What is collected for the Tuzin Archive for Melanesian Anthropology? The Tuzin Archive is a collection of unpublished documentation pertaining to the peoples, cultures, languages, and history of Melanesia. Materials added to the collection thus far include anthropologists’ fieldnotes and journals, other unpublished writings, dissertations, photographs, films/videos, audio recordings, and maps. A few collections representing the work of missionaries, linguists, political scientists and other non-anthropologists have also been accepted. Artifacts have been accepted on a very limited basis.
The Archive is a joint project between the Library and the Department of Anthropology. The materials themselves are housed in and administered through the Special Collections and Archives.
What are the advantages of donating materials to the Tuzin Archive? In accepting a collection, the University of California is making a commitment to preserve the collection for posterity, and to make it accessible to researchers. The Tuzin Archive offers secure storage in a climate controlled environment, preservation of fragile materials, organization of the collection, cataloging, and creation of finding aids. Additionally, if permission is given by the donor, copies of the materials may be shared at no cost with research institutions in Melanesia. Digitization of select materials from the Archive is also being done in order to make them more accessible.
What happens to the copyright of donated materials? Virtually all unpublished manuscripts, recordings, and photographs are protected under international copyright law. Special copyright provisions also apply to sound recordings, pictorial, musical, graphic, motion picture, or other audio-visual works, which severely restrict duplicating without the expressed permission of the holder of copyright. Upon acceptance of a collection, a deed of gift will be negotiated. In this document, a decision regarding copyright is specified. The donor may transfer copyright to the University of California or retain copyright for him/herself (or his/her heirs).
Users of materials in the Tuzin Archive are responsible for communicating with the holder of copyright concerning permissions to quote extensively or otherwise publish copyrighted material from our collections. If copyright is transferred to the University, the library will handle these requests. If copyright is retained by the donor (or his/her heirs), users will need to contact the donor for publication permission.
What about restricting access to sensitive information? Unless otherwise requested, access to materials in the Tuzin Archive is open to all. Reasonable restrictions may be applied by the donor to any portion of the materials; restrictions are negotiated and agreed upon at the signing of a deed of gift. For example, one might choose to restrict access to personal field diaries for a specified number of years. In the interests of providing maximum access to the materials, restrictions should be as minimal as possible.
Will the Library staff appraise a collection for tax purposes? No, federal tax regulations prohibit UCSD staff from giving appraisals or estimates of value for donors. Valuation is the responsibility of the donor. Donated materials valued at more than $5,000 require appraisal information and appropriate IRS forms. Because tax laws change from time to time, donors are encouraged to consult a knowledgeable tax expert about current requirements.
Is any support available for packing and shipping costs? The Library will provide reimbursement for the costs of getting materials to San Diego. It is necessary to supply receipts or other documentation of costs.
Need more information? Please contact the curator of the Tuzin Archive, Cristela Garcia-Spitz via email cgarciaspitz@ucsd.edu or telephone 858-822-7906. Mailing address is : UC San Diego Library / 9500 Gilman Drive, 0175D / La Jolla, CA 92093-0175
