A.	Donating Private Records
B.	Types of Donors and Types of Records Donated
C.	Political Records and the Saskatchewan Archives
D.	Guide to Maintaining Records & Identifying Archival Material for Societies & Organizations

A. Donating Private Records:
The Saskatchewan Archives offers a controlled environment for the preservation of records of archival and historical value. Our trained staff is available to provide advice on the organization and maintenance of records, to ensure the proper physical storage and handling of material, and to assist in the transfer process. The donation of private records to our repository is encouraged to ensure a lasting and effective documentation of everyday life, political development, economic growth, and provincial spirit in Saskatchewan.

Process for Donating Records
Individuals or organizations interested in donating their records should contact:

Trina Gillis, Chief Archivist,
Acquisition and Appraisal Unit,
Saskatchewan Archives Board,
Saskatchewan Archives Board,
Room 301, 1870 Albert Street, Regina, S4P 4B7

phone: (306) 787-0452
fax: (306) 787-0708
email: tgillis@archives.gov.sk.ca

Many potential donations in the province are appraised on-site, after which arrangements are made for the physical transfer of selected records to the Archives. Once a formal transfer of the records has taken place, the process of identifying, arranging, and describing the material begins. Where necessary, staff will create a finding aid to the collection; a copy of which is provided to the donor.

Monetary Appraisals for Tax Credit
The Saskatchewan Archives does not have an acquisitions budget for purchasing records. However, at the request of the donor appraisals for tax credit are available which recognize the significant historical value of collections. These monetary appraisals are conducted by independent appraisers or by members of the National Archives Appraisal Board, and apply to the year in which the donation has been made.

Access Restrictions and Donation Agreements
Under the terms of section 3(1)(c) of Chapter F-22.01 The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, "material that is placed in the custody of The Saskatchewan Archives Board by or on behalf of persons or organizations other than government institutions" is exempt from the legislation. This ensures that confidentiality is maintained where necessary, and also ensures the continuation of non-partisanship in the acquisition of records by the Archives.

Where concerns exist regarding public access to or use of records, a written agreement is negotiated between the donor and the Archives. This document defines the type and length of restriction, and identifies individuals who have the authority to grant access to the records during this time.

Questions and Answers About Donation Agreements

	When is it necessary to negotiate a donation agreement between a donor and the Saskatchewan Archives Board?
	A donation agreement is required when: Privacy or legal issues require all or part of the donated materials to have restricted public access. A request has been made by the donor to have the donated materials appraised for tax credit. Full intellectual rights are not being transferred to Saskatchewan Archives (for example, when a donation contains unpublished manuscripts, oral history recordings, photographs, etc., where the donor wishes to retain copyright over the works for the period defined by the Canadian Copyright Act or for a shorter period of time.) Only in the above instances is a donation agreement required.
	What is the purpose of negotiating and signing a donation agreement between a donor and the Saskatchewan Archives Board?
	The donation agreement defines terms which govern the storage, use, and legal transfer of ownership of records donated to the Saskatchewan Archives. It also identifies individuals who have the authority to control access to records during periods of restriction, and allows for the effective long-term management of the records according to the donor's wishes.
	Who signs the donation agreement?
	The chair and secretary of the Saskatchewan Archives Board sign on behalf of the Board, and the donor signs as follows: When the donor is an organization, society, or business, the president or executive director of the organization signs the agreement. This person has full authority to control access to any restricted records or to delegate this authority. The delegation of authority to control access to restricted records must be outlined in the donation agreement. If the donor is an individual, the legal owner of the records must sign the donation agreement. However, the donor can delegate authority to control access to restricted records to individuals who are most familiar with the recordsą content. The delegation of authority to control access to restricted records must be outlined in the donation agreement. The above mentioned are required to sign each agreement.
	When are records restricted from public access?
	Records are restricted from public access if: They contain material that is of a sensitive personal nature, or which bears on the privacy of individuals. The records are donated relatively soon after their creation, and individuals or events are currently active on the public scene. The donor retains copyright for a defined period of time. The above mentioned are reasons for restricted public access.
	Who decides whether records should be restricted?
	The donor requests that the records be restricted from public access, and negotiates with the archivist representing Saskatchewan Archives to arrive at mutually satisfactory terms (length of restriction, terms of access, etc.) Archivists often suggest restricting records in instances where the contents of the records bear on the privacy of individuals.
	How long should records be restricted from public access?
	The length of the restriction is negotiated on a case by case basis, and depends on donor preference, on the nature and the content of the record. Donors should keep in mind that as a public archives our mandate is to make records available for public use.
	Can researchers access restricted records during the term of restriction?
	As part of the negotiated agreement, the donor agrees to review requests for access during the term of restriction. The donation agreement clearly identifies who has the authority to control access to restricted records. Researchers requesting access are provided with the name and address of the person(s) who has the authority to review requests. Donors are asked to keep Saskatchewan Archives informed of address changes of the contact persons. The donor is provided with a request in writing stating the research purpose, the records wishing to be examined, and the intended use of the material gathered during the course of the research. The request to copy must also be stated, if necessary. The authorized person then makes decisions on access. The letter of permission from the donor should include: Permission to see restricted file inventories. Permission to see part or all of the restricted records (must be specific). Permission to photocopy part or all of the restricted records (must be specific). Access is not granted to restricted records until the Archives has received written permission from the authorized person.
	What happens to the records at the end of the negotiated period of restriction?
	At the end of the negotiated period of restriction, unless further directives are received from the donor, all records become available for research purposes in accordance with regulations which have been (or will be) established by the Saskatchewan Archives Board or its successors providing for the use of records in its possession.

B. Types of Donors and Types of Records Donated:
Records are defined by the nature of the donor, the record, and the circumstances surrounding records creation.

C. Political Records and the Saskatchewan Archives:
Political records document the political evolution and development of the province through the activities of individuals participating in public life. Our mandate encourages the acquisition of records of long-term historical significance both at regional and provincial levels. Saskatchewan Archives holdings include legislative and political party records representing all political interests.

Saskatchewan Archives offers a secure, quality-controlled environment for the preservation of MLA and ministerial records. Archivists provide advice on records organization, physical handling, and records maintenance. Every attempt is made to preserve the integrity of file contents to best reflect the activities that the records document, as well as the circumstances surrounding the creation of the record.

Types of Records Acquired
Records generated by politicians provide insight into social and political issues, party policy and personal experiences within the parliamentary system. As in any activity, not all records that are created need to be kept to ensure future understanding of participation in the political process. Archives staff conducts appraisals of the records examining both content and context for historical and evidential value.

Political records describe the official, political, constituency and portfolio activities of individual members of the legislature, as well as personal observations of public life. Records acquired by the Archives may include speeches, briefing notes, committee minutes and memoranda, agendas and reports, notices of meetings, party conferences and election material, constituency correspondence and letters. All kinds of media are accepted including photographs, film, videos, audiotapes, textual and computer records. We encourage the donation of records in their original form although copies may also be deposited with the Archives.

Donation Process
Records transferred to Saskatchewan Archives are designated by the donor as open or closed to general research use. An agreement is required for restricted records. This document identifies the donor, defines the terms of access restrictions, and names a designate to monitor the use of the records in case of donor death. Most ministerial and MLA agreements limit access to the records for twenty to twenty-five years from the date of leaving public office. During this period, researchers require written authorization from the donor for access to finding aids, records, and for copying privileges. An agreement should be in place prior to any transfer of records.

Under an agreement, regular transfers of inactive records may be made by contacting staff in the Private Records Programme (Regina) or Collections Unit (Saskatoon). With ministerial records, it is often most convenient to donate records once a portfolio has ended. On-site appraisals by archivists may be necessary prior to the transfer of material. Consultation with the donor is ongoing to ensure that needs are met both in terms of confidentiality and space requirements. Once Archives staff has completed a listing of the records, a copy is provided to the donor for reference purposes.

Records transferred to Saskatchewan Archives become a part of our permanent collection. Tax receipts for gifts in kind are available on request, for those portions of the records not related to the donor's service as a Minister of the Crown. This process applies to the calendar year in which the individual donates the records.

Freedom of Information Legislation and Private Records
Under the terms of section 3(1)(c) of Chapter F-22.01 The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act "material that is placed in the custody of the Saskatchewan Archives Board by or on behalf of persons or organizations other than government institutions" is exempt from the legislation. This ensures that confidentiality is maintained and that the tradition continues of non-partisanship in the acquisition of records.

Inquiries may be directed to:
In the Regina Office, Linda Putz, Chief Archivist, Private Records, Maps & Architectural Drawings, or in the Saskatoon Office, Nadine Charabin, Chief Archivist, Reference and Collections.

D. A Guide to Maintaining Records & Identifying Archival Material for Societies & Organizations
Societies and organizations frequently ask us for information about how to maintain their own records, or how to identify archival material to be deposited in an archival institution. We have developed a guide that should answer most of your questions of this type. Please see our "A Guide to Maintaining Records & Identifying Archival Material for Societies & Organizations" in the Public Services - Information Bulletins section of this website. The guide is available in pdf format as well as a text only HTML version. The pdf version may be viewed or printed using Adobe Acrobat.

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