Collections Policy

1. The purpose of our policy

This policy sets out the principles governing Adelaide University’s curation, management, development, maintenance, and enabling of access to, and discovery and use of, its collections. 

It establishes the governance-level responsibilities for their effective curation and management. It provides a single, University-wide framework while recognising that operational procedures for our different collection types will be tailored to their specific collection management and collection development requirements.

The policy provides authority to maintain the:

• [Library Collection Management and Development Procedure]
• [Museum and Gallery Collections Procedure]
• [Special Collections and Archives Procedure]
• [Indigenous Collections and Archives Procedure].

2. Who our policy applies to

This policy applies to Adelaide University staff who hold responsibilities for the curation, management and development of collections.  

It applies to all physical and digital collections owned, cared for and managed by the University, wherever located. The University’s collections include:

• the Library collection
• museum and gallery collections
• special collections including:
  • heritage collections
  • Indigenous collections and archives
  • manuscript and personal archive collections
  • rare book collections
  • visual art collections
  • the University Archives.

2.1 Inclusions

This policy applies to:  

• Adelaide University Library
• Samstag Museum of Art
• academic and administrative areas of the University with responsibility for the curation, management and development of specific collections.

2.2 Exclusions

This policy does not apply to items or groups of items held on loan to the University under agreements made at the University’s discretion.

2. Our collections policy principles

3.1 We manage and develop our collections in support of the University's mission, values and strategy

Our collections support the University’s teaching, learning, research, community engagement and cultural mission, and its values including equity and inclusion, and strategic priorities. We work collaboratively with academic staff, researchers, communities, donors, and partner institutions to enhance the value and relevance of our collections.

3.2 We take long-term responsibility for the stewardship of our collections

We maintain and care for our collections as valuable institutional assets, supported by appropriate risk management practices. In making collection management and development decisions, we consider financial, environmental and institutional capacity required to care for collection items sustainably and over the long-term.

3.3 We actively promote access to and discovery of our collections by the Adelaide University community

We ensure our collections are as open as possible and as restricted as necessary, balancing considerations including equity, copyright, licensing, preservation, security, cultural sensitivity and legal constraints. We use appropriate documentation standards to support the provenance, discoverability and reuse of the items in our collections.

3.4 We manage and develop our collections in accordance with relevant legislative and regulatory obligations, and professional and ethical codes and standards

Our approach to curating, managing and developing our collections recognises and responds to scholarly requirements, donors’ intentions, and Indigenous rights and community values. We are committed to the culturally appropriate management and, where relevant, repatriation of Indigenous cultural materials. Intellectual rights management, including Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP), is an integral aspect of managing our collections.

3.5 We prioritise transparency, accountability and continuous improvement in our management practices

We manage and develop our collections with appropriate governance oversight and in accordance with the procedures established under our Collections Policy. An accountable custodian manages each collection. We continuously improve the curation, management and development of our collections through monitoring, review and evaluation.

4. Definitions used in our policy

Please refer to our Adelaide University glossary for a full list of our definitions.

Adelaide University community means a broad range of stakeholders who engage with Adelaide University and includes (but is not limited to) all students, staff, and nonstaff members of Adelaide University including alumni, honorary title holders, adjuncts, visiting academics, guest lecturers, volunteers, suppliers and partners who are engaging with and contributing to the work of Adelaide University.

Collection means a body of material (physical or digital), owned or held in trust by Adelaide University because of its teaching, learning, research, artistic, historical, cultural or scientific significance and/or rarity.

Collection development means the process of building a collection in accordance with defined selection criteria to meet the needs of the collecting entity and its users.

Collection management means the processes involved in responsibly caring for a collection to meet the needs of the collecting entity and the collection’s users. The processes include selecting, acquiring, documenting, storing, preserving, supporting the discovery of and providing access to collections and items. It also includes the disposal of collections and/or items where appropriate.

Heritage collection means a curated set of historical documents, scientific and/or natural artefacts, specimens, or other objects preserved to represent a community’s or a place’s past. Adelaide University’s heritage collections include specimens, equipment and apparatus, sports memorabilia, furniture and artworks that represent and illustrate the history of the University’s foundation universities.

Indigenous collection or archive means a curated set of materials that were created by, about or in collaboration with, or otherwise relating to, Indigenous peoples. Adelaide University’s Indigenous collections and archives include items in physical and digital formats, published and unpublished works, artworks and community records.

Library collection means the main collection of resources managed by Adelaide University Library to support the institution’s learning, teaching and research needs. The collection comprises resources in both digital and physical formats, including books, journals, theses and databases.

Manuscripts and personal archive collection means a curated set of published and unpublished papers in physical or digital format that an individual, organisation or community group has created or collected. ‘Manuscript’ and ‘personal papers’ may be used interchangeably. Adelaide University’s manuscripts and personal archives collections include correspondence, research papers/materials, diaries, photographs, and audio and visual recordings.

Museum and gallery collection means a curated set of objects and works collected, housed, preserved and exhibited for education and enjoyment. Adelaide University’s museum and gallery collections include (but are not limited to) those of the Samstag Museum of Art, the Architecture Museum and the Museum of Classical Archaeology.

Rare book collection means a curated set of books that require particular care in their use, storage and preservation because of their scarcity, age, importance, condition, material and/or aesthetic qualities. Adelaide University’s rare book collections comprise books chosen for their enduring intellectual, historical and cultural value.

Special collection means a subset of an organisation’s collections treated differently from its general collection in terms of management and development because of the distinctiveness and requirements of the material. Adelaide University’s special collections encompass heritage, manuscripts and personal archives, rare book and visual art collections.

University Archives means the collection of non-current physical and digital administrative records of Adelaide University, its predecessor institutions and its affiliated entities. The University Archives retains material under the State Records Act 1997 (South Australia). It preserves and provides access to an authentic record of the people, programmes and governance of the University.

Visual art collection means a curated set of artworks such as drawings, prints, paintings, sculptures and/or photographs, assembled based on specific criteria of significance to an individual or organisation. Adelaide University’s visual art collections include artworks collected and/or commissioned by the University and its predecessor or affiliated institutions, which can be used for exhibition, learning, teaching, and research engagement.

5. How our policy is governed

This policy is categorised, approved and owned in line with the governance structure of Adelaide University and the offices and officers listed below.

6. Legislation and other documents related to our policy

Refer to the Delegation Policy for all delegations at Adelaide University.

History of changes

At the time of writing, Adelaide University’s organisational structure, position titles, and committee names have not been confirmed. Square brackets [ ] indicate placeholders for these details. Brackets are also used to identify policy elements that are subject to further decision-making or confirmation. These will be updated once final decisions are made.