ETHICS INVOLVED IN THE HANDLING OF PERSONAL PAPERS.

The article presents information on the ethics associated with the handling of personal papers. The author discusses this topic in light of the work of historical societies in the collection and preservation of papers. He notes that at the Iowa Historical, Memorial and Art Department the organization handles material as accurately as the owner intended it to be used. Under some conditions this involves returning artifacts to their original location. The author discusses the legal obligations that the curator of Iowa's public archives adheres to as well as how the state handles the private manuscript collections they receive. The author discusses how several specific collections were handled by the state.