The aim of the Bureau is to help with long-term preservation of the documentary heritage of the Pacific Islands and to make it accessible.
[2][3] Maude's Paper entitled: The Documentary Basis for Pacific Studies: a Report on Progress and Desiderata, was released in March 1967.
Island based records have been identified as most at risk due to climatic factors and lack of trained staff to care for them.
[1] The Bureau has an interest in copying archives relating to the Pacific in major collections throughout the world, including member libraries.
In its 45-year history it microfilmed a large number of Pacific manuscripts in the United Kingdom, many identified by Mitchell Librarian, Phyllis Mander-Jones during the 1960s.
[1][3] The Archive includes in excess of 4000 microfilm reels comprising a diverse range of records, copied from following documents: The Pacific Manuscripts Bureau microfilm collection is divided into three series: Unpublished records of organisations and people associated with the Pacific Islands.
Includes all six dioceses: Tonga, Samoa and Tokelau, Wallis and Futuna, Port Vila, Nouméa, Suva.