OLD PARLIAMENT HOUSE AND CURTILAGE HERITAGE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2008–2013

I0. Collection Management Policy
Part C – Implementation Tools
238 Old Parliament House and Curtilage Heritage Management Plan 2008–2013
10.6 Oral histories
It should be noted that only copies of Oral History recordings are directly available through the Resource Centre.
Both for preservation and security reasons master copies of these recordings are kept at the National Library of
Australia (NLA) 29 . During the creation of the tapes, before they are transported to the NLA, maintaining high
levels of security for all media is paramount (eg. ensuring that all items are locked in a fire-proof safe each night).
In order to maintain the integrity of these recordings the master copies must be created
using the best technologies available and preserved to high standards. Preservation
methods that allow for straightforward data migration should be used.
Further information relating to the development and management of the Oral histories
is available in the 2007 review of the OPH Oral History program 30 .
11 DEACCESSIONS AND DISPOSALS
11.1 Objective
Deaccessioning is the permanent removal of an object from the OPH collection following stringent
guidelines and detailed procedures. It is the procedural action taken in relation to an item prior to its
disposal. Disposal is the removal of an item from the collection after it has been deaccessioned.
This policy applies to all items in the Heritage, Associated or Research collections including:
a. all registered, accessioned, or catalogued objects
b. objects which have not yet been registered, accessioned or catalogued, but have
documentation indicating their acquisition for the OPH collections
This policy does not apply to items discovered as part of the Heritage Finds that have yet to be
accessioned. These items should be assessed and, if they fit collection development criteria,
they should be accessioned. If they do not, and are therefore not accessioned, they do not have
to go through the deaccessioning process but must be disposed as per Section 11.3.
11.2 Deaccessions
OPH will only deaccession items for which it can clearly demonstrate ownership.
Any item proposed for deaccessioning must first be fully researched to ensure it is not subject to any condition
established at the time of acquisition which may affect its disposal, to ensure it has no other operational
value within OPH, and to ensure that its disposal does not violate any existing laws or regulations
Deaccessioning from the OPH collection can then be considered, subject to one
or more of the following criteria being fulfilled. The item must:
a. pose a preservation threat to other elements of the collection
b. be unable to be appropriately cared for or stored
c. be redundant or no longer considered significant to the collection
d. be duplicated within the collection
e. not comply with the OPH collection management policy
f. have a substantiated request has been made by the donor for its return
g. have been stolen or lost (evidence must be provided).
Financial reasons (either to raise money for any purpose or to reduce expenditure)
must not be a principal reason for deaccessioning an item.
The decision and responsibility to deaccession an item must be made by the Manager
Heritage. The manager should seek approval from higher authority when appropriate.
29 Agreement between National Library of Australia and the Commonwealth of Australia (Represented by Old Parliament House, Public Programs Section) for Lg1 tape store storage space within the National Library of Australia.
Contract No.: 01/058 July 2001
30 Review of the Old Parliament House Oral History Program, 2007 approved by the Governing Council