA, for $US45.00 prepaid, $US50.00 billed.

Archives and Museum Informatics, Winter 1989/90

ASA Conference 1991The 1991 Conference of the Australian Society of

Archivists will be held in Sydney, 11-16 June 1991. This will be the first annual conference for the ASA, previ­ously conferences have been biennial. The theme for the

1991 Conference is Archives and Modern Society. Plans are for up to seven pre-Conference workshops focussing on archives management, and special forms of archives (CAD/CAM, live databases etc). There will be a mix of plenary sessions and concurrent sessions in the main part of the Conference. A brochure will be ready later in the year, and further details will be announced in NZ A when it is received. So if any NZSA members plan to attend, or will be in Sydney at the time, watch this space. Perhaps we could organise a New Zealand contingent, if there is sufficient interest?

The ASA have also foreshadowed membership fee increases. Members will now pay $70.00 if they earn more than $20K, graduated to a top step of $110.00 for salary/packages of $40K or more. A survey of ASA members revealed that over 60% of professional mem­bers earned more than $30K and will pay a fee of $90.00. All figures are Australian dollars.

ASA Bulletin #90, April 1990.

Archives Cutback and ClosedThe BNZ Archives were severely hit by the staff cuts

announced by the bank in May. All archives staff except the Archivist, Robin Griffin, have been laid off, and it is understood the Museum section will be closed to the public as a result of these retrenchments. The New Zealand Insurance Company has closed down its ar­chives programme completely. The archives themselves are to be transferred to the interim custody of National Archives in Auckland, pending possible transfer to Auckland University later. At press time, the Council of the Society was to meet to consider responses to these moves. Members will be informed later, as to what action is taken.

Archival Control of E-MailThis article by Carole Nowicke has been held over for

space reasons, and will appear in a future number of NZA.

About the ContributorsSue McKemmish and Frank Upward, and Ann Ped­

erson, are on the archives and records management teaching faculties of Monash and UNSW respectively. Padianne Neely is a consultant schools archivist, based in Wellington. Mark Stevens is a former staff member of National Archives, now completing a further degree at Victoria University, Wellington.

Small AdvertsWANTED: Early issues of Archifacts (new series) - #2 (June 77), #3 (Sept 77), #9 (Mar 79). Also NZ Parliamen­tary Record, any edition(s) pre-4th (1985). Please contact Mark Stevens PO Box 11476 or tel. 842-470 Wellington, naming your price!

New Zealand Archivist (ISSN 0114-7676) is the quarterly journal of the New Zealand Society of Archivists Incorporated. It is published each year in: Autumn/March; Winter/June; Spring/September; and Summer/ December. The editor is Mark Stevens, whose authorship may be assumed for all items not otherwise credited. All correspondence should be addressed to the Society, PO Box 27-057 or FAX 499-5708 Wellington New Zealand. Contributions for publication are invited. Deadlines for the remainder of 1990 are: 17 August, and 16 November. The journal is available through membership of the Society ($35.00 annually) or separately by subscription ($40.00 in NZ, $50 airmailed overseas).