Ethics and the Archival Profession: Introduction and Case Studies (review)

The term ethics, as defined by a textbook dictionary, refers to "the science of morals in human conduct." Its adjectival incarnation, as when one posits a proverbial question such as "Is this ethical?" provides further insight to its root, philosophically inflected meaning as anything relating to what is "moral," "correct," "right," "proper," "just," or "righteous." In the archival context, the synonymous, descriptive terms of "principled," "honorable," and "fair" hold the greatest weight for our discussion of Karen Benedict's much needed "how-to" manual, Ethics and the Archival Profession: Introduction and Case Studies. As its title suggests, this slim primer (91 pages) serves as a reference guide to the key dictums of the Society of American Archivists' (SAA) Code of Ethics. It clarifies, in a brief introduction and first three chapters, "ethical principles, guidance for professional conduct, and institutional best practices," applicable to archival work and, in its extensive fourth and final chapter, presents forty hypothetical case studies that apply these principles and offer concrete examples to alleviate any abstractions that may arise in reviewing the SAA code (which is included in its 1992 revised form as an appendix).

Figure 1.

The introduction on "What Is Professional Ethics?" explains how the SAA formulated the first code of ethics for the archival profession. As such, the archival profession, in subsequent contexts of other kindred professional organizations both in the United States and abroad, continues to defer to its code as a barometer for best archival standards and procedures. Benedict proceeds with a short literature review on classic, essential ethics texts such as Oliver Johnson's Ethics: A Source Book, Jonathan A. Lindsey and Ann E. Prentice's Professional Ethics and Librarians, and John Kultgen's Ethics and Professionalism. She flags readers on ethics' penchant for engaging in both deontological and teleological approaches to answering gray-area questions. The science of morals dispels absolutes, so queries such as what is right (or wrong)? or what is good (or evil)? require further commentaries and nuanced explanations. In this spirit, Benedict, along with contributors Timothy Ericson, Mark Greene, Leon Miller, Mark Shelstad, Robert Sink, and Robert Spindler, as performing fabulists, spin a spectrum of case studies on key archival concerns: "Appraisal of Collections and Collection Policies," "An Archivist's Responsibility to His or Her Employing Institution," "Copyright," "Deed of Gift," "Description," "Donor Relations," "Equal Access and Equal Treatment of Users," "Information about Researchers," "Institutional Best Practices," "Ownership of Records," and "Privacy," among others. Furthermore, Benedict highlights the importance of a professional code of ethics as a testament to a professional organization's accountability and responsibility to the public it serves. While this call appeals to our nobler selves, she recognizes "the realities of the workplace and societal pressure" often hold greater sway or at least become legitimate barriers to taking the proper path.

The coexistence of these contradictory interests of professional practice and morality, she notes, remains precisely the reason why professional associations need codes of ethics to help navigate the murky waters between moral conscience and institutional/individual self-preservation. Even though "actions that violate the ethical canons of a profession may not be illegal," Benedict contends that the archivist, as a professional, must act according to his or her best knowledge of the law in both the tactile and philosophical forms (3). The archival profession should adhere to its code of ethics in much the same way its medical and legal counterparts do if it wishes to uplift the credibility of its work in society. This subtle plea communicates the current image makeover of the archivist in today's world. Not your graying, bespectacled gent bent over dusty files in a nondescript back room, but a vibrant, progressive-thinking information professional armed with the most up-to-date knowledge on archival procedures, new technologies used in information dissemination, and an efficient, reinvigorated public service consciousness in our digital, syncopated-attention-span milieu.

In the first chapter, "Ethics versus Professional Conduct," Benedict isolates...