Collections
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Friends of the
Butte Archives
2005 Annual
Report
The Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives
P.O. Box 81
17 W. Quartz St.
Butte, MT 59703
(406) 782-3280
info@buttearchives.org
The Archives is open to the public Monday and Tuesday from 9 am to 5 pm and Wednesday morning from 9 am to 12 noon. We are closed from Wednesday at 12 noon through Friday.
Butte-Silver
Bow Public Archives Collection Policy
1. The Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives
is a city-county agency established by the laws of the State
of Montana to acquire and preserve all non-current records of
the Butte-Silver Bow Government and the previous separate entities
of the City of Butte and Silver Bow County, excepting those records
which state law requires and must be permanently held in other
offices of Butte-Silver Bow and other materials of historical
significance to the development of Butte and Silver Bow County
All title for gifts to the Archives is conveyed to the Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives.
2. Archives' collections are comprised of materials whose primary purpose is for research and are maintained for open and free access by the public unless prohibited by state law. Acceptable material, other than city-county records will generally relate to documentation of the history of Butte and Silver Bow County, and will include manuscripts, records, photographic materials, maps and other historical source materials.
Literary rights: Unless otherwise restricted by copyright or by the donor and agreed to by the Archives at the time of acquisition, all literary rights are conveyed to the Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives. The Archives can assume no responsibility for misuse of literary of copyright restrictions by users of unrestricted material beyond normal professional ethics and standards. Material placed in the Archives is primarily for research and, unless restricted, will be used for that purpose.
3. Gifts to the Archives are considered outright and unrestricted donations to be used in the best interests of the Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives. Usually, accepted gifts are considered extremely important or the best available at the time acquired. However, no individual or institution can predict nor govern the changing attitudes of future generations, not guarantee permanency beyond the best available preservation procedures.
It is sometimes impractical to evaluate all material at the time of acquisition. Upon evaluation some material may be declared expendable. In addition, certain material already existing in collections may become expendable by acquisition of better examples. Expendable materials include surplus, duplicate, non-relevant or material of deteriorated condition or limited use. Such material will be used in the best interest of the Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives, including but not limited to sale and exchange programs to acquire other needed materials, loans to schools and other institutions, and disposal if the condition or value so warrants. Any material declared expendable must be approved by the Director and the Board of the Archives.
Certain items within the donation may be immediately determined to not be adaptable to the Archives collections and policies. Reasons for such determination would include duplication, lack of space and facilities, or failure to fit the Archives' areas of acquisition. The donor is then asked to advise the Archives concerning disposition of such items.
4. The Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives cannot appraise donations for tax purposes. For the protection of the donor, it is recommended that such appraisals be done by a qualified disinterested third party.
