NMC Library belies disposal of donated items

The Northern Marianas College library services emphasized that it only disposes of materials that are unnecessary, duplicative, obsolete, damaged, or worn out, belying reports that it had thrown out some donated items to make room for its library and archives collections.

NMC library director Herbert Rosario said yesterday that the CNMI Archives office preserves many materials by microfilming and microfiching them.

“The process of building and maintaining a library’s or an archives’ collections requires that the library dispose of materials that are unnecessarily duplicated, obsolete, damaged, worn out or unnecessary for research, study or other needs,” he told Saipan Tribune.

Saipan Tribune had been informed that some “donations” at the campus library had been improperly disposed of, including some documentary videos of a television outfit.

Rosario said that as far as video documentaries are concerned, the Pacific Collection of the NMC Library is keeping the materials. He specifically cited as “intact” the MCV News donation by Bruce Lloyd, which is being displayed at the library.

“If you are referring to the MCV News which Bruce Lloyd donated, then these items are in the Pacific Collection. The other donated items that include newspaper content are all available electronically,” he added.

The director said the college is highly appreciative of any materials that are donated to the Library or to the CNMI Archives.

”The college staff meticulously collects, organizes, preserves and provides access in a central location to materials that are of high value to community members. The CNMI Archive encourages the use of its materials by faculty, students, alumni and others to stimulate their learning and to supplement their teaching,” he added.

Rosario said all materials are kept in the Library or the Archives but due to the lack of limited display areas, some are in boxes but the reference information is readily available to the community and the students.

NMC also donates some materials to the CNMI Joeten Kiyu Public Library, youth centers, and some neighboring islands as a way to dispose of old stocks. Some of these archive records include:

-Legal Values: Laws & Resolutions of the Legislature, Executive Orders, Judicial Decision, Attorney General’s Decision, Journals of the CNMI Legislature, Journals of the CNMI Constitution, Deeds to Real Property, Covenant Negotiation Papers;

-Historical Values: Minutes of Boards, Commissions & Cabinet Meetings, Annual Reports of all CNMI Government Departments & Agencies, Reports of Historical events in the NMI, History of the Spanish, German, and Japanese Administration in the Marianas, WWII in the Marianas 1944, Annual Reports of the Trust Territory Government’

-Political Values: Election results, including lists of candidates, actions of the government, political developments on the islands, Covenant negotiations and Constitutional Convention;

-Administrative Records: Land (Japanese) records, medical, war claims, payment, contracts.

Rosario said the Archives, the Pacific Collection, and the Library have always been historically separated but these were joined in recent years under the Library Services and Programs Department because of space issues.

He said NMC president Dr. Carmen Fernandez recently separated them again but no new position was created with the separation.

Saipan Tribune learned that Rosario has always held the position title of Archives director for more than 20 years.