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Management of
Manuscripts &
Personal Papers
WEEK 6-7
Acquisition of manuscripts
& personal papers
Intend to discuss initial management for
manuscript or personal papers repositories
involving acquisitions, collecting policy and
solicitation
Definition:
Acquisition: The process by which
archives/manuscripts add to their holdings by
accepting material as transfer, donation, loan
or purchase.
Definition:
Collecting policy (acquisition policy): An official
statement issued by authorities managing the
archives/ manuscripts which identifies the kinds of
materials the archives will acquire or collect and the
conditions or terms which affect the acquisition or
collection of such materials

Definition:
Solicitation: plead for something to try to
get something by making insistent (firm)
request or pleas
Manuscripts also called personal
papers repositories as opposed
from archival repositories are
differ in term of:

size of holdings,

staffing, and

types of work done
Acquisitions
Manuscripts repositories gather their holdings from a
multiplicity of outside sources
Rarely do come from single source
Must define the focus of their institutions
Solicit (request) of manuscripts/ personal papers
Negotiate the donation
Terms of access
Collecting policy
Focused through-out & provide carefully defined
objectives for rational collecting program

Consideration on
available institutional resource
existence of other collections of research materials on the
same subject elsewhere in their geographical area and
the public they serve now and want to attract in the future
Solicitation
Implementing collecting programs should have
one page very clear statements prepared by the
institutions

Solicitation can be done in two ways: mass
communication or field work

Collecting efforts should be publicize through
local-interest interviews in newspapers and
magazines, speaking to groups, and sending
solicitations letters
Once the determination to focus what collections will
be, identification types of papers will try to discover
who has such papers
Surveys will be done within their geographical
location or in a particular subject-area
Lists were prepared for potential owners of suitable
materials
Consideration must also be given both famous
and not so famous owner or originators of
papers to avoid the mistake of collecting only
those papers which documents the role of the
elite in the events with which they are
concerned
Once located, appraisal are based on individual
basis & secured of selective appeals.
Collections are evaluated for evidential or
informational value and their relevance to
focus for collecting and existing holdings
The institution should also make a point of
informing researchers of the existence of
material on a subject other than its main
collection focus; because in general,
someones papers should be kept intact
(unbroken) in one institution regardless of
differences in subject
If institution cannot take all or even part of the
collection but papers are worth preserving, it
should suggest donors the names of other
institutions which might be interested in the
papers, and inform these institutions that the
papers exist and the donors have refereed to
them
Collection may be reproduced by
photocopying or microfilming or divided along
natural lines (function or time) for deposit in
two institutions if the donor insist the
collection be split because of divided loyalties
or neither institution is willing to give up the
papers
The next stage of solicitation is the field work where
they identify, locate, negotiate for, and secure
collections for their institutions.
This is done individually if the institution is small or
groups by following all lead to gather data about
perspective donors and types of documents and
subject in their collections
Field representatives need to keep very careful
records, maintain files of leads on log sheets or
cards and reminder of the next steps required.
Solicitation program should be examined
periodically to determine the approach is
adequate and successful
Negotiation make take long and often personalized.
First contact may be letter or telephone call and
records be kept in each contact.
Follow up should be often after first contact and at
same time being polite toward and sensitive of
donors feeling
Timed is important and must respond immediately if
any changes regarding institution or donors
Field representative should also be familiar
with the market for papers if the donors want
to sell the papers or tax law benefits for
deductions allows with respect to gifts
In other case, institution should prepare lists of
reputable, independent appraisers who will act
on its own behalf to avoid conflict of interest
to do the appraisal
If the institutions decided to accept a collection
as their acquisition, they should arrange
transferring papers to the repository with
minimum disturbance of original order, no
physical damage and little cost as possible.
Local transfer either by car, van or truck are easily
carried out by staff members and if possible
representative should present when paper are boxed
for transfer so they may discuss the origin,
arrangement use of the papers with donors and make
minor adjustments in arrangement and notes about
preservation and screening
When the papers are arrived safely, they
should write or call donors to advise them in
this fact and to thank them for donating the
papers or a notable person affiliated with the
institution write and thanks donors
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