What do I need to consider before making a donation?

When thinking about offering your records to the Archives of Manitoba, please consider the following:

Transfer of Ownership

  • Donors are required to transfer physical ownership of records to the Archives of Manitoba.
  • The transfer of ownership ensures that the Archives owns the records and can preserve and make the records accessible for current and future generations.
  • Once records are donated to the Archives, they may not be removed from the custody of the Archives, to ensure their preservation, security and authenticity. If original records are still required for operational purposes, they are not ready for donation to the Archives.

Transfer of Copyright

  • The intellectual rights of records creators are protected under Canadian Copyright law.
  • Copyright owners are encouraged to transfer copyright to the Archives of Manitoba.
  • The transfer of copyright ensures that the records can be used by researchers for many different purposes.

Placing restrictions on records

  • The Archives of Manitoba promotes open access to the records it holds. However, sometimes restrictions are necessary.
  • Archivists will work with donors to determine appropriate restrictions. Records are restricted for a specific period of time and opened for research when that time expires. Procedures for access before the expiration date will also be established.

Simple Gift or Gift to the Crown

  • The most common method of donating records to the Archives is to offer records as a simple gift. Details of the gift are set out in a document signed by the donor and the Archives.
  • In some cases, a donor can benefit by offering records as a Gift to the Crown. If this is the case, the records will be appraised to establish fair market value. A tax receipt reflecting the appraised value is issued to the donor following the appraisal. As with a simple gift, details relating to a Gift to the Crown are set out in a document signed by the donor and the Archives. The donor may be required to pay the costs of the appraisal.