Frequently Asked Questions – Government Users
How do I register as a Government User?. 1
What do I do if I’ve forgotten
my user ID or password?. 1
How do I access records?. 2
How many records can I order?. 2
Where can I view records I have
ordered?. 2
Open Records (Public and Government
Users) 2
Closed Records (Government Users
only) 3
Are there limits for viewing and
downloading digital records?. 3
What are ‘Alerts’?. 3
My agency doesn’t have a
records manager; who can sign my application to become an authorised government
user? 3
Can I bulk order records?. 3
Do I need special software to
download a VEO for viewing?. 3
Will PROV provide copies of VEOs on
request?. 3
My agency’s records
aren’t available though the online catalogue; how do I order?. 4
The system won’t let me order a
record; what does this mean?. 4
Do I have to re-register to use the
online catalogue?. 4
Does my registration expire?. 4
How do I obtain copies of records?. 4
Why can't I have both open and closed
records in the reading room at the same time?. 4
When I come in to view my ‘open
access’ records in the reading room, can I collect my ‘closed
access’ records? 4
Can I have my limits increased?. 4
I am a new staff member an agency.
How can I have access to ordering records?. 4
The order screen says that the record
is inactive. Why can't I order it?. 5
I ordered open access records today.
Can I arrange for someone else to view them for me?. 5
Who do you recommend as a courier
company to collect my records?. 5
Transfer of records to PROV. 5
Step 1: Navigate to the Government
User Registration form.
Step 2: Fill in the details on the Government User
Registration page. Click on the ‘Continue’ button. The
Terms and Conditions page will be displayed.
Step 3: To accept the Terms and Conditions of the
user account, click on the ‘I Accept’ button.
To change any registration details, click on the
‘Back’ button.
Step 4: After clicking on the ‘I Accept’
button, a government user account is created and the Government User Account
Confirmation page is displayed. The User ID for the new account is
displayed.
The new account has a status of ‘Pending’.
To activate the account, click on the ‘Government User Account
Authorisation Form’ link and download the form. Once the form is
completed and manager authorisation obtained then the form should be submitted
to PROV for approval so your account can be activated.
PROV will contact you once the account has been activated.
Click here for more information on registering
as a Government User.
If you are a government user and you have forgotten your
password, contact PROV’s information desk to reset your password (9348
5600) Monday to Friday 10:00am – 4:30pm.
Government users can order
open records and closed records for which their agency is responsible.
Government users are required to visit a reading room to
view open records. This will assist with the preservation of the archives
of Victoria by reducing the quantity of records that leave archival custody,
and maximise that amount of time that records are available for the wider
public. Closed records can be collected from the repository where the
records are located.
Where can I view records I have ordered?
The ‘Location’ display column on the My
Orders: Current page shows the reading room where the records can be viewed
or collected.
Government users can have up to 24 physical record items at
any time with a combination of both open and closed access. PROV has two deliveries
for open records per day Monday to Friday (Ballarat, Monday and Tuesday
only), and each delivery will have up to 8 Units or Items for a user. One
Item or Unit will be issued at a time.
Where
can I view records I have ordered?
Government users will need to visit a reading room to view
open records and collect closed records that they have on order. The
‘Location’ display column on the My
Orders: Current page shows the reading room where the records can be viewed
or collected.
Below are the location details for PROV’s reading rooms:
·
Victorian Archives Centre (North Melbourne Reading Room)
99 Shiel St
NORTH MELBOURNE VIC 3051
Getting to VAC
Download the Victorian
Archives Centre map – This flyer contains a map of the VAC and its
surrounding streets, and list of available transport
The Victorian Archives Centre is open for viewing records
during the following hours:
10:00 am to 4:30 pm Monday to Friday and the second and last
Saturdays of most months (excluding public holidays). Click here to see
the Saturday Open
Dates.
·
Ballarat Archives Centre (Ballarat Reading Room)
Level One, State Public Offices
Cnr. Doveton and Mair Streets
BALLARAT VIC 3350.
The Ballarat Archives Centre is open for viewing records
during the following hours:
Monday and Tuesday ONLY
9.30am to 4.30pm
Before visiting the Reading Rooms, read PROVguide
27 Reading Room Conditions.
Records on closed access ordered from PROV will be available
for pick-up at:
|
Victorian Archives Centre
Loading Bay
112 Macaulay Road
North Melbourne
|
Or
|
Ballarat Archives Centre
Reading Room
Cnr Mair & Doveton Streets
Ballarat
|
|
Phone:
|
03 9348 5600
|
Phone
|
03 5333 6506
03 5333 6611
|
|
Fax:
|
03 9348 5684
|
|
|
Times for collecting and returning records:
Monday - Friday 10:00am - 11:00am
– Victorian Archives Building
Monday - *Wednesday 9:30am – 4:30pm – Ballarat Archives Centre
*Please note Wednesday at BAC is by appointment only.
For information about the processes involved with collecting
records read PROVguide
4 Ordering and Collecting Records – Government Access. For more
help, please contact PROV.
There are no limits for viewing and downloading digital
records. Users do not even have to log in to be able to view or download
digital records with open access. However, for a government user to view
or download digital records that are closed, they will need to log in.
Alerts provide a way for users to be notified that a record
they want to order is available. If you try to order a record that is on
order by another user, you will be able to place an alert on it. When the
record becomes available for ordering, the alert will appear in the My
Orders: My Alerts page. The record can be ordered from this
page. Alerts do not reserve the record for you; they simply provide
notification that it has become available.
The individual responsible for records management in your
agency can sign an application to become an authorised government user.
The Direct Order page can be used to bulk order units.
Click here for help on placing bulk orders
from the Direct Order page.
You do not need special software to download a VEO, but you
will require a suitable program for viewing the VEO.
For more information on available software, visit the VERS website.
PROV won’t provide a printout of the content of VEOs
or provide electronic copies. If you require a VEO, download it via the
online catalogue.
If your agency’s records aren’t available
through the online catalogue, it may be that the series or consignment they
belong to have not yet been approved for access via the online catalogue.
Contact PROV to find
out the full details.
If you are unable to order a record for which your agency is
the responsible agency, contact
PROV.
If you already have an active Access the Collection user
account, you do not need to re-register to use the online catalogue.
PROV accounts will expire if they are not used for a period
of 12 months. If this occurs, you will need to create a new government user
account.
PROV provides copying services for most records EXCEPT those
which are bound volumes or photographs, documents larger than A3, those too
fragile or damaged to copy, or those which are sealed, glued or tied in such a
way that copying would cause damage.
Read PROVguide
3 Copying Services – Government Access, for more information on how
to order copies of records.
Closed records cannot be viewed in the reading room because
of the risk of the public gaining unauthorised access to the records.
Yes. Closed records can be collected from the loading
bay at the repository where they are kept.
Times for collecting and returning closed records:
Monday - Friday 10:00am - 11:00am
– Victorian Archives Building
Monday - *Wednesday 9:30am – 4:30pm – Ballarat Archives Centre
It is possible to have your order limit increased. Contact PROV for further
details.
You will need to register as a government user before
ordering records. Click here for more information on registering
as a Government User.
If a record is inactive, the transfer may not be complete
and therefore the records are unavailable to order. Contact PROV if you are
expecting the record to be active.
You can arrange for records you have ordered to be looked at
by someone other than yourself by providing PROV with written
authorisation. Your written permission can be emailed or posted to PROV,
or presented by the authorised person when they are requesting to see the
records. PROV reading room staff will not provide access to records
without written permission from the person who has ordered them.
PROV does not endorse any companies, but they must comply
with PROV standards. Contact
PROV for a Records Lending Service Evaluation Form. This form has a
dual purpose. You may nominate an authorised courier company on this form. The
form is also used to evaluate the company you have nominated.
If you have any queries about transferring records to PROV,
see the Government Services
section of the website.