9.0 Deaccessioning Policy

Deaccessioning is the process of removing an item from the permanent collection of an archive, museum, gallery or library. It incorporates the processes of deselection, in which items are identified for disposal, and disposal, in which items are physically removed. By removing unsuitable items from its collection, an institution is able to acquire new items or upgrade the care given to existing collection items.

A thorough process of evaluation is undertaken before any item is removed from the collections of the AIATSIS Audiovisual Archive. Criteria for deselection are outlined in sections 9.1–9.2 of this policy; methods of disposal are described in section 9.3.

9.1 Deselection of items acquired in accordance with the Acquisitions Policy

Items acquired in accordance with the Acquisitions Policy (section 5.0) will not be considered for removal from the collection unless written permission has been obtained from the copyright owner, and:

the item is duplicated elsewhere in the collection;
the item has deteriorated to such an extent that retention of content or copying is not practicable;
the item is a copy which has been replaced by a superior copy; or
the item has become a danger to the safety of both staff and other materials in the collection due to chemical decomposition and off-gassing, in which case every effort will be made to preserve the content by migration onto a stable format.

Depositors are now required to sign a disposal authority before material is accessioned into the permanent collection (see section 4.0).

9.2 Deselection of items acquired by other means

AIATSIS holds a large number of items that were acquired outside the scope of an acquisition or collection development policy, including some material with no Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander content. Some of these items may be considered for removal from the collection to ensure the safety and longevity of more suitable objects. Such items will only be removed from the collection if:

the item was acquired illegally or unethically;
the item is not deemed significant according to any of the criteria outlined in section 5.2 of the Acquisitions Policy;
the item is not authentic;
the item is duplicated elsewhere in the collection;
the item has deteriorated to such an extent that retention of content or copying is not practicable;
the item is a copy which has been replaced by superior copies;
the item has become a danger to the safety of both staff and other materials in the collection due to chemical decomposition and off-gassing, in which case every effort will be made to preserve the content by migration onto a stable format; or
the item is subject to stringent depositor restrictions which contradict the wishes of the Indigenous owner(s).

Original, unpublished items which are not duplicates and are in a usable condition, will not be deaccessioned without the approval of:

The Collections Manager;
The Director, Audiovisual Archive;
The Deputy Principal, Collections; and
The Principal.

9.3 Methods of disposal

Deselected material must be disposed of in an ethical manner. An open dialogue between AIATSIS, the copyright owner(s) and the relevant Indigenous owner(s) must be established prior to the disposal of original unpublished materials which are in a usable condition. Where an Authority to Dispose of Audiovisual Materials has been completed, AIATSIS will abide by the instructions nominated by the depositor.

The AIATSIS Audiovisual Archive will dispose of deselected items in the following ways, listed from most desirable (return) to least desirable (destruction):

transfer to the original depositor (N.B. AIATSIS cannot legally return material to donors who received tax benefits as a result of their donation);
repatriation to the appropriate Indigenous group, established through a process of consultation (N.B. repatriation will not be considered for commercially acquired artworks);
transfer to a regional Indigenous keeping place;
sale to a public institution;
sale to a private buyer; or
destruction (N.B. only duplicate material or material which is severely deteriorated will be destroyed as a first option, where transfer or sale are not practicable).

Material will not be disposed of within 3 months of its deselection, unless it has become a danger to the safety of both staff and other materials in the collection.

Conditions which applied at the time an object was acquired may legally prevent AIATSIS from disposing of it. The legality of disposal will be ascertained on a case-by-case basis.

Funds generated from the disposal of items will be deposited into the Audiovisual Archive budget and may only be used to purchase new items in accordance with the Acquisitions Policy or to upgrade the preservation or conservation of objects already in the permanent collection.

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