Strategic Plan and Priorities, 2007-2012
The University of Melbourne Archives
On 15 June 2007, the University Archives ran a very successful planning day in conjunction with the Archives Advisory Board and selected research users. We also benefited from an opening address from Dr Angela Bridgland, the new University Librarian, and facilitation from Monash University’s Manager, Archives & Records Program, Katherine Dan. It resulted in valuable findings and validation of much we now retain from the previous five year plan. Our new plan is as follows:
Vision
To be recognized as one of the world's finest university archives.
Mission
According to University Regulations, 'The Archives is responsible for the University's own historical records and is also a national collecting archive which develops, preserves, exhibits and provides access to its collections in support of the University's teaching and research programs and community development agenda.' (Regulation 8.1.R1, 2001)
In light of this Regulation, and in support of our vision, our mission is
- to achieve a visible, known, accessible and relevant archival collection, and
- to do this in ways that meet international best practice, and which excel in the eyes of our researchers, stakeholders and professional colleagues.
Values and Guiding Principles
Staff of the Archives are committed to the values and guiding principles of the University and the Information Services Division. In addition, we value:
- the archival records we manage, preserve and make accessible;
- a safe secure archival repository;
- minimal and non-discriminatory, though fully respected, restrictions on use of collections;
- leadership in management, known, proper and sensible arrangements for the custody and preservation of archives, including the encouragement of organizations to establish their own archival units, in preference to split collections and harmful, competitive collecting;
- service to all our depositors and researchers;
- promotion and preservation of archival collections through public exhibition and development programs;
- the 'Archivists' Mission' and code of ethics issued by the Australian Society of Archivists; and
- maximum integration of archival management with the recordkeeping continuum.
Stakeholders
We recognize our key stakeholders to be
- the University
- our depositors and their representatives
- our researchers
- the Archives Advisory Board
- other relevant collecting archives, and
- given our ‘Place of Deposit’ status, the Public Record Office Victoria.
Strategic Priorities, 2007-2012
While striving to exceed existing levels of service to researchers and depositors, our key priorities for the next 5 years are to:
- significantly improve means for securing funding to increase our resource base;
- revise, establish and implement collection development policies for University individuals' papers, literary collections, and monitor progress implementing our adaptation of the ‘Minnesota Method’ for business archives;
- provide comprehensive on line access to collection lists;
- foster increased use of the collections by University of Melbourne scholars, teachers and students, while maintaining existing services to users from other universities and the public;
- replace the current collection management system based on accessions with one based on record series and record-creating entities;
- implement an electronic records solution, and establish and strengthen links with the University’s Records Services program.
July 2007