Publishing / Citing State archives

Publishing State archives

How to request permission to use State archives

Your request should be in writing and include full details of the archives and how you plan to use them.

A full description or ‘citation’ of the records will assist us in identifying the material you want to use and minimise delays in granting permission. Please see below under the section Citing State archives for more information.

There are three ways to request permission:

1. Email info@records.nsw.gov.au 
2. Fill in the online request form
3. Write to: 

How we provide permission

We will respond to your request in writing, attaching our standard terms and conditions. Any variations or additions to the standard terms for a particular request will be included in the letter of permission.

Fees for permission to use State archives

We may charge a fee if you intend to charge others for access to a copy of a State archive or include the material in advertising or a product for sale.

A note about fragile or damaged documents

Fragile and damaged material may not always be able to be copied if it is likely to cause further deterioration.

What is not covered by us

We can only provide permission to use copyright material where the State of New South Wales holds the copyright. The State of New South Wales does not necessarily own all the copyright or other intellectual property rights in records held as State archives.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you have all the necessary consents from all the owners of copyright, moral rights, trade marks and other intellectual property rights in the materials you want to use in compliance with the Copyright Act 1968 (Commonwealth) and any other relevant legislation before using the material.

Permission from other public offices

You may also need to obtain permission from the relevant public office before publishing or distributing copies of State archives. This includes material such as the photographs from the former Aborigines Welfare Board.

We will inform you if the State archives you wish to use are covered by such a policy.

Citing State archives

How to find the information for a citation

When you reproduce or refer to State archives in a publication or paper, you should cite them accurately. This will help other researchers to use them in the future.

An archives citation is different from a reference to a publication like a book. Archives are maintained in the order in which they were created and kept.

The method of citation described here reflects the Museums of History State Archives Collection cataloguing practice and is the same as the method suggested by the National Archives of Australia.

An archives citation identifies:

• the archives institution holding the record (Museums of History NSW - State Archives Collection, in the case of NSW State archives)
• (optional) the agency that created the record
• the record series of which the record is part
• the record item itself, and
• (optional) a copy reference, such as a microfilm reel number, when you viewed the record using such a copy.

Please contact us if you need more information about citing State archives.

Frequently used record series

You can find the details you need for a citation in the State Archives Collection catalogue if the record item is listed there. Alternatively use the details available in our published guides and the item lists in our reading room. Please ask one of the archivists for help if you are unfamiliar with these sources or if you need to consult another finding aid.

Abbreviated and expanded citations

An abbreviated citation provides the essential details for identifying a record item and is generally all that is required. A caption provides another option if you are displaying an item in an exhibition or a presentation and want to include some context about the record. Sometimes, however, it is helpful to give an expanded citation, for example in a full biography, or if you are using only footnotes and no bibliography, the first time you cite an item or an item from a particular series (see below).

Examples - Item listed in the State Archives Collection catalogue

Examples - Item not listed in the State Archives Collection catalogue

Using the elements in a citation

Please note the standard punctuation used to separate the elements.

Multiple items from the same series in an expanded citation

If you are citing several record items from the same series it is not necessary to repeat all the elements of an expanded citation. The following format is appropriate in these circumstances:

Museums of History New South Wales - State Archives Collection: Colonial Secretary; NRS 897, Main series of letters received, 1788-1825.

• [4/1850] p.65 Petition for mitigation of sentence, 1817, Fiche 3175;
• [4/1836B] pp.941-944 No 212 Memorial re Thomas Connell, 7 August 1824, Fiche 3083.

Donations of published material

We maintain a small reference library for use by staff and researchers. We would be most grateful if authors of publications that relate to our records donate a copy to the library.