Ethical Concerns for Archivists

Archivists serve many constituencies and often find themselves mediating conflicting interests among records creators, donors, researchers, and their own institutions. Ethical concerns for archivists sometimes have easy answers, but more often require sensitivity to multiple perspectives and balancing of divergent interests. The nature of the archivist9s role in meeting these expectations varies somewhat according to the type of institution he or she serves. A written code of ethics can assist professional associations in evaluating actions when questions of unethical practice arise. In 1980 the Society of American Archivists adopted its first "Code of Ethics for Archivists." Revised in 1992 and again in February 2005, the code is now aspirational and general, providing a broad framework for resolving ethical dilemmas within the archival community. The basis for archival ethics consists of ten internationally accepted principles of archival ethics.