Delivery
Advice for delivering materials to ELAR
Unless you have a very small amount of data (e.g. less than 1GB),
you should send it to ELAR on a portable hard
disk or a flash memory
card. CDs and especially DVDs have high failure rates and
create needless work and confusion. ELAR can
return your hard disk or card to you. If you do not have a suitable
card or hard disk, we can send one to you for you to copy your
data onto and return to us.
Sending hard disks through the post is very safe. We have received
and sent over 40 disks so far, without a single one has being lost or damaged,
or data lost. Small amounts of data can simply be emailed to us at archive@hrelp.org,
or sent via facilities such as Dropbox or YouSendIt.
ELAR does not presently have an upload facility although in the future we may
provide one.
Please ensure your computer is virus free before copying any files to the
hard disk or card you plan to send. Select the
files for your deposit collection. Do not, for example, make a straight copy
of all files related to your project.
If possible, first prepare your files on your computer, then copy cleanly
across to the hard disk you plan to send. Where possible, avoid deleting files
from the hard disk, as deletions can leave residual files, wasted space in "Recycle
bins", or cause ambiguities
or privacy risks.
Retain copies of all your files until ELAR confirms that your
files have been received and safely copied onto our storage system.
Posting disks and cards
Wrap the disk/card in protective materials before transporting and before
posting to ELAR.
Send any cables needed to operate the hard disk, such as power cable and
transformer (you do not need to send USB cables).
Return to the following address:
David Nathan
ELAR, SOAS
Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG
UK
Customs declaration
You will probably need to attach and fill in a Customs form (internationally
known as CN 22) to your package.
If you do not address the package or fill in the Customs form correctly,
ELAR is forced to pay expensive and needless customs (import duty) charges.
To help us avoid these charges, do the following:
- address the package to an ELAR staff member personally (see address above)
- state that the contents are a Gift
- describe the contents as "a used (second-hand) hard
disk" (or "used (second-hand) flash card")
- state the value as GBP 20 or about US$30 (despite what you paid
for your disk or the value of the data on it, the actual value of used hard
disks is very little)
In case of questions or problems
Practical problems: contact Tom Castle tom.castle@soas.ac.uk +44 20 7898 4523
Data and deposit issues: contact David Nathan djn@soas.ac.uk +44 20 7898 4584
|
