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“BUT WHY CAN’T �I SEE THAT?” �EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF ACCESS RESTRICTIONS ON RESEARCHERS

Katrina Windon, Collections Management & Processing Unit Head, University of Arkansas Special Collections

DiAnna Hemsath, Archivist, University of Nebraska Medical Center McGoogan Health Sciences Library

Elizabeth Russell, Photo & Visual Materials Archivist, University of Washington Libraries Special Collections

Ashlyn Velte, Senior Processing Archivist, CU Boulder Libraries

Veronica Denison, Digital Archivist & Special Collections Librarian, Rhode Island College

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How are researchers impacted by access restrictions and what strategies can archives use to mitigate any negative impacts?

  • Follow up from Windon and Tang article from 2019
    • Need to understand the impact of archival access restrictions on researchers in the United States
  • Need for data to support decision-making and policy-making�

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Participants and Demographics

Survey

    • 74 usable responses

Interviews

    • 6 total

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FINDINGS THEMES: Transparency

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WAYS TO PROVIDE TRANSPARENCY

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  • Archival description
  • Archivist/institutional communications
  • Externally available policies

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FINDINGS THEMES: Consistency

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FINDINGS THEMES: Impacts on Research

• Most of our respondents report concerns about access: over a third said restrictions affect their work; 40% say they may.

• Researchers said they build in extra time in case of potential restrictions, abandon topics, or limit how openly they describe projects to archivists in order to gain access to materials.

• Restrictions can delay, disrupt, or create gaps in research

• Inconsistent enforcement and credential-based limits produce unequal research conditions

• Participants call for clearer, more consistent communication—especially in finding aids, policies, and staff guidance.

• Improving transparency and consistency could significantly enhance research outcomes and user experience.

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Conclusion

  • Access restriction impact user experience and research
  • Inconsistency across repositories affects users
  • Archivists can
    • develop educational tools and access policies proactively
    • develop profession-wide standards for transparency and consistency.
    • communicate necessary restrictions based on legal and ethical frameworks
  • Will hopefully increase positive experiencing navigating restrictions