Reviewing for Restrictions

Overview

Screening practices are used:

1. To implement MIT’s policies on access to Institute records

2. To comply with federal and state laws for records of individuals

    

   Note

   Separate screening protocols for determining researcher access to collections are detailed in the reference manual.

Processors will screen a small number of collections for restrictions, item by item. Most collections will be screened for restrictions at the folder level. We do not have the processing resources to screen every item in every collection to see if it is a restricted record. Certain collections have a high risk for containing student information, Corporation records, and other restricted records; these collections will be screened item by item.

Collections in the following record groups will be screened item by item:

• Office of the President
• Office of the Provost
• Treasurer
• Dean of the Graduate School
• Dean of Undergraduate Education

Check the list, Record Groups in the MIT Institute Archives & Special Collections for names of the different collections in these groups.

Identifying Restrictions

For all levels, use the “Restriction Categories” section as a guide to identifying restrictions.

Collection Level Restrictions

Corporation Records

Any record collection created by the Corporation is automatically closed for 50 years. After the 50 year restriction has passed, materials will need to be screened for 75 year restricted items using committee names and folder titles as clues (examples, Presidential Search Committee, Development Committee).

Student Records

Records created by the Committee on Discipline and student records created by the Registrar’s Office are automatically closed for 75 years. Enter a Conditions Governing Access note stating “Student Records are closed for 75 years” at the collection level.

Personnel Records

Personnel records created by Human Resources to be automatically closed for 75 years.  Enter a Conditions Governing Access note stating “Personnel Records are closed for 75 years” at the collection level.

Folder Level Restrictions

Folder Level Screening

Most screening is done at the folder level. To screen at the folder level, look at folder titles only. When folder titles suggest possible restrictions, open the folder and briefly check documents in the folder. Look at folder titles in the context of the series they were created in. Personal names used as a folder title might mean correspondence in the personal parts of faculty papers, but it might mean a faculty personnel folder if the folder is in a series of Provost Office records. MIT related material in manuscript collections is subject to the 20 as well as other possible longer restrictions, even if the rest of the manuscript collection is open. Make sure your Conditions Governing Access note in ArchivesSpace covers access considerations for both personal series and MIT records.

Item-by-Item Screening

Item level screening is only performed in special circumstances. To screen item by item, look briefly at each document in each folder, moving at a good pace. You do not have to stop and read through each document. 

Documenting Restrictions

On the Folders

Leave restricted items in their folders. If one item is restricted, consider the entire folder restricted, mark the folder and move on to the next. Mark the folder either R-50 or R-75 to designate either a fifty or seventy five year restriction respectively. If the folder is not already marked with collection information, be sure to add the collection, box, and folder numbers to the left side of the tab (or the front of the folder if there is not enough room). See Component List > Folder Markings for more information and example. 

Folders that contain documents that are restricted for the normal 20 year period will not be marked either on the folder or in ArchivesSpace, but inclusive dates should be added to the folder. It will be the responsibility of the reference staff to recognize and administer the 20 year period restriction.

In ArchivesSpace

Make sure lists do not contain specific folder heading titles that reveal private information. Change information on container list to be more generic. Example: if a folder heading said “Tenure decision-John Adams” Change that heading in the container list to read “Tenure decision” or if there were a number of these folders you might list it as “Tenure decisions-A”

Add a “Conditions Governing Access” note to ArchivesSpace to the component listing in ArchivesSpace for any 50 or 75 year restrictions. Add the dates of the restriction period and text indicating the length of the restriction

Examples:

• Restricted for 50 years.

• Restricted for 75 years.

• In this group of four folders, one folder is restricted for 75 years.

On the Box