Local History and Archives Policy

Due to the rare and fragile nature of the Local History and Archives collections, access to collections housed in Local History and Archives is limited to persons consulting archival material and carrying out their research in the Local History and Archives Reading Room or other Library approved designated space. Within the Reading Room, library employees are on hand to provide assistance and proper supervision to ensure the safe care and handling of materials. Consistent with the Library’s Member and Service Commitment, Rules of Use outline researchers’ responsibilities in working with library employees to preserve the collection and are amended from time to time. 

In line with the Library’s Borrowing Policy, researchers consulting material in person will be required to show identification verifying their name and address prior to viewing items from the collections. This information, along with phone number or email address, will be recorded and retained for statistical and control purposes before being anonymized and destroyed after a set period consistent with Ontario’s Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. 

Local History and Archives balances a range of collections management, preservation and access priorities. Library employees do not provide research services, but can offer some direction and resources to researchers. This support may be limited in scope and duration and reassessed from time to time. Researchers are active participants in their work, including requesting specific material and interpreting their own findings.  

Local History and Archives utilizes archival, digital preservation, digitization and metadata standards to support analog and digital access to Local History and Archives collections. The Library supports the principle of open access with regard to digitization initiatives while upholding the terms of existing donor agreements, copyright and applicable law and legislation. 

Digitization of collections will be prioritized based on alignment with the Local History and Archives’ mandate, conservation issues, processing status and complexity, copyright, local relevance, public demand, digital preservation feasibility and access within existing resources. 

Barring the extent and terms of any restrictions, the legal rights and/or requests of the donor to place the records in the Archives, no person shall be prevented from using archival materials unless it is determined that the materials are unprocessed and present a conservation risk, will be physically abused or used in a libelous or illegal manner. Due to a range of media carriers, digital formats and technological obsolescence, Local History and Archives may not be able to provide a means to access the information contained in collection material. 

The Library retains the right to charge for any reproduction or other research service as per the Library Board’s Service Fees Policy.