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Re: policy for complaints?



I would be interested in this discussion too.  We are scanning whole runs of
publications (annuals, early newspapers), and some of that stuff is
objectionable from a racial point of view.  I've thought of "warnings" or
some such text that would travel with the scan however it would be pulled
up.  Or is that borrowing trouble....

Deborah S. Davis, Archives Librarian, VSU Odum Library
(912) 333-7150
dsdavishm@hotmail.com or dsdavis@valdosta.edu


From: Anne Foster <foster_a@FORTLEWIS.EDU>
Reply-To: Archives & Archivists <ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU>
To: ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU
Subject: policy for complaints?
Date: Thu, 18 May 2000 09:53:53 -0600

 We have been asked, as part of a digitization grant, to consider
developing a policy to handle complaints.  Not that we expect any-we aren't
planning to digitize anything obviously objectionable-but you never know.
We've considered a policy specifically for challenges to displayed
materials (electronic or in an exhibit) and we've also thought of expanding
the policy to one to handle complaints in general.
I haven't found any discussion or sample policy to deal with this issue on
the archives or museum listservs nor in any archives or museum manuals.
Maybe it's not something many archives, in particular, have had to deal
with in the past.  But as we become more outreach oriented, I think we can
expect challenges.  Moreover, as we begin to digitize entire collections,
rather than samples or exhibits, we may really run across some problems.
Say you want to digitize your photograph collections.  Do you include the
1905 photo of skinny-dipping?  Might someone consider it obscene?  But if
you're doing a comprehensive project how can you exclude it?  We have to
deal with donors and heirs, too.  Uncle Joe might have donated his WWII
diary fifty years ago with the intention that it be used for research.  But
he was thinking of serious scholars who had to sign in and work quietly in
your oak-lined research room.  He never imagined it could be looked at all
over the world in an instant by anyone for any reason.  Or, the grandkids
had no idea he wrote about stuff like that! Now that they do, they want it
restricted.  Clearly, you want to keep relations cordial.  But you also
want to keep the material open and available.  How do walk that fine a
line?

In the library world, a reconsideration policy is an established method for
dealing with challenges to books.  Obviously, the library community is one
of the most ardent supporters of intellectual freedom and equal access.
The ALA's Office of Intellectual Freedom has a sample reconsideration
policy on their website: www.ala.org/alaorg/oif/

 I think having a pre-determined policy has a number of advantages:

1.  It gives your front-line staff (often volunteers or students) a clear
procedure to follow and a specific name to direct the complainant to.

2.  It gives you a chance to educate the public about your collections and
access policies.  Many times this ends the challenge.

3.  It immediately calms a potentially disruptive confrontation by
demonstrating how seriously you're taking the complaint and that you will
really listen.  It also moves a yelling match to a nice, written
interchange.

4.  Much of the decision-making happens before the crises.  Also, those who
make the decisions are professionals.  This is especially important if your
administration or source of revenue is not.

6.  It vastly strengthens the final decision.  (E.g. "We've followed our
procedures to the letter and have determined to leave the material on
display.")

So, finally, my questions to you are:  Do you have such a policy?  If so,
may I have a copy?  If not, what do you think about the issue?

Anne L. Foster
Archival Fellow
Center of Southwest Studies
Fort Lewis College
1000 Rim Dr.
Durango CO 81301
foster_a@fortlewis.edu
www.fortlewis.edu/acad-aff/swcenter/
phone: 970.247.7456
fax: 970.247.7422


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