“I am writing to make a Freedom of Information request directed towards your organisation’s archive service.
Devon County Council has interpreted this request as referring to Devon Archives and Local Studies
1. Does the archive service provide free Wi-Fi for users? Yes
2. What is the percentage of modern foreign language items held at your archive service (if more than one office, please give the overall percentage)? If unknown, please could a realistic estimate be offered? E.g. less than 5%
We do not hold specific details; but can confirm it is less than 1%.
3. What modern foreign languages are present in your holdings (both catalogued and backlog if possible)? Please include the number of items in your holdings for each language if possible. This includes non-western scripts. If a language is unknown, please state ‘unidentified’.
We do not hold details relating to uncatalogued material. Modern languages in our catalogued collections include a few items in French, German, Spanish and Italian.
4. Has the organisation advertised a job for an archivist with specific modern foreign language requirements in the last 5 years? If yes, which language?
We have not advertised for any jobs requiring modern foreign languages.
5. Does your archive service have any written guidance or guidelines for staff on how to appropriately process modern foreign language donations or deposits?
No, as there is no need for this.
6. Has the archive service ever received or requested funding towards any projects involving modern foreign language archival material? If yes, please provide details. No.
7. Who else has dealt with modern foreign language material within your holdings on behalf of the archive service (e.g. volunteers, external institution, etc)? This includes functions such as cataloguing and outreach purposes.
Nobody. We do not have such holdings.
8. What reference material do you provide for users/researchers who want to access archives that are in a foreign language?
We do not have these as there is no demand.
To clarify, modern foreign languages exclude ‘dead’ languages, such as Latin and Anglo-Norman. While I understand accuracy in questions 2 and 3 may be difficult, I would be extremely grateful for an estimate if possible.”