Research regulation
of the Archives of the Hungarian Province of the Society of Jesus
Part 1, General rules
S1. The Archives of the Hungarian Province of the Society of Jesus (further as Archives) is a registered ‘private archive open to the public’ by the permission of the Provincial Superior and according to Hungary’s Archives Act (1995/66) §30 article (1). This research regulation has been compiled based on the relevant directives for such private archives.
S2. Current research regulation was edited using the guidelines of the following: Hungary’s ‘Archives Act’ 1995/66 (on Public Records, Public Archives and the Protection of Private Archives, further as Ltv.), Hungary’s ‘Privacy Act’ 2011/112 (on Informational Self-Determination and Freedom of Information), ministerial decree 27/2015 (27th May) by Hungary’s Ministry of Human Capacities (EMMI) (further as Lrd.) and Circular Letter 2003/26 by Superior General Peter-Hans Kolvenbach SJ to all major superiors (Practical proposals on archives; 18th October, 2003.). Canons 486–491 of Codex Iuris Canonici were also taken into consideration.
Part 2, Permission of research
S3. If there is a justified reason for research, Archives’ documents can be accessed free of charge with Archivist’s consent and the consideration of limitations listed under S7–10 of this research regulation. A justified reason means that the records are researched for official, scientific, educational, local history or family genealogy purposes.
S4. Before a Research Permit is issued, Archivist registers Researcher’s name, mother’s name, place and date of birth, address, occupation and work place address – cp. Ltv. §22 article (3) – as well as the specification of the research topic. The registration of data and the permission for the research will be marked on a special form that Archives will preserve for documentation. Research Permits are issued annually and are to be renewed each year.
S5. A Research Permit can be granted to a person who is at least 18 years old and has proper education for archival research. Upon receiving and signing a Research Permit Researcher shall take liability for the following:
(a) taking care of the integrity of the archival material and keeping Archives’ order;
(b) proper scientific reference to the sources held by Archives and used in publications;
(c) a copy of their publications based on sources held by Archives must be sent to Archives within a month from publication date free of charge either on paper or electronically;
(d) carrying penal and financial responsibility for publishing data that violate Catholic Church Law or the personal rights declared by Hungary’s basic law.
S6. The Provincial Superior may decide about the withdrawal of a Research Permit after notification from Archivist. The Research Permit can be withdrawn, if a person
(a) steals documents from Archives
(b) damages Archives’ documents intentionally or by negligence
(c) reproduces the documents by any method without permission
(d) arbitrarily changes the order of the previously arranged archival material
(e) violates the provisions and personal rights related to the use of archival materials (see S5 and S7–10 of current regulation).
Part 3, Research limitations
S7. Archival documents that are older than 60 years when the Research Permit is issued are allowed to be researched, except for documents specified under S8 of the regulation. The research of records younger than that must be well-reasoned. It is the Provincial Superior’s right to decide on such cases based on a written request from Researcher and a proposal from Archivist. There is no right to appeal against the rejection of the request for the research of limited material.
S8. The research of personal documents (Personalia) becomes allowed 30 years after the person’s death from whom the document originates. The research of records younger than that must be well-reasoned. It is the Provincial Superior’s right to decide on such cases based on a written request from Researcher and a proposal from Archivist. There is no right to appeal against the rejection of the request for the research of limited material.
S9. Research of original material is not allowed, if the physical condition of the documents does not make it possible any more. In such cases the research can be conducted with reference to S19 and S25–28 of current research regulation.
S10. This research regulation does not apply to the documents that have been placed into the Provincial Superior’s archives according to the Society’s directions. Research of such documents is not allowed. On the strength of Circular 2003/26 of the Superior General it is the Provincial Superior who should decide which document series belong to this category; especially those that might violate the protection of private sphere or someone’s reputation.
Part 4, Research methods
S11. Primary location of research
(a) is Archives’ research room.
(b) Online research of digital copies of some document groups is also made possible by Archives. For the terms of online research see S17–22 of the research regulation.
S12. Archives make the opening hours of the research room and the contact information of the institution public.
S13. Researchers must fill in a Research Diary each time they use Archives. The Research Diary must contain the following:
(a) serial number of the research occasion
(b) date of research
(c) name of Researcher
(d) research topic.
S14. Archives maximize the number of documents that can be requested and released for research at a single research occasion as follows.
(a) In case of records requested by storage units: 5 boxes,
(b) in case of volumes: 5 volumes,
(c) in case of single archival items requested by reference codes: 10 reference codes.
(d) In a well-reasoned case, Director of Archives may give exemption from these on their own authority.
S15. When serving Researcher, Archivist has to
(a) give the information that is necessary for the start and continuous execution of the research,
(b) be responsible for the documents released to Researcher, without abandoning Researcher’s personal financial and penal responsibility,
(c) put a place marker in the place of the document that has been taken out from there. It is to be set aside after reposition and place markers that became fully covered with expired notes are to be discarded.
(d) release documents properly and provide adequate research conditions when the work (confirmed by a Research Permit) is not carried out in the research room or online,
(e) register archival material in use,
(f) register the number of researchers and research occasions, and send these statistics to the competent Church and State authorities in an annual report.
S16. Archivist is not obliged to cooperate in expounding or processing the archival documents released for research (e.g. reading, translation, data search, outsourced research).
Part 5, Online research
S17. Archives digitize certain parts of its material progressively with the permission of the Provincial Superior and make their online research possible in the E-Archives.
S18. Part of the documents published online can only be researched for a registration fee. The registration fee charges are listed in the instructions
to the E-Archives.
S19. Digitized documents have to be researched either online or on the computer terminal accessible for researchers in the research room in order to protect the condition of the original documents. With proper reasons the original document can be researched even after digitization with a special permission of Provincial Superior based on Archivist’s proposal.
S20. When registering for online research, Researcher must fill in the electronic version of the form defined under S4 of the research regulation.
S21. During online research digitized documents may only be downloaded for Researcher’s own use on the terms given by Archives. It is forbidden to pass on or publish the downloaded copies without Archives’ consent.
S22. When Researcher registers for online research, they shall read and accept the research regulation and must obey its provisions.
Part 6, Document reproduction
S23. The right of reproduction is not included in the Research Permit; any kind of reproduction must be specially approved.
S24. Reproduction with Researcher’s own equipment (camera) may take place under due supervision of Archives’ staff, with proper respect to the physical protection of the document and meeting the requirements of document preservation.
S25. Photocopying or scanning may only take place in a limited amount by Archives’ staff and with consideration of the requirements of document preservation.
S26. Already digitized documents may not be reproduced by own equipment, only the digital copies made by Archives may be used. This rule can be abandoned in a well-reasoned case only.
S27. Making copies (either by own equipment or by Archives’ staff) requires payment. The reproduction fees charged are listed in the Services
section.
S28. If a copy is made with the purpose of publishing, publication must be permitted by the Provincial Superior for a single royalty fee.
Part 7, Document loan
S29. Archives’ documents can only be loaned in the following cases;
(a) copying or reproduction approved by Provincial Superior, if it cannot be carried out by Archives’ own equipment,
(b) document preservation or restoration works,
(c) authority use (warrant needed),
(d) exhibition.
In the case of (a) and (d) a single loan fee be can be charged.
S30. Borrowing is only possible with the written consent of the Provincial Superior.
S31. Borrowers shall bear full and unlimited responsibility for the archival documents loaned.
S32. Loans last for a definite period of time.
Part 8, Closing regulations
S33. Current regulation takes effect upon signature and is valid for the cases which have already started before that, too.
S34. The regulation can be amended by the Provincial Superior of the Hungarian Province of Society of Jesus. The operation of the regulation and other issues raised are to be discussed in the annual report of the Archives’ director to the Provincial Superior.
S35. The following attachments are inseparable parts of the regulation:
(b) E-archives service registration fees
Signed in Budapest, 8th December, 2016
Ft. Tamás Gergely Forrai SJ
Provincial Superior
The research regulation can be downloaded from here in Hungarian: kutszab2016
