Our scale of charges

Charges for Services [from 26 February 2013]

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)
• 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 covering up to 5 - 10 sheets depending on complexity(including postage and packing) - UK  and overseas = £6.00 (Completion target: 2 days). We recommend that you batch requests for copies if you can, as a single copy will still cost £6 if ordered separately.

 (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 =  60p
• 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 =  £1.20

 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 =  £2.40
• A3  = £2.40
• 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:

• £15

 (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 as high resolution files on CD or as lower resolution files by e-mail. Unfortunately, we are currently unable to offer photo quality printing.

Minimum charge per copy -

• for 15/20 minutes of standard manipulation i.e. cropping, colour correction and minor image
  sharpening = £8.00
• Additional manipulation e.g. removing scratches, charged at current hourly research rate of £31 (Completion target: negotiable)

(b) Charge for using your own camera  

• 60 pence per document retrieved from the stackroom (irrespective of number of images  taken). Capped at a maximum of £15 per day. 
• 30 pence per searchroom item e.g. books, research notes, microform

• Please see the staff if you have any questions.

Discount per image for those in receipt of benefits (see 2.6) Half-rate

(c)  Studio Photography

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

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

•   £31 per hour, plus travelling expenses

(e)  Picture and caption research

•   £31 per hour (same as research rate)

2.3 Research/Lectures/Certificates

(a) Research fees

• General research work (e.g. family history) and transcription, charge per hour (exclusive of  copying charges) = £31.00
•  30 minutes research = £15.50
• 15 minutes of research = £7.75
•  Specialist research for business or professional purposes (e.g. legal and planning matters) plus VAT
  - charge 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) £9.25
• General certification of documents  (non-statutory) per item  = £12.00

 (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 £65

(d)  Charge for lectures (exclusive of travelling costs for lectures outside 25 mile radius) negotiable from £65

2.4 Reproduction fees

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

• Still photography (per 7 hour day):  £310
• Filming:  £310
• 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:  World rights £115
• Educational or academic use: World Rights = £95
• Local history publications etc = £5 to £20 negotiable per image
• Television:   World rights= £115.

(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:

• Sterling cheques, money orders or postal orders payable to Bedford Borough Council. 
• 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.

YOU CAN NOW PAY ONLINE!

BLARS now has a facility enabling our customers to pay online for the services they get from us. When you have contacted us with your enquiry and we have given you an enquiry number and a breakdown of the research/copying fees owed you can pay by following the instructions below. Please read the guidelines first which should help you navigate your way through the payment system.

1. Click here to go to the 'Pay for it' page.
2. Click on ‘Archives’ and a drop down menu of our services will appear. Select one of the options, such as Photocopies. 
3. This will take you to a page where you are asked to fill in your name and address details, and the amount that you need to pay for the service you have selected. If you are outside the Uk please enter our postcode MK42 9AP
4. In the field labelled Message Box, you must put your enquiry number – this will have been given to you by the member of staff dealing with your enquiry, and will look something like this – 1/123.
5. Press ‘Continue’ and you will see a summary of what you have to pay for so far. If you have any other services to pay for, such as research or digital copies, click on ‘Add Another Service’ and add the items required from the menu. When all the services you need to pay for are listed on the summary, press ‘Continue’.
6. A page appears which asks for your card details, and also whether you want an electronic receipt sending to your e-mail address. When the details have been filled in, press ‘Continue’ and you should then get a payment confirmation and a payment reference number. The process is complete, your payment has been accepted, and the Archives Service will receive confirmation that you have paid.

N.B. We are not permitted to retain card details for our customers, so every time you use our service and incur a fee, you will have to enter your payment details. We will not keep a record of your details.

We also accept payment by personal cheque or postal order made payable to Bedford Borough Council.

• 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.

2.6  Concessionary Charges

• Students in full time education - half rate
• Bulk copying, e.g. successive pages - half rate
• Depositors - copies of their own material 10p each or 20% of above rates

You are entitled to a 50% discount if you are:

• Under 16
• Students aged 16 - 18
• Student over 18 in full time education

If you are in receipt of any of the following:

• Jobseekers allowance
• Income Support
• Working tax credit
• Child tax credit
• Incapacity Benefit or Employment Support Allowance
• Severe Disablement Allowance
• Disability Living Allowance
• Attendance Allowance

We reserve the right to ask for proof of entitlement to these benefits.

We offer gift vouchers| - an ideal present!

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

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