The saying and the doing: a survey of security and theft prevention measures in U.S. archives

• Main Author: Leab, Abigail
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/7935

Although the principles and model practices of archival security are well known in the United States having been codified by the Society of American Archivists in the 1970s, little is known about archives' actual policies and their implementation. This study attempts to determine whether there is a dichotomy between principles and practice in the area of archival security. Analysis of the genesis of the SAA Archival Security Program and of its components (including the Register of Lost or Stolen Materials, the newsletter, the consultancy service, the model legislation), especially Timothy Walch's standard setting 1977 manual, as well as other historical events such as the Oberlin Conference on Theft not only illuminate the ideal principles with which to compare practices, but also reveal the reactive nature of the field. Examination of related literature from 1977 to the present demonstrates both trends concerning the topic and the need to make it part of everyday archival functions rather than debating whether it is part of disaster planning or preservation. It also establishes the contributions to the topic of archival security made by such activists as Philip P. Mason, Timothy Walch, Gregor Trinkaus-Randall and Richard Strassberg. The results of a questionnaire focusing on handling of materials and patrons demonstrates the gulf between the real and the ideal in various types of archives and examines how lack of staffing, budget and knowledge contribute to this gap. Finally, methods and practices are suggested for improvement of security awareness and methods. The willingness of the SAA to take a leadership role and to update of the components of the original Archival Security Program using new technology (such as the Internet) to create a centralized source of information for archivists struggling with balancing access and security is key. The work already started by the newly re-established SAA Security Roundtable needs to be built upon by the SAA's devoting financial and organizational support in order to make archival security a proactive and effective field. If that were to happen, the principles and the practice, the saying and the doing, could then become synonymous.