SOUTH WEST HERITAGE TRUST

We collect material that relates to Somerset's history or shows what Somerset is like today.  Archives can include written records, maps, photographs, sound recordings and digital records.  For more details please see our Archives acquisitions (collecting) policy and our Local Studies acquisitions (collecting) policy.

If you would like to deposit oral history recordings, please request a copy of our guide to depositing oral history archives.

We only collect archives that have a strong link to Somerset.  If you have non-Somerset archives that you would like to deposit, we can advise you where would be most suitable.

If you wish to deposit artefacts, museum objects or paintings please contact our colleagues in the Museum Service, which is also based at the Somerset Heritage Centre.  The museums email address is museums@swheritage.org.uk.

We can currently only handle some types of digital records.  Please request a copy of our Guidelines for Depositing Digital Records for details.

Archives can either be deposited as a gift or as a long-term loan.

Records that are deposited as gifts will legally belong to Somerset County Council, and be managed by the South West Heritage Trust.

Depositing records on long-term loan means you  still own the records, but the South West Heritage Trust is the custodian, and cares for them on your behalf.  Parish and Parish Council records are always deposited on loan.  Records that are loans can be borrowed back if necessary (for example for an exhibition or anniversary celebration), and you have the option to be contacted if there are requests to publish material from your collection.

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Please note that copyright ownership is a separate issue, and not always the same as ownership of a physical document.

Please contact us before bringing in records or sending them to us.  Telephone 01823 278805 or email somersetarchives@swheritage.org.uk.

If you are depositing records in person, come to the main reception at the Somerset Heritage Centre.  Please see our Directions page for information about how to find us.  We have a free car park and can help you bring in records from your car.  A member of staff will go through the records with you, and then you will fill in a temporary receipt form together.  This form contains your contact details, details about the records, details of any records that need to have restricted access, and whether the deposit is a gift or loan.  You will be given a copy of this form to take home with you.

We will re-box the records in acid-free archive boxes and folders so it does not matter too much what you put them in to transport them here.  However, please make sure the records are in a reasonable understandable order.  Please make sure the records are dry and insect-free, and let us know about any mould or other damage to them.

We will accession the records so that we have a complete record of the deposit, and will send you a formal receipt.  This will give you the details of the reference numbers that have been given to your collection.

If we can, we will catalogue the records soon after deposit and send you a copy of the catalogue.  

If you have to deposit records by post, we strongly advise you to use a courier or a 'signed-for' service.  Our address is:

Somerset Heritage Centre

Brunel Way

Norton Fitzwarren

Taunton

TA2 6SF

Once the records have been listed, the catalogue will become available on our online catalogue.  At this point, unless the records need to be kept confidential for any reason, the collection will then be available for researchers to consult in our searchroom.  Unless there are particular reasons why your collection should not be made available to the general public, anyone who is a registered user of the Somerset Heritage Centre will be able to look at your records.  All of our users have to abide by the searchroom rules, a copy of which is available on request.

If you would like access to any of your records to be restricted for personal reasons, please let us know at the time of deposit.  We cannot accept records that we are never allowed to make available to the public, but we can restrict access to records for certain periods of time.

Some depositors already have guidelines that state their records should be closed for a set number of years, for example Methodist Records of Masonic Records.

Many of our records contain information that is governed by the Data Protection Act and the Freedom of Information Act, and we have systems in place to deal with this.  For more information, please see our Access to Records Under Data Protection and Freedom of Information page.

There is no charge for depositing records as gifts, although as a charitable trust we welcome all donations towards the cost of caring for the collection.  If records deposited on loan are withdrawn at short notice, we may levy a charge to cover our costs.

There are several useful guides as to which records should be deposited with an archive, which should be kept within the organisation and which can be destroyed.  Please follow the links below to find our more:

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We are happy to accept donations of books and related items which will be added to the Local Studies Library.  The donations will legally belong to Somerset County Council, and be managed by the South West Heritage Trust.

We can only accept items relating to Somerset which come to us as an outright gift; for practical purposes we cannot accept loans.  Donations are catalogued and labelled and shelved either in our searchroom for general public consultation, or stored in purpose-built strongrooms, from which they can be requested.  If you have any items you would like to be considered for the library, please contact us on 01823 278805 or email somersetarchives@swheritage.org.uk.