History
The Community Archives was established in 2010 as a three-way partnership between the City of Belleville, the County of Hastings, and the Hastings County Historical Society. In 2016 the Archives moved to a new purpose-built facility in downtown Belleville.
Records management and collecting policies
The mandate of the Community Archives with respect to the acquisition of archival records is:
• To act as the official repository for records of enduring value created and accumulated by the City of Belleville and its predecessors;
• To act as the official repository for records of enduring value created and accumulated by the County of Hastings and its predecessors, and the member municipalities of Hastings County that designate the Community Archives as their official repository;
• To act as the official repository for the archival collections of the Hastings County Historical Society and records of enduring value created and accumulated by the Society; and
• To acquire records from private sources (individuals, families, organizations, and corporate bodies) that are appraised as having archival value in documenting the history and development of Belleville and Hastings County, with due respect for the acquisition mandates of other cultural and heritage organizations.