Archives Policy

The purpose of this policy is to establish Vancouver Community College (VCC; the College) Archives as the official repository of the College's permanent records and to gather selected administrative files, photographs, audiovisual materials, papers, student projects, theses & dissertations, and other non-official records that document aspects of college life and history.

The functions of the Archives are:

• to identify, select and preserve historical, institutional and administrative documentation, and scholarly and creative works created by the VCC community;


• to provide archive assistance to researchers; and


• to facilitate knowledge sharing and community engagement.

The Archives serves as the official repository of VCC official and non-official records of enduring value. VCC Library is responsible for developing guidelines and managing the Archives.

1. The VCC Archives will collect, appraise, arrange, describe, preserve, and make available records of value to the VCC community.


2. The goals of the Archives are:
   
   
   
   1. to preserve and disseminate VCC's institutional history, regardless of the positive or negative nature;
   
   
   2. to make accessible the knowledge and creative works generated by the College and thereby increase its potential impact; and
   
   
   3. to preserve administrative reports and documentation for long-term institutional continuity.
   
   
   
   


3. The Archives is responsible for providing long-term access to and the preservation of all the archival materials it acquires, both physical and digital. 


4. The Archives will make its best effort to make records and works as accessible as possible, including clear metadata, captions/subtitles, and traditional knowledge labels.


5. The Archives recognizes that some archival materials may be outdated or offensive to present-day eyes, and believes it is a necessary and important aspect of providing a transparent, truthful and accountable record of the past.


6. The Archives grants public access to archival records and facilitates external research requirements both to physical records and to digital records through the VCC digital repository.


7. Records may be transferred to another institution where, in the opinion of the Coordinator of the Archives, such records would be more appropriately preserved by another institution.

Access

The opportunity of finding, consulting, or approaching documents or information.

Appraisal

The process of evaluating documents for the purpose of continuing preservation.

Archival Record

A record that has been appraised as having permanent administrative, financial, legal, operational, cultural, social or historical value.

Digital Repository

A website that hosts digital works that fit the collection criteria for the VCC Archives. VCC is a member of a province-wide network of institutional repositories.

Preservation

Storing and protecting records against damage and deterioration in perpetuity.

Record

Recorded information, regardless of format, medium or characteristics, made or received by an organization that is evidence of its operations and that has value requiring its retention for a specified period of time.

• Copyright (510)
• Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (501)
• Records Management (520)
• Selection of Library Materials (511)