Collection policy

Background

The Archives Division is a division of the LSE Library. The Library has accepted archive collections since 1898, when the first deposit consisting of the trade union papers of Beatrice and Sidney Webb were placed in the newly established Library. The Archives Division now holds over 1,400 archives and is available to both LSE staff and students and the wider research community.

All collections held at LSE in the Library, including the archives, have been recognised for their outstanding national and international importance and awarded 'Designation' status by the Museums Libraries and Archives Council (MLA).

Statement of Purpose

The Library seeks to acquire, process and manage high quality information resources to support the teaching, learning and research activities of the School, and the wider social science research community (Library Strategic Plan).

Principles of Archives Collection Policy

The Archives Division acquires records in the following fields:

• modern British political, economic and social history.
• history of the social sciences including social and political history, economics and economic history, social anthropology, gender studies and sociology.
• history of the London School of Economics.

Most material dates from the last quarter of the nineteenth century to the present day.

Paper, photographic and digital materials may be accepted.

Material is generally acquired by gift or loan. Purchases will be made only of documents with a close connection to existing deposits.

In accordance with the principles of archival provenance and integrity a collection will be accepted in entirety if only a part falls within the parameters of the collecting policy.

Each collection will be assessed on the research value of the content of the archive and its physical condition. The advice of academic colleagues will be sought wherever possible.

The Archives Division does not collect:

• Literary and scientific manuscripts.
• Military and local history.
• Documents of foreign provenance unless they are already held in the UK, or are associated with the School or there are compelling reasons against placing them in an archive in their place of origin.
• Copies of original materials.
• Press cuttings collections.
• Personal libraries.
• The Library does not currently have the facilities for the care or use of audio tape, film or video recordings.

The Library will seek to liaise with other institutions when necessary to ensure that archives are secured in an appropriate place of deposit. The advice of the National Archives: National Advisory Service will be sought where appropriate.

All deposits, whether gift or loan, must be accompanied by a deposit agreement signed by the archive’s owners and the Library, covering ownership, copyright, access arrangements and provision for materials not selected for permanent retention.

Following deposit and during the cataloguing process the Archives Division will evaluate the collection and identify any materials not required for permanent preservation. Disposal will be arranged with the agreement of the depositor.

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