ACQUISITIONS AND DISPOSAL POLICY
The Centre for Computing History is a unique facility that preserves and presents a collection of important computers and related artifacts. This includes computers, computer peripherals, electronic or mechanical computing devices, sofware, books and media. It also archives articles regarding the history of computing which can be in any of the following formats : hand-written manuscript, printed information, photographs, computer-generated, records, and audio-visual materials, such as film, video, and digital and analogue recordings.
The following policy has been formulated :
1. The Centre for Computing History will acquire items for its core collections which are relevant to the history of computing and its related subjects, as interpreted by our librarian.
2. The value of The Centre for Computing History lies in the combination of its breadth of information and material. The need to acquire materials of historical as well as current and future interest is recognised.
3. The Centre for Computing History will acquire duplicates where appropriate, especially for loan purposes to its members, for interactive presentations or as spare parts to maintain other equipment.
4. The Centre for Computing History will acquire:
4.1 Electronic computing devices
4.2 Electronic computing peripherals
4.3 Mechanical computing devices
4.4 Printed books, magazines, journals, pamphlets, advertising and promotional literature
4.5 Software on any storage medium
4.6 Sound recordings
4.7 Photographic images
4.8 Audio-visual materials, including film, video, DVD, and computer generated images
4.9 manuscripts, such as correspondence, diaries and notebooks (to include electronic archives)
4.10 Published information in digital formats, such as CD-ROMs
5. The Centre for Computing History will acquire documents by transfer, exchange, gift and purchase (see elsewhere for conditions of deposit). The Librarian will discuss the terms of donation of materials with potential donors and will determine, if possible, issues such as access, processing, copyright, storage, conservation, disposal and administration before such donations are received. Where possible, formal written agreements will be drawn up to clarify such matters.
6. Limitations on acquisition are imposed by both intellectual and practical considerations. The history of computing is an extremely wide subject and the librarian will exercise discretion in judging which materials are relevant to this focus. Further, budgetary and accommodation restrictions limit the amount of materials that can be acquired.
7. Disposals:
7.1 The Centre for Computing History shall have authority to transfer materials to a more
suitable repository if it is felt that the materials would benefit from their re-location.
7.2 The Centre for Computing History shall evaluate and select for disposal or sale all
those materials not deemed to be worthy of permanent preservation within its collections.
7.3 The Centre for Computing History accepts the principle that there should be a strong
presumption against the disposal by sale of any materials in their ownership, except where agreed by a depositor.
8. Every effort will be made to catalogue documents acquired with a view to allowing public access, subject to any requirements of confidentiality and/or the wishes of the owner or depositors.
9. Operating strictly within current copyright legislation, use of The Centre for Computing History holdings will be encouraged by production of materials by The Centre for Computing History in all media, including its website.
10. Museum artefacts will be considered for collection on an individual basis. In the first instance, they will not be considered as part of the acquisitions policy.
11. The Trustees will review the Acquisition and Disposal policy every 5 years. Acquisitions and disposal outside the current stated policy should only be made in exceptional circumstances, and then only after proper consideration by the Centre for Computing History Committee having regard to the interests of other repositories.
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