NEW CALEDONIA COMMUNITY ARCHIVES
POLICY STATEMENT

The New Caledonia Community Archives exists to:

1. collect and preserve archival materials which illustrate the growth and development of New Caledonia, both before and after incorporation, or which pertain in whole or in part to activities within the geographic boundaries of New Caledonia;
2. arrange and describe these materials according to archival principles and make them accessible to the general public on a regular basis, unless access is restricted by legal requirements or written agreements with the donor;
3. provide adequate and appropriate conditions for the storage, protection, and preservation of archival material;
4. provide regular reference services to individuals, organizations, the municipal government, or other groups interested in the activities and holdings of the Archives;
5. provide educational and outreach programming whenever possible to increase public awareness and appreciation of New Caledonia's history and development.

Material acquired by the New Caledonia Archives shall become the permanent property of the Archives and, therefore, the municipality, until such time as the Archivist deems it no longer relevant to the Archives, in which case the material may be deaccessioned. Deaccessioning will not take place without the written approval of the Archives Board and the department responsible for the Archives. All information pertaining to the deaccessioning and disposition of material will be retained in the Archives' records. The Archives retains the right to reproduce materials by mechanical, electronic, or photographic means for security, conservation, or research purposes.

The Archives will accept historical material of any medium, including: textual records; photographs and other visual records; maps, plans, and architectural records; and sound recordings and oral history tapes. The Archives will only accept books, printed material, artifacts, and electronically stored data at the discretion of the Archivist.

The Archives retains the right to charge for any reproduction or other research service. A schedule of fees will be made available to the general public on a regular basis.

The Archives will only accept material on a permanent basis, except when borrowing material for short-term loans to reproduce or to include in displays or exhibits.

Materials from the Archives may be loaned to other institutions or organizations only under the following circumstances:

1. written authorization is obtained from the Archives board and the department supervising the Archives;
2. the Archivist provides written permission for the loan;
3. the borrower ensures adequate care and handling of the material on loan.

If at any time the Archives determines that the material on loan is not being cared for adequately, the Archivist may cancel the loan and request the immediate return of the material.

No person shall be prevented from using archival material unless it is determined that the materials will be physically abused or used in a libelous or illegal manner.