Archival Security Practices Study

Theft is an uncomfortable topic in the archival field, which makes archives good environments for potential thieves. This study will discover how archives in New England use the ACRL/RBMS Guidelines Regarding Security and Theft in Special Collections. The goal is to explore if archivists feel the Guidelines promote adequate yet practicable measures and how use of the Guidelines differs in small and large archives. Through a series of interviews with archivists working in New England, this research will contribute to knowledge of real security policies and help answer the question of what security measures work to prevent theft. Specifically, this study will help archival professionals in New England and beyond who are looking to revise their own institution's security policies and want to learn about the practices of others.