Archive of the Amherst Cemetery Association
Mission: The Wildwood Cemetery Archive describes and preserves essential archival records documenting the cemetery’s history for purposes of management and to make them accessible to the public in the archives reading area.
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Scope of collections (types of historical records)
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Formats of Materials
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Access and Use Policy
All researchers must request an appointment to access the archives. The appointments will last no more than 2-3 hours.
Any collection of unique material requires special handling. The Wildwood Cemetery's policies and procedures are designed to provide researchers with the greatest possible access to the materials in the Archives while at the same time protecting and preserving those materials for future use.
Registration: All researchers must complete a Research Request Form, present valid photo identification, and agree to abide by the policies and rules of the Archives prior to use of unrestricted materials in the collection. Each researcher must complete a new registration form on the first visit in each fiscal year (February 1 - January 31). On return visits during a single year, researchers must present their photo ID and sign in with the General Manager.
Terms of Access and Restrictions: Access to materials may be restricted by condition of gift or deposit; because of their physical condition; or for other reasons. Manuscript material is unique and irreplaceable, and no use may be made of it that might jeopardize its preservation. In certain cases, researchers may be required to consult digital surrogates, microfilm, or other copies of manuscripts, rather than originals. Researchers may take only pencils, note cards, paper, a personal computer (removed from its case) and other approved materials into the archive area. Coats, briefcases, books, and other personal possessions must be stored in a separate location provided and are subject to inspection upon leaving. Materials may be used only in the Cemetery office, during regular hours. Arrangements can be made to have materials held for your use on a subsequent day.
Fees
Researchers may utilize the archives for a $40 annual research fee.
Staff can be requested to conduct research for $30/hour for a maximum of 2 hours. After the two hours the requester and the staff member will discuss the next steps. For research conducted by staff, results cannot be guaranteed.
Photocopies: $0.25 per page.
Postal orders: $5.00 handling and postage surcharge.
Use Fees - We do not charge any use fees. Researchers are responsible for securing copyright permission prior to publication of any material held by the Archives & Special Collections.
Public Domain Materials: We do not charge any fees or claim any control over material in our collections for which copyright has expired.
All researchers must request an appointment to access the archives. The appointments will last no more than 2-3 hours.
Any collection of unique material requires special handling. The Wildwood Cemetery's policies and procedures are designed to provide researchers with the greatest possible access to the materials in the Archives while at the same time protecting and preserving those materials for future use.
Registration: All researchers must complete a Research Request Form, present valid photo identification, and agree to abide by the policies and rules of the Archives prior to use of unrestricted materials in the collection. Each researcher must complete a new registration form on the first visit in each fiscal year (February 1 - January 31). On return visits during a single year, researchers must present their photo ID and sign in with the General Manager.
Terms of Access and Restrictions: Access to materials may be restricted by condition of gift or deposit; because of their physical condition; or for other reasons. Manuscript material is unique and irreplaceable, and no use may be made of it that might jeopardize its preservation. In certain cases, researchers may be required to consult digital surrogates, microfilm, or other copies of manuscripts, rather than originals. Researchers may take only pencils, note cards, paper, a personal computer (removed from its case) and other approved materials into the archive area. Coats, briefcases, books, and other personal possessions must be stored in a separate location provided and are subject to inspection upon leaving. Materials may be used only in the Cemetery office, during regular hours. Arrangements can be made to have materials held for your use on a subsequent day.
Fees
Researchers may utilize the archives for a $40 annual research fee.
Staff can be requested to conduct research for $30/hour for a maximum of 2 hours. After the two hours the requester and the staff member will discuss the next steps. For research conducted by staff, results cannot be guaranteed.
Photocopies: $0.25 per page.
Postal orders: $5.00 handling and postage surcharge.
Use Fees - We do not charge any use fees. Researchers are responsible for securing copyright permission prior to publication of any material held by the Archives & Special Collections.
Public Domain Materials: We do not charge any fees or claim any control over material in our collections for which copyright has expired.
Would you like to look at our collection?
Here is the Research Request Form you will need to fill out before you come in.
forms.gle/Y9MwpyXexUkNjgi77
forms.gle/Y9MwpyXexUkNjgi77
Here is our agreement form you will need to sign before you start your research:
| agreement_on_access_and_use_policy_form.pdf |
Would you like to donate to our collection?
Acquisition Policy
The archive is an institutional collection, however outside gifts are accepted with the permission of the General Manager and or the Executive Board of Trustees. All gifts must relate to the cemetery or cemetery business, including but not limited to manuscripts, art and sound recordings made or written by those who are buried on the cemetery grounds. The records of the official activities of Wildwood Cemetery, including papers and correspondence, official printed material, minutes, committee files, financial, and associated records in any format, are the property of Wildwood Cemetery and constitute potential archival material.
Appraisal and Accessioning
The Archivist of the Wildwood Cemetery is responsible for the appraisal (evaluating the appropriateness) and accessioning of the records and materials. All materials accepted by the Archives will be accessioned: assigned a unique identifying number, and described briefly (office of origin, type of records, date range, content, condition, restrictions). The Archivist will maintain a file of accession records. If someone wishes to donate materials to the Wildwood Cemetery Archives, they are requested to contact the Archivist to determine whether the offered materials are appropriate and fit within the scope of the collections policy. If the offered materials are judged to be appropriate, before they are accessioned, the donor will complete a Deed of Gift. The Cemetery cannot perform or pay for monetary appraisals of gifts that a potential donor may desire for tax purposes.
Donations that are mailed or dropped off without prior authorization by Wildwood Cemetery Archives may be discarded at the staff’s discretion and are considered legally transferred to the Archives. The Archives staff claims the right to dispose of unsolicited materials in any manner it deems appropriate. Unsolicited donations will not be returned.
Restrictions
The Archivist may need to limit access to original materials because of their condition or fragility. Such restrictions will be clearly described for each group of records and noted in the appropriate collection description / finding aid.
The Archives may receive records and materials that may have certain restrictions placed on their access and usage, mandated by federal and state regulations, or recommended by Wildwood Cemetery. Such restrictions shall be recorded on the Accession Record and Finding Aid.
Any researcher wishing to publish from Archives materials agrees to obtain permission prior to publication from the Archivist and from all holders of copyright. The researcher agrees to accept full responsibility for complying with laws enacted to protect copyright and privacy rights. The Archives is obligated to deny access to materials that are protected under relevant privacy laws.
Research requests received through the mail, e-mail, or over the telephone will be handled as time, the availability of staff, and the fragility of the material allow.
Deaccession Policy
Because most of the materials in the Wildwood Cemetery Archives are assets — both intellectual and historical — of Wildwood Cemetery, they shall be maintained according to the highest standards of care that the Cemetery can afford. But, as these materials and collections are accessed or arranged, rehoused, and described, it may become apparent that some of these materials:
The Archivist shall keep records of all reformatting and deaccessioning procedures and ensure that the catalogs and/or finding aids of the Wildwood Cemetery Archives reflect such changes.
The archive is an institutional collection, however outside gifts are accepted with the permission of the General Manager and or the Executive Board of Trustees. All gifts must relate to the cemetery or cemetery business, including but not limited to manuscripts, art and sound recordings made or written by those who are buried on the cemetery grounds. The records of the official activities of Wildwood Cemetery, including papers and correspondence, official printed material, minutes, committee files, financial, and associated records in any format, are the property of Wildwood Cemetery and constitute potential archival material.
Appraisal and Accessioning
The Archivist of the Wildwood Cemetery is responsible for the appraisal (evaluating the appropriateness) and accessioning of the records and materials. All materials accepted by the Archives will be accessioned: assigned a unique identifying number, and described briefly (office of origin, type of records, date range, content, condition, restrictions). The Archivist will maintain a file of accession records. If someone wishes to donate materials to the Wildwood Cemetery Archives, they are requested to contact the Archivist to determine whether the offered materials are appropriate and fit within the scope of the collections policy. If the offered materials are judged to be appropriate, before they are accessioned, the donor will complete a Deed of Gift. The Cemetery cannot perform or pay for monetary appraisals of gifts that a potential donor may desire for tax purposes.
Donations that are mailed or dropped off without prior authorization by Wildwood Cemetery Archives may be discarded at the staff’s discretion and are considered legally transferred to the Archives. The Archives staff claims the right to dispose of unsolicited materials in any manner it deems appropriate. Unsolicited donations will not be returned.
Restrictions
The Archivist may need to limit access to original materials because of their condition or fragility. Such restrictions will be clearly described for each group of records and noted in the appropriate collection description / finding aid.
The Archives may receive records and materials that may have certain restrictions placed on their access and usage, mandated by federal and state regulations, or recommended by Wildwood Cemetery. Such restrictions shall be recorded on the Accession Record and Finding Aid.
Any researcher wishing to publish from Archives materials agrees to obtain permission prior to publication from the Archivist and from all holders of copyright. The researcher agrees to accept full responsibility for complying with laws enacted to protect copyright and privacy rights. The Archives is obligated to deny access to materials that are protected under relevant privacy laws.
Research requests received through the mail, e-mail, or over the telephone will be handled as time, the availability of staff, and the fragility of the material allow.
Deaccession Policy
Because most of the materials in the Wildwood Cemetery Archives are assets — both intellectual and historical — of Wildwood Cemetery, they shall be maintained according to the highest standards of care that the Cemetery can afford. But, as these materials and collections are accessed or arranged, rehoused, and described, it may become apparent that some of these materials:
- May fall outside of the stated Collections Development Policy;
- May have deteriorated beyond usefulness or lack physical integrity;
- May duplicate other holdings of the Cemetery Archives – and not be in as good condition as those other holdings.
The Archivist shall keep records of all reformatting and deaccessioning procedures and ensure that the catalogs and/or finding aids of the Wildwood Cemetery Archives reflect such changes.