I got 2 expressions of interest and 2 responses summarised below.
University 1
Retained hard copies of PG taught dissertations, PG MPhil and doctoral theses indefinitely even when an un-redacted digital version was available.
No longer receives undergraduate dissertations and has disposed of those previously held. Some academic depts. now hold UG dissertations.
A policy change to no longer receiving hard copy theses (except for exceptional reasons) had recently been rejected by the relevant committees.
Hard copies of theses are in closed storage and have to be signed for.
University 2
The Library stores doctoral theses only, it receives only hard copy theses, there is no requirement to submit theses electronically. This policy is not expected to change.
Theses are retained indefinitely, none have ever been discarded and there are no plans to change this practice.
All theses are kept in a closed store and can't be removed from the library. Quite often theses will have an embargo placed on them (usually for 5 years) which means no-one can consult them at all until the end of the embargo period.
Many thanks to those who responded.
Sue Turner
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