Depositing your records with PRONI

The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) is always keen to acquire records of historical significance. Anyone can deposit records with PRONI, however we cannot accept everything we are offered. Records must first be assessed by PRONI staff who will decide whether or not we can take them.

The information below is intended as a guide to what we generally do and do not acquire into our holdings, however it is not exhaustive. If you are considering depositing records with PRONI, please feel free to contact our Records Management, Cataloguing and Access team who will consider your records and advise you how best to proceed.

What records are PRONI interested in?

We are particularly interested in those papers that relate to Northern Ireland - its land, people, culture and history. This includes:

Estate papers, including title deeds, leases, maps and rent rolls
Legal records, including wills and testamentary papers
Emigrant correspondence
Papers and correspondence of prominent people from Northern Ireland, such as writers, historians, politicians, business and sports people, educationalists and academics
Business records from both current and defunct organisations
Records from community groups such as charities, advice centres, self-help groups and cultural societies
Church records from all denominations
School records, such as registers and roll books
Records of sports groups and special interest groups (e.g., railway enthusiasts)
Papers of political parties and pressure groups
Photographs, diaries and travel journals

As can be seen from the above list, records need not be very old, nor do they need to belong to famous people. Letters from emigrants written to their families back home describing their circumstances in the New World, have as much historical importance as the correspondence of members of the landed gentry. The diaries of servicemen who served during the two World Wars provide invaluable insights into the lives of the men who took part in those terrible conflicts.

What records do PRONI not usually accept?

We prefer, where possible, not to take duplicates of material already in our holdings. Newspapers, books, photocopies, pamphlets and other printed materials are not normally accepted.

If I deposit my records with PRONI, will I still own them?

Once your documents have been assessed and we have decided that we would like to add them to our holdings, the terms of deposit are agreed.

There are three terms of deposit:

Outright gift

If you donate your records as an outright gift, PRONI takes over ownership and all responsibility for your documents. You will be acknowledged as depositor. Your documents will be assigned a unique PRONI reference number and catalogued (sorted into a logical sequence and a descriptive list created). They will be stored in secure, environmentally controlled conditions. PRONI will deal with the terms of access and copyright.

Indefinite loan

If you donate your records on indefinite loan, you will retain ownership of your documents. You will be acknowledged as depositor. Your documents will be assigned a unique PRONI reference number and catalogued (sorted into a logical sequence and a descriptive list created). They will be stored in secure, environmentally controlled conditions. Terms of access and permission to publish will be agreed with you at the time of deposit.

Lend the documents to us for copying

Finally, you may allow us to borrow your records for copying. We will make copies (traditionally on microfilm, but as technology develops digital imaging is becoming a more common form of reproduction) before returning the originals to you. The copies will then be treated as any other deposit, that is, as an outright gift or an indefinite loan.

Who do I contact to find out if I can deposit my records with PRONI?

If you wish to enquire about depositing records, you can contact PRONI, marking any correspondence for the attention of the Records Management, Cataloguing and Access Team (RMCAT) . RMCAT staff will then evaluate the likely historical importance of your documents and advise on the best way forward.