Access to Special Collections and Archives

Book excerpt: Since the early 20th century, American academic libraries have collected and championed rare and unique non-circulating materials now referred to as special collections. Because of the rarity and value of these materials, they are handled differently than materials in other parts of academic library collections. Thus, a different set of access policies and procedures, as well as specialized staff, have been employed. This book provides a thorough exploration of access, which is a cornerstone of the library profession. It looks at how practitioners’ perceptions of access to special collections have changed from the formative period of the 1930s to today. Using a grounded theory approach on datasets comprised of LIS literature and interviews of special collections professionals with between 5 and 50 years of experience, two conceptual models developed. The two conceptual models are: Aspects of Access, which defines ten components that contribute to access goals: Diversity, Documentation, Engagement, Preservation, Protection, Provision, Readers, Spaces, Stewardship, and Technology. A historical overview sets the stage for in-depth discussion of each aspect. Gatekeeping Model of Access, which applies gatekeeping theory to chart how the Aspects of Access support or hinder the connection of readers to collection materials. An exploration of access through the lens of special collections is especially meaningful because of the tension between the principles of preservation and access within the special collections community. This project is also significant as the library profession explores how representation of diversity within collections and the profession impacts readers. Exploring how we think about access should be part of these ongoing conversations.