Disposal of items must be authorized by the Provost. Reasons for the deaccessioning and disposal of an item or items in the Special Collections may include:
- Lack of historical relevance to the College;
- Lack of relevance to the College's long term strategic plan;
- Absence of clear legal title;
- Theft or loss;
- Damage or serious deterioration in condition;
- Repatriation of cultural property; and
- New information which leads to a reappraisal of relevance.
In some circumstances it may be necessary to cull the collection of any items of inferior
quality of which are inappropriate to the nature of the collection. Deaccessioning
and disposal should occur following routine review and with good reason, and not for
capricious immediate need. Wherever possible, a deaccessioned item should be offered
in the first instance to another collection. It is recommended that if possible, deaccession
of items acquired through donation from a source outside the College (e.g. private
benefactor, gift in kind) requires the consultation of all parties who had contributed
to the purchase or controlled the bequest or donation. Any monies received by the
College from disposal of items deaccessioned from the Special Collections shall be
applied for benefit first of the Special Collections, and second the library. The
Library Director must be satisfied that an object proposed for deaccessioning will
not be of use to the Special Collections in any ways set out in the Collecting Policy,
or in any others which might be envisaged. If in doubt the Director should seek outside
expert opinion. The Library Director shall submit a recommendation for deaccessioning
to the Provost. The Proposal shall provide catalogue information about the object
and a statement justifying the deaccessional proposal. The recommendation shall include
additional proposals for disposal of the object, either by sale, donation or destruction.
Once approved, deaccession shall take place only after a three-month period. If no
use of the object in the intervening three-month period is recorded the decision to
deaccession stands. Registration records should be amended, noting the method of disposal,
but record of the previous existence of the item in the collection should remain.