SHROPSHIRE ARCHIVES STANDARDS OF SERVICE Please find below details of the services provided by Shropshire Archives. The detailed service standards aim to provide customers and stakeholders with the information they need in order to make the best use of what the service offers. These standards are reviewed and developed regularly. If you have any comments about these standards please contact:: Shropshire Archives, Castle Gates, Shrewsbury SY1 2AQ, tel: 0345 678 9096, email: [email protected], web site: www.shropshirearchives.org.uk No Description 1 Acquisition and cataloguing 2 Information services 3 Preservation and conservation 4 Education and life long learning 5 Volunteering 6 Staff development, training and awareness 7 Marketing and consultation 8 Performance monitoring Page 1 SHROPSHIRE ARCHIVES STANDARDS OF SERVICE No 1 ACQUISITION AND CATALOGUING LIBRARY MATERIALS Shropshire Archives will: Acquire new and second hand material, in all published formats, and microform, photographic and photocopied copies of material held in other collections appropriate to development of local studies library and according to the Collection Development Policy of Shropshire Archives. Provide donors with acknowledgement of receipt within 30 working days, where appropriate. Catalogue selected new acquisitions onto the CALM Local Studies database and maintain the on line catalogue. ARCHIVE MATERIALS Shropshire Archives will: Advise custodians of records on suitability for and conditions of transfer to Shropshire Archives, as and when requested. Ensure an appropriate agreement is completed for all new acquisitions. Provide donors and depositors with acknowledgement of receipt within 30 working days. Create adequate records of all new accessions on CALM database. Undertake initial sorting and weeding of new acquisitions and arrange return or destruction of inappropriate items in accordance with the Collection Development Policy. Arrange suitable packing and storage to prevent undue deterioration, referring any urgent repair work to conservation. Ensure secure storage of accessions in strong rooms. Ensure clear labelling and appropriate location to allow for future retrieval. File correspondence, receipt and completed agreement in relevant deposit file. List and make available all registers of baptisms, births, marriages, banns, burials and deaths within one month of receipt All new lists will be created using the CALM database and to current professional and in-house standards. Maintain the on line catalogue. Page 2 SHROPSHIRE ARCHIVES STANDARDS OF SERVICE No 2 INFORMATION SERVICES SERVICES FOR ON SITE CUSTOMERS Visitors to Shropshire Archives will receive: Relevant assistance and advice about how to obtain the information they need. Access to all sources except where legal or preservation constraints exist. In order to use original archive sources, visitors must hold a Shropshire Archives’ Readers Ticket. These can be obtained on arrival. Help with using equipment including microform readers and computers. Help with using all finding aids whether manual or IT indexes/databases. Help in understanding source material including a reasonable amount of palaeographical advice depending on the availability of staff. Copies if required, within the service’s rules (see below). Advice about source material in other offices if appropriate. Written guidance on the most frequently used sources and a general introduction to the service is available. Staffing Wednesday to Friday The staffing is: o 1 professional o 2 support staff o 1 production assistant (until 1pm) All documents must be ordered by 1pm. On Saturdays when all documents must be requested in advance, the staffing is: o 1 professional o 2 support staff The desk or searchroom area will be staffed at all times. All staff will wear name badges. Volunteer support From 10am-1pm volunteers from Shropshire Family History Society provide an advice service in the reading room. Production of documents We aim to produce material from catalogued collections within 30 minutes. We advise ordering in advance. No orders for documents will be accepted after 1pm Saturday documents must be ordered by 1pm on Fridays Items held in our out-store (those with a DA prefix) are collected weekly and must be ordered in advance. Page 3 Access may be restricted if items are very fragile or subject to data protection (see our restricted access guidelines for further information). If items are unnumbered or very large, access will be at the discretion of the duty professional and will depend on how well access can be supervised. Customers with disabilities The two parking spaces at the front of Shropshire Archives are reserved for disabled users, and should be booked in advance. All public areas including the toilets are accessible to wheelchairs. Guides can be printed out in a larger font on request. A “clear star viewer” which uses CCTV technology is available to enlarge pages from printed books. A hand-held video magnifier can be used with documents and maps in our Search Room. Reprographics The Service is able to provide the following copying facilities: o Photocopying o Printouts from microfiche, microfilm and computers o Photography, both conventional and digital In addition users are able to access self-service microfiche printers and can take photographs using their own cameras, on purchase of a photography permit. All these services are subject to copyright and preservation restrictions. Photocopies and printouts are usually done on demand. During busy periods or after 1 pm, however, requests for copies may be taken on the appropriate form and copies sent to customers. On these occasions there will be a charge for postage. We are not able to undertake large orders immediately and customers will be required to collect the copies at a later date or pay for the postage. Digital images must be ordered and paid for in advance. Orders are processed within 10 working days. Prices are revised on an annual basis and include a reduction for those under 16 years of age. Staff time in assisting users with detailed reprographic requests may be charged for. SERVICES FOR REMOTE CUSTOMERS Telephone enquiries During normal working hours enquiries are received by the Council’s Customer Service Centre. At evenings and weekends, calls will divert to our answer machine, allowing urgent messages to be left. Enquirers with complex requests will be encouraged to write/email in. Postal, fax or email enquiries We aim to answer or acknowledge all postal, fax or email enquiries within 10 working days. Basic queries regarding bookings, the availability of documents and general advice on types of records held will be answered free of charge. Page 4 If the request involves searching in documents, books or online, there is likely to be a fee. Copying Services All requests are subject to a minimum handling charge. Requests for copies, including digital images are dealt with within 10 working days. Payment is taken advance and an order form will be sent out enabling payment to be made by cheque or online. Research Services For short ‘look-ups’ in single documents or books, we have a Short Search service. We aim to respond to requests for short searches in 10 working days. A payment form is available on our website. For lengthier searches we have a Research Service which is charged at an hourly rate. Enquiries will be acknowledged within 10 working days. We aim to answer within 12 weeks but this will depend on demand for the service. We also provide a specialised research service for business and commercial use. Web site Information on the web site will be maintained and kept up to date. A programme of improvements to the site will be reviewed every 6 months. Page 5 SHROPSHIRE ARCHIVES STANDARDS OF SERVICE No 3 PRESERVATION AND CONSERVATION Storage Environment The environment in the store rooms at Shropshire Archives and at the service’s out store will be maintained to the current specification, largely compliant with PD5454. A disaster plan for Shropshire Archives and the out store is maintained and regularly updated. Public Access Public access to heritage material is dependent on compliance with best preservation practice. Adequate provision of document supports and rests will be made both in the reading rooms and in working areas. Material in a fragile condition will not be produced. Microform copies of popular sources, such as parish registers, will be provided. Copies of these relating to the Telford & Wrekin area will be provided at cost for Telford & Wrekin library service. Parish and non-conformist registers will continue to be digitised. Those dating up to 1900 are available on the Find My Past website. Advice Advice to members of the public and owners of documents on preservation issues will be given on request. The conservation section of the website will be reviewed annually. Training Conservation staff will be consulted on preservation issues arising from the public service. Training sessions in handling for all staff will be held every six months. Training sessions in related preservation issues will be held when necessary. CONSERVATION Requests from customers seeking access to material in poor condition and unable to be produced will be reviewed by the Senior Conservator, and given a priority for action if possible. All conservation work will be carried out following the standards described in the Preservation and Conservation policy. Page 6 SHROPSHIRE ARCHIVES STANDARDS OF SERVICE No 4 EDUCATION AND LIFE LONG LEARNING SERVICES EDUCATION Individual visits Students and teachers are welcome to use Shropshire Archives during opening hours. Prior notice of visits is helpful for staff to provide support and assistance. Group visits and courses Visits to Shropshire Archives by school classes or teachers groups are welcomed. These can be tailored for individual and curriculum needs. The following times are usually available: o Mondays and Tuesdays A charge is made for group visits. The amount may be increased if more than one member of staff is required. Topic and picture packs A number of picture packs are available, see website for details.