Diocese of New Jersey | Archives | Policies and Procedures

A. Name and location: The Archives and Record Center of the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey shall be housed permanently and adequately at 808 West State Street, Trenton, N.J. 08610-5326.

B. Purpose: The purpose of maintaining the Archives is to centralize, organize, preserve, protect, and make available the records and materials which pertain to the origin, history, spirit and growth of the Diocese. The Archives also contain information on the lives and ministries of the clergy who have served in the parishes and missions of the Diocese.

C. Importance: A study of history helps toward an understanding of the life of commitment that characterized our past, continues in the present, and is in the projected future.
For senior members of the Church, the Archives serve as a reminder of their years of faithful service and give them assurance that their work is continuing. For younger members, archival materials provide knowledge of the Diocese's heritage, an appreciation for the dedication and sacrifice of those who preceded them, an incentive to keep alive and viable the spirit of the Episcopal Church. For these reasons the expansion and maintenance of the Archives should be a matter of special concern for the leadership of the Diocese. Consideration must be given not only to the contents of the Archives but also to space, budget, and personnel.

II. FUNCTIONAL CONSIDERATION

A. Definition and Scope: Archives are the official repository for all the documents and materials of any form, made or received by the Diocese. The documents and materials reflect the life of the Diocese, the conduct of its affairs as a legal corporation, the lives, personal and corporate, of the clergy, and the lives of the parishes. Accounts of the functions, policies, decisions, procedures, operations, and other activities which provide information about the Diocese shall be deposited in the Archives. Archives are a source of valuable information, not merely a warehouse for storage. The contents are not limited to the official papers of the past administrative officers but encompass anything and everything which helps to preserve the sense of history of the Diocese.

B. The Archivist: The Archivist should be appointed by the Bishop and serves in a staff position under the Bishop. The chief function of the Archivist is to manage and direct the various activities related to the Archives. The Archivist shall receive proper training and be provided such assistance, budget, and space as is judged necessary by the Diocesan leadership.
The basic qualifications are adequate professional training, commitment to the task of preserving the historical heritage of the Diocese, historical perspective, enthusiasm, willingness to work with others, and administrative ability. The continuing professional growth of the Archivist will help him/her provide better service in his/her work; therefore, membership shall be held in those organizations which will provide that benefit. The following associations are recommended: The Society of American Archivists (S.A.A.), Oral History Association, National Episcopal Historians Association (N.E.H.A.), Mid-Atlantic Regional Archivists Conference (MARAC), and the Archivists of Religious Institutions (A.R. I.).

C. Responsibilities of the Archivist: In order to create an awareness of how the Archives can be of service to the members of the Diocese, the Church-at-large, and those doing historical research, the Archivist shall perform the following services:

1. Periodically publish inventories of archival materials;

2. Sort and catalog the present holdings of the Diocese;

3. Increase archival holdings through correspondence with individuals and other sources;

4. Assist researchers in their use of the archival materials;

5. Develop and maintain a Records Retention Service to make easily available for a specified time the records generated by the various departments in the Diocese;

6. Assist parish archivists in developing and maintaining appropriate archives at the local level;

7. Prepare archive-related material for publication.

III. POLICIES

A. Basis for Decisions: At present there is no canon law governing the maintenance, organization, or use of archives in this Diocese. Most archival materials are protected by private laws, that is, by the Constitution or by-Laws of an organization, legislative ordinances, executive directives, and approved policies.

B. Principal Kinds of Records:

1. Vital Diocesan Records: These are records necessary for the re-building of the "structure" of the Diocese should our existing records be destroyed by a disaster. Vital Diocesan Records include: Standing Committee and Foundation minutes; Diocesan Journals; list of clergy ordained or received by Letter Dimissory; history of the Diocese and congregations, extinct and active. For preservation, these records should be kept in duplicate, with a copy -preferably on microfilm - stored in a vault at a different site.

2. Active files of current and retired clergy.

3. Diocesan newspaper files.

4. Records of each Bishop's activities.

5. Records of extinct parishes.

6. Histories of individual congregations, active or extinct.

7. Miscellaneous papers, books, etc. regarding the Episcopal Church.

C. Maintaining Archival Materials:

1. Sources: All administrative, historical, and pertinent records and materials of the general administration, convocations, clerici, houses, mission, parishes, institutions, and various ministries in which the Diocese were and are engaged shall be sources from which materials. are drawn for the Archives.The records of each mission and parish are the main source of the Diocese's history and the Diocese must take an active role in insisting on the proper maintenance of parochial records.

2. Transferral of records: Records that are seldom or never used should be placed in the Archives. Records are not to be "laundered" in any manner before being deposited in the Archives - we are interested in preserving history, not re-writing it.

3. Restrictions: In order to protect living individuals and their right to privacy, the following rules shall be observed:

a. Administrative records of every kind shall remain closed for a period of 20 years, except for reference use with the permission of the bishop in consultation with the archivist.

b. Personal records shall remain closed for a fifty (50) year period; controlled use of these records for reference may be made with the permission of the bishop in consultation with the archivist;

c. Unpublished materials may be made available to a researcher for legitimate use with permission of the archivist;

d. Published materials are available to anyone for research or reading;

e. Individuals who have been deposed or who have renounced the ministry may have access to their files with permission of the bishop and/or the archivist;

f. In response to inquiries by the FBI or other similar agency for character references, no material from personal files may be released without the express permission of the bishop and only after he has received written permission from the individual. The written permission will be kept on file.

4. Retirement of Records:

a. The personal and administrative papers of a bishop may be retired to the Archives at the beginning or at the end of the following bishop's term.

b. When a church or other religious institution of the Diocese is closed or declared extinct, all records are sent to the Archives where they shall be processed and relevant materials retained so that the history of the place may be properly preserved.

c. Electronic minutes or records of important Diocesan events shall be retired to the Archives as soon as possible after the event.

d. Whenever a history of a congregation or institution is published, two copies shall be deposited with the Archives for preservation.

IV. PROCEDURES

A. Generation of archival materials: All committees and commissions of the Convention shall keep minutes and shall deposit these yearly with the archivist. The archivist shall solicit from the Diocesan offices and the local congregations minutes of meetings, publications — newsletters, articles, books, theses, news clippings, program — lectures, workshops, conventions, etc.

B. Use of Archival Materials:

1. Research use: The following guidelines shall be observed by researchers, whether clergy or laity.

a. Permission to use the Archives is obtained from the archivist;

b. Each researcher shall fill out a form stating the purpose of the research and the records to be consulted;

c. The use of certain documents may be restricted by statute, office, origin, or by request of the donor; the researcher may quote from these documents only with the permission of the archivist and with due reference to the source;

d. No one may enter the Archives except authorized persons; the archivist will oversee the use of the materials requested in a designated research area;

e. As a general rule, no letter, memorandum, or document written by a person still living may be quoted, paraphrased or used in any way without the consent of the author;

f. The researcher must assume full responsibility for conforming to the laws of libel and literary property rights which may be involved in the use of manuscripts and other archival materials.

2. Handling of Archival Materials:

a. Records shall be handled with care; they shall not be traced over or marked upon; therefore, no carbon, ink or ballpoint pens are permitted in the research area — pencils will be made available;

b. No briefcases or other carriers will be allowed in the research area;

c. If permission is given to reproduction of materials, the archivist at an established cost per page or sheet carries out the process. Permission to reproduce material does not constitute permission to publish;

d. If permission is given for the use of material for publication, two copies of the publication are to be sent to the Archives. A thesis or dissertation is considered a publication. No book, document, manuscript, or item may be removed from the Archives.