Statement Concerning the Closing of Archives
June 23, 1990
The information contained in historical documents and records
in all forms is a valuable property of the institution that created or
received it and is part of the historical heritage of mankind. Archival
materials are unique, permanently valuable, and largely irreplaceable.
Effective management of valuable property and corporate
resources is a basic institutional responsibility. In the same way, proper
care of archival materials is an institution's duty to its trustees,
shareholders, members and community. The hiring of an archivist signals
a commitment to this duty by permanently valuable historical materials.
Establishment and development of an archive is a major task
that requires time, resources and attention. It also is a commitment that
carries with it an ongoing responsibility. For this reason, any decisions
that may lead to closing an archive or curtailing its operations should
be taken carefully and deliberately.
The institutional cost of temporary or permanent closing
of an archive is substantial. In a closed archive, information needed
to protect institutional or individual legal rights and interests or for
day-to-day business is inaccessible. Information needed to meet legal,
administrative or financial requirements or to provide a balanced and
accurate picture of past events or actions is missing. Furthermore, information
may be lost forever if the archival records are lost. The institution's
reputation as a responsible citizen and its image within its community
and beyond may be threatened.
Financial costs of closing an archive also are high. Outside
the protective archival environment, valuable documents and files may
be lost. If not, they are likely to deteriorate and, without a trained
archivist, may lose their organization, integrity and value as evidence.
Electronic data and photographic materials suffer particularly without
proper archival care. Reestablishment of archival controls is labor intensive
and expensive.
The Society of American Archivist recognizes that many institutions
face fiscal pressure that may from time to time lead them to consider
closing an archive or curtailing its basic activities. Nonetheless, the
Society believes that an institution must assess both short and long-term
and direct and indirect costs of this action before making any decision
in this regard. Archival experts should be consulted concerning the costs
and consequences of any action. Deliberation should be particularly cautious
if private or donated historical materials are involved or if the archive
has been supported in any part by grants, public funding, or volunteer
work. Such factors can create potential liability for the institution.
A proposed closing also must be discussed with the users of the archive,
both within and outside the institution.
After careful consideration, should it still seem necessary
to close the archive or significantly curtail operations, it is imperative
that adequate notice be given to archival staff to permit them to plan
an orderly transition, to make arrangements for the safety of archival
materials owned by the institution, and to find suitable employment elsewhere.
Again consultations with outside archival experts are essential to ensure
that the institution's interests are secure.
A plan must be in place for physical protection of historical
materials upon closure of the archives. Access to the materials must be
strictly regulated and unauthorized or unsupervised access prohibited.
A preliminary agenda of steps needed to reinstitute the archive also should
be in place.
Should circumstances so dictate, the institution may consider
donating its archives to a suitable repository provide that adequate funding
is available to providing for responsible care. Such a decision should
result from a careful negotiation of both parties' rights and responsibilities.
The Society of American Archivist stands ready to provide
information regarding these matters at any time.
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