ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 134 / C &R L N ew s S ta n d a r d s fo r e th ic a l c o n d u c t fo r r a r e b o o k , m a n u sc r ip t, a n d sp e c ia l c o lle c tio n s lib r a r ie s By th e RBMS C om m ittee on D ev elo p in g G uidelines fo r P r o fe ssio n a l Ethics T erry B elanger, C hair The official version approved at the 1987 M idwinter Meeting. This is th e text ap p ro v ed b y th e A C R L B o ard of D irecto rs a t its m e etin g on J a n u a ry 18, 1987. T h e previous d ra ft, w h ic h a p p e a re d in C & R L N e w s, Ju ly /A u g u st 1984, has b een rescin d ed . T h e R a re Books a n d M an u scrip ts Section C o m m itte e on D e ­ veloping G uidelines for Professional E th ic s, e s ta b ­ lished in la te 1982, has h a d as its m e m b ers T e rry B elanger (C o lu m b ia U niversity, School of L ib ra ry Service), D a v id F a rm e r (S outhern M e th o d ist U n i­ versity), Jo h n L a n c a ste r (A m herst C ollege), Be­ verly P. L y n ch (U niversity of Illinois, C hicago), F ra n cis O. M attson (New York P u b lic L ib ra ry ), R o b e rt P a tte rso n (U niversity of T u lsa), C h ristin e R uggere (U niversity of P en n sy lv an ia), a n d D a v id S tam (New York P u b lic L ib ra ry ). T hese S ta n d a rd s w e re developed by th e C o m ­ m itte e on D ev elo p in g G uidelines for Professional E thics of th e R are Books a n d M an u scrip ts Section of th e A ssociation of C o lleg e a n d R e sea rc h L i­ braries. A pp ro v ed as p olicy by th e A C R L B oard of D irecto rs on J a n u a ry 18, 1987. 1. Preface R a re book, m a n u sc rip t, a n d special collections lib ra ria n s h o ld positions of tru s t, involving special responsibilities for p ro m o tin g scholarship by p r e ­ se rv in g a n d p r o v id in g access to th e re c o rd s of know ledge in th e ir care. Such lib ra ria n s, in im p le ­ m e n tin g th e policies of th e ir in stitu tio n s, shall ac ­ cept a n d discharge these responsibilities to th e best of th e ir abilities for th e b en e fit of th e ir in stitu tio n s a n d th e publics those in stitu tio n s serve. In all th e ir activities, th e y shall act w ith in te g rity , assiduously avoiding activities w h ich could in an y w a y co m ­ prom ise th e m or th e in stitu tio n s for w h ic h th ey w ork. A p p ro p ria te supervisors should give a copy of th e se s ta n d a r d s to all c u r r e n tly e m p lo y e d a n d new ly em ployed ra re book, m a n u sc rip t, a n d spe­ cial collections lib ra ria n s in th e ir institutions. 2. Access R are book, m a n u sc rip t, a n d special collections lib ra ria n s should b e fa m ilia r w ith th e m ost re c e n t edition of “Jo in t S ta te m e n t on Access to O rig in a l R esearch M a te ria ls,” first ap p ro v ed as policy by th e Association of C ollege & R esearch L ib raries B oard of D irecto rs in July 1976; this S ta te m e n t a p ­ pears in th e A pril 1979 issue of C & R L N e w s. R a re book, m a n u sc rip t, a n d special collections lib r a r i­ ans shall respect th e p riv acy of ind iv id u als w h o ere- March 1987 / 135 ated or are th e subject of records an d papers, espe­ cially those w ho h ad no voice in th e disposition of the m aterials. R are book, m anuscript, an d special collections lib ra ria n s shall n e ith e r re v e a l, n o r p ro fit fro m , in fo rm a tio n gained th ro u g h w ork w ith m aterials to w hich they have access b u t to w hich others have restricted access. 3. Deaccession R are book, m anuscript, and special collections librarians shall deaccession m aterials in th eir care only in accordance w ith th e established policies of th eir institutions. F u rth e r safeguards, such as the advice of scholars in th e field of th e m aterials to be deaccessioned, m ight well be established. T he p ro ­ cedure for th e deaccession or disposal of m aterials shall be a t least as rigorous as th a t for purchasing m aterials. 4. Appraisals R are book, m an u scrip t, and special collections librarians should be fam iliar w ith the most recent edition of “S tatem ent on Appraisal of G ifts,” first approved as policy by th e Association of College and Research L ibraries B oard of D irectors in F eb ­ ru a ry 1973; this statem en t ap p eared in the M arch 1973 issue of C & R L N ew s, an d is rep rin ted in the com pilation of policy statem ents, “G uidelines on M anuscripts a n d A rchives” (1977). R are book, m anuscript, an d special collections librarians shall not give, for a fee or on a reta in er, any certificate or statem en t as to th e au th en ticity or authorship or m onetary value of ra re books, m anuscripts, and other special m aterials in th e ir institution’s collec­ tions or in th e possession of a p otential donor, ex­ cept w here authorized by and in accordance w ith th e established purposes of th eir ow n or other non­ profit institutions concerned, and w ith th e know l­ edge of th eir supervisors. R are book, m anuscript, an d special collections lib rarian s shall not appraise for personal profit any ra re book, m anuscript, or special collections m aterials except w ith th e know l­ edge of th e ir supervisors. 5. Preservation R are book, m an u scrip t, an d special collections librarians shall p ro tec t th e physical integrity of the m aterials in th eir custody, guarding them against d efac em e n t, alte ra tio n s, a n d physical d am ag e. T hey shall (so far as is econom ically an d technolog­ ically feasible) insure th a t th e ir evidentiary value is not im paired in th e w ork of restoration, a rra n g e ­ m ent, an d use. 6. Theft R are book, m anuscript, an d special collections librarians shall not know ingly acquire nor allow to be reco m m en d ed for acquisition any m a terials w hich have been stolen, or m aterials w hich have been im p o rted in contravention of th e applicable laws of th e countries of origin or exporting coun­ tries. R are book, m anuscript, an d special collec­ tions lib rarian s should be fam iliar w ith the most re ­ cent edition of “ Guidelines for th e Security of R are Book, M anuscript, and O th er Special C ollections,” first approved as policy by th e ACRL Board of D i­ rectors in Ja n u a ry 1982; these Guidelines ap p eared in C & R L N ew s, M arch 1982. 7. Personal research R are book, m anuscript, an d special collections lib rarian s m ay use their institutions’ holdings for personal research, pub licatio n , and profit if such practices are m ade know n to th eir im m ediate su­ pervisor an d conveyed to the ap p ro p riate senior ad m in istrato r of th eir institution, an d if such w ork is done on th e sam e term s as others using th e sam e holdings. Because the possibility of conflict exists, th e m a tte r shall be fully discussed by ra re book, m an u scrip t, an d special collections librarians w ith th eir supervisors an d clear guidelines developed. 8. Personal collecting Private collecting of books, m anuscripts, and other m aterials by ra re book, m anuscript, an d spe­ cial collections librarians is not to be discouraged. H ow ever, such collecting shall not conflict, either in fact or in ap p earan ce, w ith th e best interests of an em ploying in stitu tio n a n d its collecting p ro ­ gram s. Because th e possibility of conflict exists, the m a tte r shall be fully discussed by ra re book, m a n u ­ script, an d special collections librarians w ith th eir supervisors an d clear guidelines developed. 9. Personal dealing R are book, m anuscript, an d special collections librarians shall not deal in ra re books, m anuscripts, an d special collections m aterials for personal m o n ­ etary profit w ith o u t th e know ledge of th eir super­ visors; nor shall they be p a rty to th e recom m ending of m aterials for purchase, by institutions or by col­ lectors, if they have any undisclosed financial in ­ terest in these m aterials; nor shall they accept any commission, or undisclosed or otherw ise com pro­ m ising gift from any seller or buyer of such m a te ri­ als. U pgrading a p riv ate collection th ro u g h occa­ sional sales or purchases is not considered dealing in ra re books, m an u scrip t, an d special collections. Because th e possibility of conflict exists, th e m a tte r shall be fully discussed by ra re book, m anuscript, an d special collections librarians w ith th eir super­ visors a n d clear guidelines developed. ■ ■