[Genealib] Student Papers in Vertical Files

[Anderson, Debra]

Hi!

I administer an archives and special collections department in a
university setting. One of our patron categories are student
researchers. We have a number of university classes that conduct orginal
research based on various aspects of local communities.  

We have investigated this matter with our campus attorney. The faculty
member does not have the right to give a repository student papers
without knowledge of the student. The papers belong to the student and
are actually considered part of their coursework and hence their
individual property.  If students are not told their papers are being
deposited, their rights are violated under FERPA. At least that is our
interpretation.

Since we definitely want some of these student papers because of their
orginal research, we created a release form that the students must sign.
Faculty members in key courses require their students to sign the form
and submit two copies of their papers. One copy comes to the archives
before grading occurs. We assign it a sequential number and index it
according to LC subject headings.

When I arrived we had the same problem mentioned in the query, papers
that were in the vertical file probably without permission.  After
consulting the campus attorney, we determined we could keep the papers
as long as we blacked out the author name.  We did this, assigned
numbers, and indexed them. I do have the cover pages for each of these
old papers and do know the authors.

Hope this helps.


Deb Anderson
UW-Green Bay
Archives

-----Original Message-----
From: genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu
[mailto:genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu] On Behalf Of Bill
Copeley
Sent: Friday, August 25, 2006 2:19 PM
To: genealib at mailman.acomp.usf.edu
Subject: [Genealib] Student Papers in Vertical Files

I can't imagine that you would need anyone's permission just have those
papers in your library and make them available to researchers.  They
probably ought to be kept as long as you think there is valuable
information in them.  

Even photocopying within the Fair Use guidelines would be OK, but you
would need to be a little careful about copying an entire paper or major
parts of it, since it could well be protected by copyright, even if not
specifically stated.   

In our library, we have many such college and high school student
papers, and we normally catalog them as monographs, rather than putting
them into a vertical file.  

Bill Copeley, Librarian
New Hampshire Historical Society
30 Park Street
Concord, NH  03301-6384
603-856-0641                 bcopeley at nhhistory.org
Website: www.nhhistory.org
Catalog of library and museum items at http://nhhistory.library.net


-----Original Message-----
From: genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu
[mailto:genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu] On Behalf Of
genealib-request at mailman.acomp.usf.edu
Sent: Friday, August 25, 2006 12:00 PM
To: genealib at mailman.acomp.usf.edu
Subject: genealib Digest, Vol 35, Issue 26

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Today's Topics:

   1. student papers in vertical files  (Local History)
   2. Should I keep them? (Tracy Luscombe)
   3. Re: Should I keep them? (Mary D. Kraeszig, DVM)
   4. Re: Should I keep them? (Ella Ann Hatfield)
   5. Re: Should I keep them? (stirkk at juno.com)
   6. RE: Should I keep them? (Tracy Luscombe)
   7. Re: student papers in vertical files  (MrArchive at aol.com)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Thu, 24 Aug 2006 15:14:55 -0400
From: "Local History" <localhistory at forbeslibrary.org>
Subject: [Genealib] student papers in vertical files
To: "Librarians Serving Genealogists" <genealib at mailman.acomp.usf.edu>
Message-ID: <009501c6c7b1$97106250$1701a8c0 at P08NO>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

I have come across several undergraduate student papers about local
history or architecture in our vertical files.  Nowhere on them does it
indicate they were given to a public file or that we have permission
from the student to have them.  How have others dealt with these?  These
are separate from the many genealogy essays and thesis that have "thanks
for your help" or "copy for your files" on them that seem to indicate
they know they may become public.  
Thanks,

Julie H. Bartlett
Archivist
Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library & Museum Hampshire Room for Local
History Forbes Library 20 West St. 
Northampton, MA  01060
(413) 587-1014
jbartlett at forbeslibrary.org
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