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Re: Access and Allies



My predecessor was offered the papers of one of our former faculty members when
this individual was moving out of his house, and into a retirement / care
center.  the professor's  career at our insitution had spanned over thirty
years, but he had left for nearly a decade due to a faculty dispute with the
trustees.  The gift was made with the stipulation that the portion of his papers
that related to the faculty dispute, his firing, and re-hiring would be closed
for the duration of his lifetime.  All other portions of the collection (about
80 percent of it) could be used as soon as it was processed.  We accepted the
collection, and made most of it available for research within several months.
Two years after making the donation, the professor died, and we opened the
remaining twenty percent for research.  I think the arrangement worked well for
all parties.

Charlie
Charles V. Mutschler, Ph.D.
University Archivist and Adjunct Professor of History
Eastern Washington University
-30-

"Scott, Kim A." wrote:

> My friends, just so you won't think that I NEVER take anything seriously, I
> submit the following query to solicit your opinions.
>
> Donor A wishes to deposit his father's papers at a University library
> special collections department (which shall remain nameless...but it is
> located somewhere between Alberta and Wyoming....)  Donor A is interested in
> specifying who can use the collection and for what purpose; mostly
> interested in seeing students use it and some scholars who he knows
> personally.
>
> I have informed donor A (ooops...I mean the "Nameless Archivist") has
> informed donor A that it is probably illegal for a public institution to
> subrogate its access policy to a third party, and that it is certainly not
> within the best observance of professional ethics.  Donor A feels that
> allowing him to dictate at the time of donation the classes of people who
> may use the material is legal and ethical and requests that I (oooops, I
> mean the Nameless Archivist) solicit the opinions of the profession on the
> subject.  Thus this posting to you, dear reader.
>
> Kim (looking for opinions) Scott
>
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A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List!

To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to listserv@listserv.muohio.edu
      In body of message:  SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname
                    *or*:  UNSUB ARCHIVES
To post a message, send e-mail to archives@listserv.muohio.edu

Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at
     http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html

Problems?  Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <rschmidt@lib.muohio.edu>