"Woman making lei," by Cowais, Ho'olaule'a, 1989
WCC Archives is open to collaboration!
We'd like to work with you. Our institution is committed to the development of new modes of collaboration, engagement, and partnership with our communities for the care and stewardship of past and future heritage collections.
Contact us at: wccref@hawaii.edu
WCC Library is committed to providing open access to its holdings in accordance with the guidelines set forth by the Society of American Archivists. Parts of collections may be restricted for reasons of confidentiality or cultural protocols. Unprocessed collections are inaccessible.
Accessing the Collections
The collections of the WCC Archives do not circulate, but can be accessed in person, and used in the Hawai'i Collection. You will need to find and request materials using the library catalog or email the archivist at emseaton [at] hawaii.edu. Selected collections will be digitized and made available in 2023.
Reading Room Policy
The Archives shares a common reading room space with the Hawaiʻi Collection. All archival collections must be viewed in designated areas within the Hawaiʻi Collection.
Surrogating or Substitution
Where a surrogate is available, access will usually not be provided to the original item. Surrogates are created for records in high demand or those that risk damage from handling.
Loans
Materials cannot be lent from the Archives without authorization from the Library Director.
Librarians are committed to working with donors to manage the transfer of materials to Windward Community College or help donors find a suitable repository for their materials. Since adding materials to the Archives and Special Collections constitutes a perpetual commitment of resources and staff on behalf of the Windward Community College Library, accession decisions are made by the repository librarian.
Before sending or dropping off materials to the Archives, donors should contact the repository librarian with the following information:
Donors should provide information about the scope and the depth of their materials. This can take the form of a description, an inventory, or an on-site survey. This allows the library to make a informed acquisition decisions.
All acquisitions are governed by the deed of gift. Donors and library will have the opportunity to discuss, negotiate, agree on terms including donor and library expectations, and ultimately reflect in the deed of gifts.
Before transfer, donors will stabilize materials. This may include reviewing and labeling sound and video recordings, checking for environmental contaminants such as mold, putting loose papers in folders and labeling files.
Donated materials will be used in the course of research or so any items containing personally identifiable information, such as social security numbers, or information that is not intended for public viewing, should be redacted or removed prior to transfer.
Archives may put materials or representations of materials online to facilitate wider use.
For more information consult the Donations page.
The Collection Development Policy defines the appraisal and selection decisions required to make informed judgements in archives and records acquisitions. Accessioning materials into the Archives and Special Collections constitutes a perpetual commitment on behalf of the library requiring many library resources such as continued staff monitoring, climate controls, and preservation.
The following are the appraisal guidelines for each of the three major archival collections:
Collection Development Policy for the Institutional Archives
The College Archives acquires college records directly from campus units and professional and personal papers donated from faculty, staff, students, and alumni who have achieved a local, national, or international reputation in their field or who had a major impact on the development of WCC.
Accepted Records and Formats:
Administrative Records
Records from Administrative units including: publications (newsletters, brochures, posters); reports (annual reports, self-studies, certification documentation); events (invitations and programs for ceremonies, dedications, anniversaries); minutes (from steering committees, task forces, or other groups that have historical or research value to the university); photographs.
Biographical Records
Resumes, curriculum vitae, photographs, bibliographies, biographical sketches, portraits, chronologies, newspaper clippings related to personal and professional activities, personal memoirs of WCC faculty, staff, and administration.
Faculty papers - the personal and professional papers of select Windward Community College faculty as a means of documenting the internal life and culture of the college community. Due to limited resources, decisions for accepting faculty papers are weighted towards individuals who have made significant contributions to the institution or their field of study.
Academic Life
Records from Academic units including: syllabi; classroom material; emails and documents relating to faculty and classes; publications (newsletters, brochures, posters); reports (annual reports, self-studies, certification documentation); events (invitations and programs for ceremonies, dedications, anniversaries); minutes (from steering committees, task forces, or other groups that have historical or research value to the university); photographs.
Student Life
Records that document student life and culture on campus including accounts of college life (correspondence, journals); photographs documenting student activities; student events (flyers, programs, memorabilia -pins, shirts).
Student publications (newspapers, newsletters, journals, books, zines).
Student organization records including constitutions and by-laws, governance and policy documents, minutes and proceedings, newsletters, announcements, brochures, programs.
Buildings and Grounds
Physical plant documents, such as architectural drawings, renderings, maps and papers.
Histories of buildings and plants on campus including oral histories, newspaper clippings, etc.
Collection Development Policy for the Koʻolau Community Archives
The Koʻolau Community Archives and Rare Book Collection consists of records, collections, and books generously donated by individuals, organizations, and businesses.
Appraisal criteria for the Koʻolau Community Archives:
Scope and Content
Geographical focus - Collected extensively from the Windward Community College campus and materials originating by or for the Koʻolau region (Windward-side) of Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi.
Languages - English and Hawaiian language materials are extensively collected. Other languages are selectively collected.
Condition
Records are free of pests, mold, or other physical damage.
Records are in a stable format.
Records to be transferred are of reasonable quantity.
Potential Research Value
Records have potential historical value to the College or researchers.
Access/Format
The record or collection is in a format that the library can make accessible.
Records are free of access restrictions including FERPA, HIPAA, and PII.
Accepted Records and Formats
Business records - correspondence, memorabilia, posters, flyers.
Organization records - minutes, directories, event flyers, reports.
Prominent individuals and family papers - oral histories, correspondence, memorabilia.
Photographs and recordings.
The Collections Management Policy documents policies that guide the development and care of the archival collections consistent with the mission of the Windward Community College Archives and professional archival standards. Detailed procedures and internal documents for accessioning and processing materials can be accessed by staff on the Library’s internal shared drive.
Accessioning Items and Collections
After the materials are physically transferred to the archives and intellectually through the deed of gift, materials will be officially accessioned by logging the acquisition in the WCC Archives Accession Register located in the library's shared online drive. This register contains accession and collection numbers, dates and titles of donation, donor information, and other information.
Guidelines for Processing
After donations have been accessioned into the archives, the collection will be prepared for public access through archival processing. The archivist will consult the WCC Archival Processing Manual which details arrangement, description, and preservation procedures at Windward Community College Library.
Risk Management
Risk management entails the library’s responsibility to minimize potential dangers to the collection. This section includes an overview of the library’s approach to safeguarding the archives:
Fire Detection and Suppression - The library is equipped with overhead sprinklers to suppress fires. Our fire monitoring system is annually tested.
Disaster Management/Emergency Response Plan - Procedures for natural disasters, mechanical or operational system failure, and other natural and human emergencies are detailed in this plan. The library reviews emergency and disaster procedures annually.
Environmental Monitoring - The archives room and the Hawaiʻi Collection reading room are climate controlled and furnished with HOBO climate control readers.
Integrated Pest Management - The library has a comprehensive IPM plan that includes monthly monitoring of pest activity.
Security - In addition to the archives being located in a secure and locked location, the library is manned with security guards. Procedures in the reading room also prevent and deter theft.
Guidelines for Deaccessioning
Deaccessioning is the process of removing materials from the archives through a process of reappraisal. This section provides the decision-making framework for reappraisal and deaccessioning materials. WCC Archives periodically deaccessions items from existing collections upon reappraisal and/or recent acquisitions as part of the accessioning process.
The following criteria is used to determine if a record or collection should be deaccessioned:
The item or collection falls outside of the scope of the current collection development policies.
Restrictions, such as those mentioned in a deed of gift, or legal issues that apply to this material that require us to return the item or collection.
Deaccessioning this item or collection will not affect public access to this information.
The item or collection is a better fit at another institution.
The item is a duplication held at WCC or within the UH system.
WCC Library unable to accommodate the format of the item for public access.
The material is too fragile or deteriorated to be used by the public.
The item or collection is a danger to human health or to other items in the collection.
Citations are useful in helping others identify and locate the source you cited. Listed below are the key elements to archival citation and WCC Archives preferred citation for records in our collections.
Most citations are typically made with following elements:
Repository, i.e. Windward Community College Archives
Collection, i.e. Institutional Archives
Series, i.e. Academic Life
Box and Folder Number (or photograph number), i.e. 11-1
Document Title, i.e. “Minutes from the Sustainability Committee, June 27, 2022”
Records Format: Windward Community College Archives, Collection Name, Series Name, Box and Folder Number, Document Title/Description.
Photograph Format: Windward Community College Archives, Collection Name, Collection Number, Series Number, Box Number, Photograph Number
ex. Windward Community College, Ka 'Ohana Archive, WCC1-02-01-301
Film/Moving Image Format: Windward Community College Archives, Collection Name, Collection Number, Film Title.
Internet Citations: Windward Community College Archives, Collection Name, Item Title, Access URL and Date.
Reproduction of materials are governed by copyright, indigenous intellectual property, and/or restrictions placed on collections from donors. It is the responsibility of the patron to investigate the copyright status of any given item and obtain permission where needed prior to publication and distribution.
Reproductions may be made with your personal camera or cell phone.*
Photocopies and digital reproductions are made by staff upon request.*
Reproduction in any format may not be sold or shared for any purpose without the written permission of Windward Community College Library.
Library-facilitated duplications can be made in the following formats: PDF, JPEG, and paper photocopies. Delivery of digital replication is free via email.
*Fragile physical conditions may restrict reproductions.
The following provides information about legal issues like US Copyright, Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property, and Fair Use. These sources do not constitute legal advice. Patrons are responsible for researching the copyright status of records and collections.
US Copyright and Fair Use
Copyright protects intellectual property and original works of authorship. For more information about copyright, consult the U.S.Copyright Office.
Fair Use is a legal doctrine that permits unlicensed use of copyright-protected works in certain situations, such as criticism, news reporting, reaching, scholarship, and research. There are four factors in evaluating fair use, 1) purpose and character of the use; 2) nature of the copyrighted work; 3) amount and substantial of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and 4) the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work. For more information, consult the U.S. Copyright Office.
Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property
WCC Archives acknowledges indigenous cultural and intellectual rights of Native Hawaiians and other indigenous communities. The archives recognize knowledge from the Hawaiian community can be either kapu (restricted) or noa (free) depending on genealogy, community relationships, and other factors. Certain records within the archives are kapu upon the wishes of the cultural informant. The WCC Archives is open to collaborating with Native Hawaiian groups to best represent their inherent indigenous cultural and intellectual property.
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