Private Lives: Confidentiality in Manuscripts Collections

Abstract

Librarians and archivists administering collections of modem personal papers encounter a number of concerns inherent in collecting materials by individuals who are still living. One of the chief concerns for archivists and manuscripts curators who manage modern collections relates to the questions of privacy and access. These questions encompass both legal and ethical considerations that are of ever greater concern to those of us who undertake the responsible administration of modern manuscripts. This paper will consider some of these issues, drawing examples from experiences with modern literary collections at the Huntington Library.

When acquiring and processing a modern manuscript collection, . . .