ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries


99

Statem ent on Access to Original Research Materials 

in Libraries, Archives, and Manuscript Repositories: 

Proposed Revisions

The ACRL “Statement on A ccess to Original 
R esearch Materials in Libraries, Archives, and 
Manuscript Repositories” was approved as poli­
cy by th e ACRL B oard o f Directors in January 
1974 and was published in the May 1974 issue 
o f College & Research Libraries News. At the 
1976 Midwinter Meeting revisions in th e state­
ment w ere proposed by the ACRL Rare Books 
and Manuscripts Section Comm ittee on Manu­
scripts Collections, w hich d ev elop ed  the original 
statement. Material to b e  d eleted  is in brackets, 
while material to b e ad d ed  is in italics.

T he revisions proposed h ere will b e con­
sidered for approval as policy by the ACRL 
B oard o f Directors at the 1976 ALA Annual 
Conference. All comments concerning the state­
ment and th e proposed revisions should b e 
sent to the chairman o f  the RBMS Comm ittee 
on Manuscripts Collections: C lyde C. Walton, 
Director o f Libraries, Northern Illinois Uni­
versity, D e Kalb, 1L 60115.

1. It is the responsibility of a library, archives, 
or manuscript repository to make available to 
qualified researchers, as defined by the re­
spective institutions, on equal terms of ac­
cess, research materials in its possession, 
unless prohibited by the regulations o f the 
institution. Because the accessibility of ma­
terial depends on knowing of its existence, 
it is the responsibility of a repository to in­
form researchers of the collections in its 
custody [This may be accomplished through] 
by means o f a public [card] catalog, inven­
tories, [and other internal] other finding 
aids, [a] published guides, and reports to 
the National Union Catalog where appro­
priate. [and the freely offered assistance of 
staff members.] Staff m em bers should assist 
researchers as freely as possible but should 
not b e expected to engage in extended re­
search.

2. To protect and insure the continued acces­
sibility of the material in its custody, the 
repository may impose several conditions, 
w hich it should publish or otherwise m ake 
available to users.

a. The repository may [limit] restrict the 
use of fragile or unusually valuable 
materials, [so long as suitable repro­
ductions are made available for the 
use of all researchers.] In such cases

it should m ake available suitable re­
productions w henever possible.

b. All materials must be used in ac­
cordance with the [rules] regulations 
of and under the supervision of the 
repository. Each repository should 
publish and furnish to potential re­
searchers its [rules] regulations gov­
erning access and use. Such [rules] 
regulations must be equally applied 
and enforced.

c. The repository may refuse access to 
unprocessed materials, so long as 
such refusal is [applied to all re­
searchers] equally applied and en ­
forced.

d. Normally, a repository will not send 
research materials for use outside 
its building or jurisdiction. Under 
special circumstances a collection or 
a portion of it may be loaned or 
placed on deposit with another in­
stitution.

e. The repository may refuse access 
to an individual researcher who in 
the opinion o f th e staff has demon­
strated such carelessness or deliberate 
destructiveness as to endanger the 
safety of the material, or who has re­
fused to com ply with the regulations 
o f the repository.

f. As a protection to the collections, a 
repository may reasonably require ac­
cep table identification o f persons 
wishing to use its materials, as w ell 
as a signature indicating they have 
read a statement defining th e poli­
cies and regulations o f the repository.

3. Each repository should [publish] m ake avail­
a b le to researchers a suggested form of cita­
tion crediting the repository and identifying 
items within the collection for later refer­
ence. Citations to copies of [materials] the 
originals w hich are in other repositories 
should include the location of the originals, 
if known.

4. A repository should advise the researcher 
that he and his publisher have the sole re­
sponsibility for securing permission to pub­
lish from unpublished manuscripts in which 
literary property rights are retained or to 
publish any extensive quotation from copy-



Book House 
Will Deliver 

Any Book in Print 
... and Do It Fast

W hether it is a book listed in Reference Services Review, 
CHOICE, Publishers Weekly or other journals, we will deliver 
any titles published in the United States or Canada and deliver 
them fast.

We take pride in the fact th a t several major academic 
libraries have made surveys which show th a t the average 
elapsed time of delivery is less on orders placed with Book 
House (names on request).

Our trained and competent s ta ff is dedicated to our policy 
of "Concerned Service", which means th a t every customer is 
given personal service to see th a t no stone is le ft unturned in 
our efforts to serve you as quickly and accurately as is human­
ly possible.

And we are human. No computer will keep repeating the 
same error of title , edition, price or credit for return.

Our discount schedules are competitive, n a tu ra lly ! Why 
not give Book House a tria l order and find out what "Concern­
ed Service" can do for you !

AN Y QUESTIONS ? CALL 517-849-9361 COLLECT !
Let us know if you want to receive our newsletter.

The BO
T he H o

O
u se  o f

K
, S u p

 
e r i

H
o r  L ib

O
r a r y  

U
S e rv ic

S
e  

E
2 0 8  W e s t C h ic a g o  /  J o n e s v ille , M ic h . 4 9 2 5 0



101

righted works. Manuscripts cannot be used 
for publication without due regard for com­
mon law rights, literary rights, property 
rights, and libel laws. The user assumes 
legal responsibility for observing these rights. 
A repository should, to the best of its ability, 
inform the researcher about known retention 
of literary rights.

5. A repository should not [grant exclusive use 
of] deny access to materials to any person or 
persons, or conceal the existence of any body 
of material from any researchers, unless re­
quired to do so by law, donor, or purchase 
stipulations.

6. A repository should not charge fe e s  for the 
noncommercial use o f its collection.

7. A repository should, whenever possible, in­
form a researcher of parallel research by 
other individuals using the same papers. It 
may supply names upon request.

8. Repositories are committed to preserving 
manuscript and archival materials and to 
making them available for research as soon 
as possible. At the same time, it is recognized

 that every repository has certain obli­
gations to protect confidentiality in its 
records in accordance with law and that 
every private donor has the right to impose 
reasonable restrictions upon his papers to 
protect confidentiality for a reasonable pe­
riod of time.

a. It is the responsibility of the reposi­
tory to inform researchers of the 
restrictions which apply to individu­
al collections or record groups.

b. The repository should discourage 
donors from imposing unreasonable 
restrictions and should encourage a 
specific time limitation on such re­
strictions as are imposed.

[c. The repository should, whenever pos­
sible, require a specific time limit on 
all restrictions.]

[d.]c. The repository should periodically 
reevaluate restricted records and 
work toward providing fr ee access to 
material [no longer harmful to indi­
viduals or to national interest].