Draft Removal and Disposal Policy
This draft policy outlines the four circumstances for removal and disposal of items from our collections and the principles guiding the process. We look forward to your feedback.
Download a PDF of the draft policy
This is the web version of the Draft Removal and Disposal policy
You can download a PDF version Draft Removal and Disposal policy (pdf, 290KB).
About this policy
This policy provides the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa with clear parameters for when items can be recommended for removal from its collections and what happens to them afterwards. It also covers processes the National Library needs to follow when considering removal and disposal.
The policy describes four circumstances under which removal can be considered and three sets of principles:
removal principles
disposal principles
process principles.
This policy applies to the National Library’s research and general collections, each of which have different purposes and requirements. The research collections, which include the Alexander Turnbull and other collections, are intended to be kept in perpetuity and therefore items will only be removed in rare circumstances. The general collections are developed to meet current user needs, therefore regular and routine assessment of items against the policy is appropriate and good practice.
The removal of items – either individually or in groups – is part of the process of maintaining library collections. This policy recognises that to remove items from the collections, the National Librarian must have agreement from the Minister of Internal Affairs under section 9(3) of the National Library of New Zealand (Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa) Act 2003. Decisions about disposal – that is, what happens to items once they have been removed – are made by the National Librarian.
This policy sits within, and aligns with, the broader policy context for the National Library. This includes:
Legislative requirements: including Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa Act 2003, but also other relevant legislation like the Copyright Act 1994 and Privacy Act 2020.
Te Tiriti o Waitangi / The Treaty of Waitangi: the National Library has obligations and responsibilities as a Tiriti partner and as key holders of important mātauranga Māori and taonga Māori collections.
Operational policies of the National Library: at time of writing, policies include the Collections Policy, the Access Policy, the Use and Reuse Policy, Te Mauri o te Mātauranga, the Preservation Policy, and the Mātauranga Māori Policy and its associated standards.
Scope
This policy applies to items in the general and research collections of the National Library. This includes all digital and physical items that have been accepted into the collections.
The following are out of scope:
the schools' collection of the National Library which has its own operationalised policy to guide the regular removal and disposal of items,
working tools of the National Library, which are resources that have been acquired by the library for staff to carry out their roles,
any items stored by the National Library that have not been accepted into its collections.
When will this policy be applied
This policy will be applied when considering the removal of any items from the National Library’s research and general collections. In most cases, the process for considering removal will be initiated by the National Library. However, there may also be requests from external parties for items to be removed, for example, to be transferred to a different party with a close connection to the items.
Implementation
The National Library will develop a set of templates and processes to support the implementation of this policy. These will provide additional detail about what the principles will look like in practice. National Library staff will use the templates and processes to ensure recommendations about removal and disposal is consistent with the policy and its principles.
Definitions
Removal refers to the process of analysis and approval to remove items from the National Library’s collections. This is the term used in Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa Act 2003. In collections management practice, other terms like deaccession, deselection, withdrawal or weeding are also used to describe the same or closely related concepts.
Disposal refers to what happens to an item once it has been agreed for removal from the collections. There are a number of potential methods of disposal, for example through transfer to another party, donation, sale or secure destruction.
Maintenance refers to the continual care of the collections to ensure they are in good condition, accessible to the public, and fulfill their purpose. Removal of items within this scope is part of collections maintenance. Collection development and maintenance is a legislative function of the National Librarian.
About the National Library and its collections
The National Library was established by legislation in 1965, bringing together pre-existing collections and services of the Alexander Turnbull Library, General Assembly Library and National Library Service. In 2003, the 1965 act was replaced with Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa Act 2003. This act remains the legislative basis for the library and its functions.
The purpose of the National Library, as set out in Section 7 of the Act is to “enrich the cultural and economic life of New Zealand and its interchanges with other nations by, as appropriate, —
(a) collecting, preserving, and protecting documents, particularly those relating to New Zealand, and making them accessible for all the people of New Zealand, in a manner consistent with their status as documentary heritage and taonga; and
(b) supplementing and furthering the work of other libraries in New Zealand; and
(c) working collaboratively with other institutions having similar purposes, including those forming part of the international library community.”
In order to achieve this purpose, the National Librarian has a number of legislative functions, set out in section 9(1) of the Act. One of these functions is to “develop and maintain national collections of documents, including a comprehensive collection of documents relating to New Zealand and the people of New Zealand.”
About the collections
The National Library has three sets of collections. These are built in a number of ways, including through donation, purchase and legal deposit. The three sets of collections are:
the research collections, often also referred to as the heritage collections, which include the collections of the Alexander Turnbull Library and other collections. These collections are acquired with the intention they will be kept permanently by the Library, and section 11(2) of Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa Act 2003 states that “the Crown must continue to own the collections of the Alexander Turnbull Library in perpetuity”. These collections are developed and maintained because of their value in supporting current and emerging research needs, as well as anticipated needs of future generations of New Zealanders,
the general collections of published items, including one copy of physical format titles received under legal deposit and selectively collected overseas publications. The purpose of these collections is to support the current information needs of New Zealanders, and items in them are not required to be kept in perpetuity. These collections are developed and maintained because of their utility value and are therefore able to be borrowed and accessed throughout the New Zealand library network, and
the schools collection, which supports the development of young New Zealanders as engaged readers and digitally literate learners. This is a high-use steady-state collection, in which the objective is to add and remove an equal number of items.
Further information about the collections is outlined in the National Library’s Collections Policy and supporting collecting plans.
National Library Library Collections Policy
Circumstances for removal
There are four broad circumstances where the removal of items from the general and research collections may be appropriate. If an item meets one or more of the circumstances, they may be a candidate for removal, however, further assessment against the principles is still required before removal can be recommended.
Legal reasons
There are legal reasons for an item to be removed from the collection
Explanation
Examples where this circumstance may apply include:
if there was no legal reason for an item to be accepted into the collections in the first place, or
if there is a court order for items to be removed.
In some cases, this requirement may not be met (e.g. objectionable content or privacy concerns), but the National Library’s Takedown Policy could apply, meaning an item might be retained but access is prevented for a certain period of time.
This circumstance can apply to items in both the research and general collections.
Another group is more appropriate to hold the items
There is a more appropriate group or institution to hold the items.
Explanation
The National Library recognises it may not be the most appropriate owner of some items in its collections, even if they align with the collections policy and fit the purpose of the collection.
Examples of when this circumstance may apply include:
repatriation of items to iwi/hapū/whānau, or
transfer to another institution.
This circumstance can apply to items in both the research and general collections.
No longer fulfils purpose for which collected
Items no longer fulfil the purpose for which they were collected and have not taken on a subsequent purpose that aligns with the collections policy.
Explanation
Examples where this circumstance may apply include:
where there are multiple preservation copies an item (e.g. newspapers),
items that have deteriorated so information can no longer be accessed.
This circumstance can apply to items in both the research and general collections.
Item’s don't align with collections policy
Items in the general collections do not align with the National Library’s collections policy
Explanation
The collections policy sets up the general shape and form of the collections and will guide maintenance decisions for the general collections.
Examples where this circumstance may apply include:
items which are no longer meeting current information needs of New Zealanders
items which are now broadly publicly available.
This circumstance only applies to items in the general collections.
Principles
The three sets of principles below form the main body of this policy. Any time the National Library is considering the potential removal and disposal of items from its collections, its processes, recommendations and decisions must align with these principles. The process principles are designed to apply to both removal and disposal decision-making processes.
Removal principles
At least one of the Circumstances for Removal must be met in order for removal to be considered
Removal of collection items must be consistent with New Zealand law
Before a recommendation is made for removal, an assessment will be made about the impact on the ongoing information and cultural needs of New Zealanders
Removal recommendations will take into consideration the relationship items have with other items in the collections
Removal of items from the collections is final and not contingent on specific conditions set by the National Library
The cost of maintaining and storing items is not the primary driver for removal decisions.
Disposal principles
Disposal of items must be consistent with New Zealand law
The National Librarian can consider a wide range of potential disposal options, including transfer, sale, donation and destruction
Where a range of viable options are available, disposal actions that enable ongoing public access will be prioritised
The costs of potential disposal actions will be understood and considered and may influence disposal decisions
If transfer to another party was agreed as part of the removal decision, no other disposal actions will be considered.
Process principles
The process for making removal and disposal decisions, and the outcome of these decisions, is transparent
The National Library builds or maintains relationships with people who have significant connections to collection items being considered for removal and disposal
The National Library seeks advice from relevant groups and individuals to ensure decisions align with the Removal and Disposal Policy
Appropriate tikanga will be followed when making and implementing removal and disposal decisions
A record of items considered for removal from collections, and any supporting disposal action taken, will be made and kept
A summary of engagement activities and outcomes will be provided to the person making final removal or disposal decisions.
