Acquisitions

 

York University Libraries archival acquisition guidelines  

Submitted for review: May 2024

Approved: September 2025

Introduction

Archives and Special Collections (ASC) is a department of York University Libraries. It provides leadership in the development, preservation, discovery, use, and promotion of unique collections to support the curricular and research needs of York University and its community partners. The department manages records with enduring archival value of York University and selected York University faculty, as well as individuals and organizations not affiliated with the university. These holdings are collectively known as the Clara Thomas Archives in honour of the late Professor Thomas, a champion of the department’s work. ASC also acquires rare and significant published items that meet the criteria of the department’s special collections acquisitions policy.

Scope

University records

Archivists appraise, transfer, preserve, and provide access to records with enduring evidential and informational value created by the university’s administration, faculties, departments, and units. These records are acquired as evidence of the decisions, policies, and transactions of the university to defend its legal interests, provide context for contemporary issues, and document the history of York. The transfer of university records to the Clara Thomas Archives is based upon on unit compliance with the university’s Common Records Schedule. Access to these records is determined by the university and by contractual and statutory regulations related to access and privacy.

Private records

There are several principles that underpin the approach to acquiring private records by York University Libraries. Archives and Special Collections will not acquire records determined to be more appropriately housed at another archival institution. Once we have accepted an archival fonds from a private donor, we commit to acquiring accruals to the fonds when offered. Due to limitations of staffing and other resources, the predominant language of materials acquired for the Clara Thomas Archives will be English. In general, transfer of ownership of physical property is required to deposit records in the Clara Thomas Archives.

The private records acquired for the Clara Thomas Archives have traditionally reflected the broad subject areas that support research and teaching of faculty and the programs of study offered by York University. Amendments to this policy, reflected in this version of the acquisition policy, illustrate a shift in the priorities of York University Libraries from subject-based collecting to a documentation strategy approach to continue our support of teaching, learning and research at the university. A documentation strategy for the Clara Thomas Archives emphasizes the importance of collecting records that illustrate the full spectrum of work and activities conducted by York University faculty, students, staff, alumni, and adjacent communities. The suitability of potential acquisitions will be determined by how records document this scope of activities and provide evidence of the wide breadth of work done by members of the York community.

Current areas of strength can be summarized as follows:

1. Early York faculty
2. Literature and fine arts
3. Canadian film and television
4. Politics, social reform, and labour movements

Desired areas of growth are the following ^[1]:

1. York University student groups and organizations
2. Records from communities geographically adjacent to York University
3. Alumni records about the York University student experience
4. York faculty working in the sciences, health, engineering, Indigenous studies, business
5. York sessional faculty
6. York faculty from equity-deserving groups that are underrepresented in the Clara Thomas Archives

Formats of documents

Records are transferred from the university, from its departments and faculty, and from organizations and individuals affiliated with the university regardless of physical format and including born-digital records. Archives and Special Collections does not normally acquire three-dimensional objects such as works of art, textiles, or artifacts.

Preservation and Archival Appraisal/Selection

Archives and Special Collections is responsible for the long-term preservation of the material it acquires.  Preservation is accomplished by an appropriate combination of environmental controls, proper storage, and physical processing. Material offered to or solicited by Archives and Special Collections is appraised/selected according to the mandate of the archives and the application of archival appraisal criteria. Conservation costs may outweigh the research value of the material being offered and is a consideration when determining what can be responsibly acquired.

Culling or weeding of acquisitions is done when the material is processed and according to agreements with the donor/creator.  Retrospective analysis of the Clara Thomas Archives may lead to the subsequent de-accessioning of collections that no longer fit within the collections mandate of the archives. De-accessioning may also be done if alternative repositories can be found for the collections and the donor/creator agrees to the proposed disposition.

Roles and responsibilities

The management of transfers of university corporate records and the acquisition of private records are collaborative processes involving the contributions of university employees, archives staff, and donors. For corporate records, the Common Records Schedule should be applied, including the disposition of records, prior to transfer to the archives. Private records donors should review the guidelines for donation and complete an assessment form to prepare the material for transfer.

Financial commitment

A successful archival program requires ongoing investment of human and financial resources and an unwavering commitment to the stewardship of its holdings. Considerations of adequate staffing, financial resources, and storage capacity (both physical and digital) will determine feasibility of adding to the volume of private records York University Libraries is able to acquire and the responsible management of the university’s corporate records.

Review and revision

This policy will be regularly reviewed and revised by the Archives and Special Collections department when required to reflect changes or shifts in acquisition activity.

Related guidelines

• Digital Preservation Policy
• Web Archiving Policy
• Common Records Schedule
• Gift and Sponsorship Acceptance Policy

[1] Growth areas selected in part to support York University’s Strategic Research Plan 2023-2028, particularly in these areas: Healthy Communities, Equity and Global Well-being; Indigenous Futurities; Reaching New Horizons in Science, Technology and Society; and Pursuing Justice, Equity and Sustainability: From Urban Dynamics to Global Challenges.

Special Collections Acquisition Policy

Description of Collections and Academic Programmes Supported

I. Canadiana:

By definition, a special collection implies a limited scope and definite purpose. The foundation and scope of Special Collections is Canadian studies; its focus is post-confederation Canadiana, concentrating on Ontario subjects. Materials acquired for Special Collections support research of students, faculty, post-doctoral researchers and established scholars and authors.

Collections of significance include:

1. The Canadiana Collection: Canadian imprints, which are out-of-print and/or significant to the Canadiana Collection. Included here is the Gibson Collection acquired in 1995. The focus of the collection is Ontario and Quebec and covers history, biography, the social sciences, and the fine arts. New materials are added on a very selective basis based on joint decision of the Head of Special Collections and the appropriate bibliographer. Consideration is given to publications that support, for instance, advanced and specialized research in Canadian studies, historically important and highly influential works, with comprehensiveness applied to York Canadian historians and social scientists.

2. The Canadian Literature Collection: Originally, a representative literature collection was assembled, with an emphasis on British, American and Canadian authors. This focus has been refined and now acquisitions are limited to the works of selected Canadian authors, including first editions with comprehensiveness applied to those Canadian authors, particularly Ontario writers, York faculty and students, whose literary papers have been acquired. In this group are included bill bissett, Harry Boyle, Margaret Laurence, Norman Levine, Mavor Moore, Susan Swan, and Adele Wiseman.

3. Canadian Pamphlet Collection: the CPC constitutes a major resource for students and scholars working in the field of Canadian studies. Dating from the 18th century to the present, the collection covers a wide variety of subjects that include social and political issues, religion, fine arts, and women's studies. The scope of the collection is being refined and new areas being considered are ephemeral materials generated by Toronto refugee groups and environmental organizations in the greater Toronto area.

II. Other subject areas:

The static component of Special Collections contains books of value or rarity in various subject areas, including early imprints (the earliest being a Book of Hours dated ca. 1450), and books of aesthetic importance (e.g., fine printing, binding, or illustration).

Books of importance and value whose illustrations make them subject to mutilation may be also housed in Special Collections. The collection includes a number of items solely because of format, condition, or other unusual physical properties.

Limited ongoing collecting occurs. Selection decisions are made in consultation with the appropriate bibliographer.

Languages: English and French are the primary languages of the collection.

Chronological Coverage: Focus is on post-confederation Canadiana.

Duplication: No duplicates are kept in Special Collections. The collection may include added copies to titles in the circulating collections.

Gifts: Relevant collections offered by individuals or institutions are appraised and unique items added.

Types of Materials: Monographs, periodicals, maps, pamphlets and ephemera.