Archives Policies

Materials in the NEC Archives and Special Collections are available for study and research purposes by appointment with the Archivist/Records Manager. Archival and Special Collection materials are only available for use during the hours of 9-5, Monday-Friday. Use of some materials may be restricted by limitations imposed by law, stipulations of donors or preservation concerns.

Duplication Services

The NEC Library aims to fulfill duplication requests subject to the following considerations:

1. Copyright restrictions
2. The physical condition of the item being requested
3. The size of the request
4. Availability of a staff member

Photocopying: The charge for photocopies is $.50/copy for 8 ½ x 11; $.75 for larger sizes. Postage and handling fees are billed based on UPS or USPS rates. International mailing costs will apply to packages destined for outside the United States. We are unable to provide color photocopies at this time.

Scanning: The NEC library provides custom scanning services for performance or research purposes. Users are advised that the library’s only method of scanning is by flatbed scanner. We are able to provide scans up to 600dpi. The cost of scanning is based upon expenditure of staff time. A cost of $10 will apply for every 15 minutes of staff time with a minimal charge of $40. There is no additional charge for electronic delivery of scans via e-mail; however, the library assumes no responsibility for the limitations of any email server to accommodate large digital files. When scanned digital files are deemed to large for e-mail, they will be saved onto a CD-ROM and mailed to the patron. The cost for mailing a CD within the United States is $5. The charge for international packages will be based upon current postal rates.

Digital Photographs: For items which are deemed too fragile to be scanned or
photocopied, we will provide digital photographs if possible. The costs involved are the same as for scanning.

Microfilming: We do not provide custom microfilming services. For items that we own that already exist on microfilm, copies may be purchased. For information, contact the Director of Libraries.

Permission to publish: For the rights to publish any materials from the NEC Library, please contact the Director of Libraries. Depending on the material being published, citations must credit either the New England Conservatory Library or Archives, Boston, MA.

Donation Policy

Thank you for your interest in donating materials to the New England Conservatory Archives.
We are continuously adding new materials to our archives to aid researchers of the future. As a
non-profit organization, we do not purchase materials; rather, we rely on your generosity to help
the collection grow and thrive.

The New England Conservatory Archives documents the history of the Conservatory by
acquiring and preserving the official records of the institution as well as materials donated by
NEC administrators, faculty and alumni/ae. The NEC Special collections is also interested in
materials relating to composers of the Second New England School that were active in Boston in
the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The Conservatory Archives collects in all formats, including paper, audio/video materials, electronic records, photographs and memorabilia.  The collections are open for use to all members of the NEC community, and other interested scholars and researchers. In accordance with institutional policy, and donor gift agreements, parts or all of some collections may be restricted.

The NEC Archivist will work closely with donors to identify the materials most appropriate for
donation to the Archives. The types of materials listed below are often valuable, although others
are accepted as well.
*    Personal and Family Papers: Correspondence, diaries, speeches/lectures/talks,
albums/scrapbooks, oral histories/memoirs, curriculum and teaching materials, genealogical information, audio/video materials, photographs and memorabilia.
*    Organizational Records: Articles of incorporation/constitution/bylaws, correspondence,
planning and legal documents, agenda and minutes of meetings, reports, internal memoranda, newsletters and other organizational publication, press releases and research and subject files, audio and visual materials and photographs.

Donations of personal papers to the NEC Archives may be eligible for tax deductions. The NEC
Archives staff cannot give tax advice or appraise the monetary value of a collection.  It is the
donor's responsibility to arrange for and pay the cost of any professional appraisal. Our first priority is to preserve historic materials and make them available for research use. The NEC Archives staff arranges and describes collections, and stores them in a secure climate controlled environment. None of our collections circulate or can be used without staff supervision.

Restrictions on Access

While the NEC Archives encourages full access to all manuscript collections, at times access to
certain collections or materials within a collection may be restricted for a set period of time. The
Archives staff will discuss with the donor reasonable restrictions on access in accordance with
the policies of the NEC Archives. The NEC Archives does not accept collections on loan.

Ownership and Copyright

Ownership of the records is transferred when the donor signs a deed of gift. While the deed of
gift is a standard document, it can be customized to suit individual donor’s needs. The Archives
will not accept donations unless the ownership is transferred to New England Conservatory.
Copyright generally belongs to the creator of records, and can be legally transferred to the
Archives. Transfer of copyright is encouraged so that the Archives staff can grant scholars
permission to cite archival materials.

How do I make a donation?

To make a donation, please contact the NEC Archivist, Maryalice Perrin-Mohr at 617.585.1252
or maryalice.perrin-mohr@necmusic.edu. The NEC Archives requests that materials not be mailed or dropped off at the Archives without first consulting with the staff. Depending on the size and location of the collection, the Archives staff may wish to see materials before they are physically transferred. It is best not to rearrange the records prior to the Archives' inspection. Arrangements can then be made for the physical transfer of the records.

Monetary Donations

The cost of caring for, describing, and providing access to historic materials is high. Donors are
encouraged to consider making a monetary donation towards the arrangement, description and
preservation of their donation.

For further information, please contact Archivist Maryalice Perrin-Mohr at (617)585-1252 or
m.perrin-mohr@necmusic.edu