Our scale of charges

Charges for Services [last updated 9 April 2008]

1. Free Services

The following services are free to customers:

• personal visits to the Archives Service searchroom within normal hours to consult original documents and microfilm
•  advice on research and archive sources from staff in person, or by telephone or e-mail. But if you commission staff to look things up for you, i.e. research, then we will normally charge, see section 2.1
• access to family history websites via terminals in the searchroom (space permitting) including access to the Ancestry website (normally subscription or pay per view)
• use of own digital cameras, but see section 3.4 for conditions.
• access to the Archives Service website, including the catalogues database, the Community Archive pages, and the Bedford Gaol register database

2.  Charges

2.1 Photocopying

 (a)  Minimum charge for copies ordered  by post (including postage and packing) - UK  and overseas = £5.00 (Completion target: 2 days)

 (b) Charge per black and white copy (A4 or A3; or electronic equivalent) where no research is involved identifying the material to be copied:

• Straightforward copying e.g. searchroom library items =  50p
• Complex copying (postal only) e.g. most items ordered  from the stacks, such as wills; copies from census microfilm and pre-1813 parish register entries =  £1.00

 Discounts per copy (A4 or A3) 

• Students in full-time education (must be present) = Half-rate.
• Bulk e.g. succession of pages from archive lists or printed searchroom material (at staff discretion) = Half-rate.
• Depositors (copies of their own material) = 10p

 (Completion target: usually instantly, depending on quantity or workload)

 (c) Colour photocopying – per copy

• A4 =  £2.00
• A3  = £2.00
• Discount, students in full-time education  = Half-rate

(Completion target: usually instantly, depending on quantity or workload)

(d) Plan printing per copy (A2 to A0) done off-site:

• first = £10.00
• subsequent (at same time) £5.00

 (Completion target: 7 days)

2.2 Photography

a) Digital Images

We have a digital camera and a scanner with which we are able to produce digital images supplied in hard copy on a range of papers or as files on CD or by e-mail.

Minimum charge per A4 or A3 size copy -

• for 15/20 minutes of standard manipulation  =   £7.00
  i.e. cropping, colour correction and some image
  sharpening  (Completion target: negotiable)
•  Additional manipulation e.g. removing scratches, charged at current hourly research rate of £26

(b)  Studio Photography

This is occasionally necessary when digital photography  is not possible. Each job is subject to individual  quotation.

(c)  Archive staff accompany material off-site for photography

•   £30 per hour, plus travelling expenses

(d)  Picture and caption research

•   £26 per hour (same as research rate)

(e) Photography|; visitors' own cameras (see also Section 2.4)

•   FREE, but donations are welcomed.  

2.3 Research/Lectures/Certificates

(a) Research fees

• General research work (e.g. family history) and transcription, charge per hour (exclusive of  copying charges) = £26.00
•  30 minutes research = £15.00
•  Specialist research for business or professional purposes (e.g. legal and planning matters) plus VAT
  - charge per hour (internal for BCC at £50 per hour) = £75.00

(Completion target: 2 days, except for conservation and specialist research which is negotiable)

(b) Certificates and Certified Copies
(for verified entries not involving a search as in (a))

• Baptism certificate (Anglican Church standard fee*) = £12.00
• Marriage certificate (Standard Registrar’s fee) £7.00
• General certification of documents  (non-statutory) per item  = £10.00

 * as of January 2007

 (Completion target: usually on request, or 2 days by post)

(c)  Group visits to the archives office (evenings or daytime)  involving special arrangements (e.g. talks by staff, stackroom tours, documents out in advance).  Negotiable from £50

(d)  Charge for lectures (exclusive of travelling costs for lectures outside 25 mile radius) negotiable from £50

2.4 Reproduction fees

(a) Use of Premises and/or documents for commercial
photography (+VAT)

• Still photography (per 7 hour day):  £280
• Filming:  £560
• Hourly charge pro rata: minimum charge 2 hours

N.B. The appropriate reproduction fee in accordance with the Council’s approved scale of charges is payable in addition to these charges.

(b) Non-exclusive reproduction rights of material supplied by the  Archives Services (plus VAT). Charges per item:

• Commercial use in books, trade & house journals, newspapers (feature articles), exhibition catalogues, part works, published sets of slides, film-strips, audio visuals, videotapes, disks, limited editions, souvenirs, etc: UK rights = £50 World rights £100.
• Educational or academic use: UK rights = £40 World Rights = £80
• Local history publications etc = £5-20 per image depending on quantity used
• Book jackets, cover illustrations (e.g. audio cassettes, CDs, etc) and other packaging, CD Roms: UK rights= £60 World rights= £120
• Advertising and photo décor (murals, wall displays, etc): UK rights= £50 World rights= £100
• Television: First Flash: UK rights= £50 World rights= £100. Second flash: additional 50% of appropriate fee for first flash. Re-use as video: Additional 100% of appropriate fee for first flash.

(c) Notes on reproduction fees and credits

• Reproduction fees do not include charges for photographs supplied by the Archive Service.
• The Archives Service may at its discretion waive or reduce  the fee payable in certain cases and may request a  complimentary copy of the published work instead of or  in addition to a fee.
• Copyright: although permission may be granted by the Archives Service to reproduce a copy of an item (possibly  on condition that suitable acknowledgement is made to  the depositor of the item) those intending to publish need  to be aware of their responsibility to obtain the consent of  the copyright owner and to comply with the Copyright Acts
• Credit lines: the form of acknowledgement should usually  be “Bedfordshire and Luton Archives Service” which should appear in immediate proximity to the reproduction  or in the section devoted to acknowledgements.
• Material is supplied for one specified purpose or edition only. The Archives Office must be contacted and the fee  re-negotiated if any further use is contemplated (including  reprints or subsequent editions).

2.5 How to pay

We can accept payment by the following methods:

• Credit card, subject to a £5 minimum charge. We accept Visa, Visa Delta and Mastercard only. We need the following information from your card:Type of card (Visa/Visa Delta/ Mastercard; The 16 digit number that runs across the centre of the card; The expiry date; The name exactly as it is printed on the card; Your full address and phone number; Please do not e-mail credit card details to us as this is not a secure link.
• Sterling cheques, money orders or postal orders payable to Bedfordshire County Council. If you cannot pay in sterling please add £6.00 to cover conversion charges.
• Cash: It is not advisable to send cash through the post. If you do, please use 'Special Delivery' as the Post Office will not compensate for cash sent by Recorded Delivery.
• If necessary you can pay against our invoice (please ask for details)
• We can issue a receipt (at your request) for any payments you make.

3. Policy on Copying|

 

Are you entitled to a discount?

As from 1^st April 2008, if you are…

• Under 16
• A student aged 16-18
• A student in full time education aged over 18

 Or, if you are in receipt of any of the following…

• Jobseekers allowance
• Income support
• Working tax credit
• Child tax credit (where income less than £14,495)
• Incapacity benefit or Employment Support Allowance
• Severe disablement allowance
• Disability living allowance
• Attendance allowance

 … then you are entitled to 50% discount on most of our Service Charges, e.g. photocopies, digital copies and commissioned research.

Please contact a member of staff to ensure you receive your discount by supplying us with your allowance/reference number and the name of the authority from whom you receive your benefit/s.

These have been set in accordance with the Bedfordshire County Council Cultural Services Concessionary Charging Policy Statement (December 2007)

Bedfordshire & Luton Archives & Records Service
Riverside Building
County Hall
Cauldwell Street
Bedford
MK42 9AP

Tel: (01234) 228833
Fax: (01234) 228854