Mission Statement:

The Salida Regional Library’s Local History Archive is dedicated to acquiring and preserving materials including, but not limited to books, manuscripts, photographs, letters, diaries, business records, reports, minutes, maps, and personal papers. The materials should be derived from and relevant to the history of Salida and Central Colorado. The Local History Archive will be used for research, educational purposes, and exhibition.

Guidelines for Collection:

The Salida Regional Library will not accept any donation that has special conditions as to retention or treatment. Exceptions may be made in rare circumstances, however approval for accepting such donations must be obtained by the Local History Archive librarians or the director of the Salida Regional Library.

The donor must sign a deed of gift transferring his or her property over to the Local History Archive. The donor must specify whether he or she would like materials that the library cannot use returned. In cases where the collection would fit better in a different institution, the Salida Regional Library will work with the donor to place it elsewhere. For example, the library is not interested in collecting artifacts. If such items are made available to us, we may work with the donor to place the items with the local museum.

The library will not do monetary appraisals for donors.

The library director and the Local History Archive librarians will make value judgments as to what we retain. The judgments will be based on how the material fits with our existing collection, who made the record, what kind of information the record offers, what the potential use and limitations of the collection might be, and whether the library will be able to conserve, preserve, and make the collection accessible. Our decisions are not intended to offend the donors or to suggest that their collections have no value. We urge donors to hold on to materials we reject or search for a better institution to house them.

Reappraisal and Deaccession Policy:

In the future, the Salida Regional Library will reappraise the collection regularly. At these times, we may deaccession materials. We will offer them to more appropriate institutions or return them to the donor depending on the requirements in the donor’s deed of gift.

Access:

Local history materials will be cataloged in our online catalog following generally recommended guidelines.

The collection will be made available to historians, writers, scholars, genealogists, and members of the general public who are engaged in serious research.

Every researcher will be required to fill out a search record form, which we will use to document the types of material being used and which will allow us to contact patrons if additional information is found on their subjects.

Patrons will not be allowed into the archives; library staff will retrieve all archival materials. Patrons will be required to view materials in a designated research area.

Loose-leaf paper and soft lead pencils are the only items allowed in the research area when archival materials are being viewed. All other personal belongings, including notebooks, backpacks, and purses will be held behind the circulation desk.

Patrons should expect more staff supervision for archive use than for general library use for both security and preservation reasons.

Methods of Collecting:

The Local History Archive will be both passive and active in procuring donations. We will promote our efforts through the media and public relations campaigns.