Trent University Archives Guidelines for Reappraisal and Deaccessioning

Purpose and Scope

These guidelines outline the principles, procedures, and responsibilities governing the reappraisal and deaccessioning of archival materials held by the Trent University Archives. Deaccessioning is an essential part of responsible collection management and ensures that archival holdings are aligned with the archives’ mandate; that the archives is using its space and resources appropriately; that collections are held in accordance with legal and ethical standards; and that archival material is preserved in the appropriate repository.

These guidelines apply to all archival material held in the Trent University Archives, regardless of format, including both private and university records. These guidelines do not apply to materials in Special Collections.

The University Archivist conducts reappraisals and makes recommendations for deaccessioning, which are reviewed by Librarians’ Committee and approved by the University Librarian.

Definitions

  • Reappraisal: The process of evaluating material held by the archives to reassess its archival value and alignment with the archives’ mandate. Reappraisal may apply to collections in whole or in part.
  • Archival value: The long-term or enduring value of materials based on their administrative, legal, fiscal, evidential, or informational content, as well as their historical, cultural, or research significance.
  • Deaccessioning: The formal process of permanently removing materials from the custody of an archives.
  • Disposal: The method by which deaccessioned materials are removed from the collection (ex: transfer, return, destruction).
  • Provenance: The origin or source of archival materials, including their chain of custody.

Criteria

Archival material may be a candidate for reappraisal and deaccessioning, if it meets one of more of the following criteria

  1. The material falls outside the archives’ collecting mandate.
  2. The material is duplicated or redundant.
  3. The material is in poor physical condition or cannot be preserved or accessed in the archives.
  4. The material has been reappraised and deemed to have insufficient long-term archival value.
  5. Legal, ethical, or provenancial issues arise (ex: misappropriated or stolen materials, material requiring repatriation).
  6. Retention of the material presents significant risks (ex: it contains hazardous substances).
  7. The material should be housed by another organization that is better suited to care for, preserve, and/or provide access to the material and the histories it documents.

Current relevance or usage are not criteria for reappraisal or determining archival value.

Methods of Disposal

Once approved for deaccessioning, materials can be disposed of by one of the following methods:

  1. Transfer to a more suitable archival repository, cultural institution, or governing body.
  2. Return to donor or donor’s heirs.
  3. Secure destruction: only undertaken in cases where the material has no legal, cultural, historical, or research value and/or is redundant, damaged beyond repair, or poses a health/safety risk.

Deaccessioned archival material will not be sold.

Legal and Ethical Considerations

Deaccessioning should not be motivated by personal or institutional financial gain and should be carried out transparently, ethically, and responsibly. Deaccessioning practices should comply with relevant legal, regulatory, and ethical standards, including, but not limited to, the following:

  • University policy, including the Trent University Archives Policy
  • Donor agreements
  • Access to information, privacy, and copyright law
  • Guidelines from CCPERB (Canadian Cultural Property Export Review Board) and CRA (Canada Revenue Agency), where material was evaluated for a tax receipt and/or received cultural property designation
  • The Association of Canadian Archivists’ Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct
  • The Reconciliation Framework, by The Steering Committee on Canada’s Archives

All reasonable attempts will be made to contact the original donor or their heirs. Decisions to transfer material to another repository should take into account any restrictions on the material placed by the donor or other affected parties.

Where regulatory, legal, or ethical frameworks conflict, deaccessioning should be approached with deliberation and care. All relevant evidence and expert opinions should be gathered, and decisions should reflect the archives’ legal obligations, ethical standards, and documentary responsibilities.

Process

1. Initiation and Information Gathering

The deaccessioning process may be initiated internally or requested by an external individual or organization. The University Archivist identifies the scope of reappraisal and collects relevant documentation, including the following:

  • Donor agreement and other donor/accession file contents
  • Finding aids
  • References to the material in published work
  • Relevant legal, ethical, and regulatory frameworks

2. Reappraisal and Consultation

The University Archivist conducts a reappraisal of the material according to the criteria above. This process may include consulting parties who may have knowledge, advice, or opinions relating to the deaccession (ex: donors, researchers, subjects of records, Trent community members, senior administrators, legal counsel) to understand the potential impacts of a decision to deaccession.

A reappraisal could lead to one of the following outcomes:

  1. A decision to deaccession some or all of the material under review
  2. A decision to retain the material
  3. A decision to digitize the material and either
    1. Retain the originals and share digitized copies with another organization
    2. Retain the digitized copies and transfer the originals to another organization
  4. A decision to defer to a later date

If the material is retained, documentation of the reappraisal is added to the donor/accession file. If option 1 (deaccessioning) or 3b (digitization and transfer) is chosen, the following steps are taken.

3. Determine Method of Disposal

If the material is a candidate for deaccessioning, the University Archivist consults and determines the best method of disposal (transfer, return, or destruction).

4. Documentation and Approval

The University Archivist completes the “Deaccession Form” and reports on the reappraisal methodology, recommendation for deaccessioning, and proposed disposal method to Librarians’ Committee and the University Librarian, whose consultation and approval (respectively) is also documented on the form.

5. Disposal

The University Archivist oversees the physical transfer or destruction of the material. If the material is transferred to the donor or another repository, the University Archivist ensures the “Transfer of Deaccessioned Material Form” is completed. If material is disposed/destroyed, a record of the destruction or dated ‘note to file’ is added to the donor/accession file.

6. Documentation

The University Archivist notifies any consulted or affected parties. Copies of forms, minutes of meetings, correspondence, and any other documentation of the reappraisal and deaccessioning process are kept in the donor/accession file. The finding aid is retained but updated to indicate the material was deaccessioned, the rationale, the date of deaccessioning, and, if the material was transferred, a link to the finding aid and/or contact information for the repository where it is now held.

Version 1.1 | Approved by Librarians Committee, October 2025