ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries


199

Draft Statement on the Reproduction of Manuscripts 
And Archives for Noncommercial Purposes*

The following statement will be considered 
for approval by the Association of College and 
Research Libraries at the Midwinter Meeting 
in Chicago, 1974. All comments and sugges­
tions for revision should be sent to Ruth Salis­
bury, Chairman of the ACRL Rare Books and 
Manuscripts Section, Historical Society of 
Western Pennsylvania, 4338 Bigelow Blvd., 
Pittsburgh, PA 15213, or to Beverly P. Lynch, 
Executive Secretary, ACRL, 50 E. Huron St., 
Chicago, IL  60611.

1. It is the responsibility of a library, archives, 
or manuscript repository to assist qualified 
researchers, as defined by the respective in­
stitutions, by making or having made repro­
ductions of any material in its possession, 
subject to certain conditions.
Manuscript and archival materials may be 
reproduced if:

a. the condition of the originals will 
permit such reproduction

b. the originals have no gift, purchase, 
or legal restrictions on reproduction

c. the holders of appropriate common 
law or statutory rights have given 
their written approval to said repro­
ductions.

2. All conditions relating to use of manuscript 
or archival materials shall apply to reproduc­
tions.

3. No repository shall be required to reproduce 
a complete manuscript collection or archival 
record group or extensive portions there­
from, the limitation to be set by the owning 
repository. The repository may, by a special 
agreement, do so for the mutual advantage 
of individuals and other institutions and may

offer such copies for sale on its own behalf.
4. The price of reproductions shall be set by 

the repository, which should endeavor to 
keep charges to a minimum.

5. Copies should be made for the use of indi­
vidual researchers and educational institu­
tions as follows:

a. Repositories which permit their man­
uscript and archival collections to 
be reproduced in whole or part must 
specify before the copies are made 
what restrictions if any have been 
placed on the use of the copies. Pur­
chasers must abide by these restric­
tions.

b. All reproductions must identify the 
source of the original manuscript 
collection or archival record group.

c. Copies of reproductions should not 
be made for a third party by the 
owner of a reproduction without the 
written permission of the repository 
owning the originals.

6. The repository must inform the researcher 
that permission to make extensive direct 
quotation from or to print in full any repro­
duction must be obtained from the institu­
tion owning the originals. In the case of ma­
terial under copyright, the right to quote or 
print must also be obtained by the research­
er from the copyright owner. Manuscripts 
cannot be used for publication without due 
regard for common law rights, literary 
rights, property rights, and libel laws. The 
researcher assumes legal responsibility for 
observing these rights. A repository should, 
to the best of its ability, inform the research­
er about known retention of literary rights.

Draft Statement on Access to Original Research Materials 
In Libraries, Archives, and Manuscript Repositories

The following statement will be considered 
for approval by the Association of College and 
Research Libraries at the Midwinter Meeting 
in Chicago, 1974. All comments and sugges­
tions for revision should be sent to Ruth Salis­
bury, Chairman of the ACRL Rare Books and 
Manuscripts Section, Historical Society of 
Western Pennsylvania, 4338 Bigelow Blvd., 
Pittsburgh, PA 15213, or to Beverly P. Lynch, 
Executive Secretary, ACRL, 50 E. Huron St., 
Chicago, IL 60611.

1. It is the responsibility of a library, archives, 
or manuscript repository to make available 
to qualified researchers, as defined by the

* This statement is not applicable to com­
mercial reproduction. A separate statement on 
commercial publication or reproduction of ar­
chival groups and manuscripts is being pre­
pared by the ACRL Rare Books and Manu­
scripts Section’s Committee on Manuscripts 
Collections.