[Genealib] Family history donation and privacy issues

Sat Mar 1 14:05:59 EST 2008

Its not libelous if it is true.  If the writer also believes it to be true, 
then it is not libelous.  Only if they spread info known to be false...known 
to them and others. 

Larry Oathout
Director
Tell City-Perry County Library
Tell City, IN 47586
812-547-2661
(Fax) 547-3038
www.tcpclibrary.org

-----Original Message-----
From: "Brannan, Joyce A." <jbrannan at uwa.edu>
To: "Librarians Serving Genealogists" <genealib at mailman.acomp.usf.edu>
Date: Sat, 1 Mar 2008 10:10:55 -0600
Subject: RE: [Genealib] Family history donation and privacy issues

I wasn't going to respond to this, but the all CAPS message disturbs me.  It 
really is up to the individual library if they want to put a privately 
published book or manuscript containing libelous information in it onto the 
shelf.  If the information is about local people, it is a common curtousy to 
put the book in an archive and only make it available after the privacy 
issues would no longer be a concern, generally about 50 years.  That isn't 
rewriting history.  Libraries do not routinely put everything they receive 
onto the shelves; this isn't really any different.  The genealogy might be 
great, but we don't need the mean, ramblings of a vicious old man, 
especially if he doesn't offer any documentation for what he says.

A note to the person sending the all caps message - using all caps is rude, 
it is the same as shouting at someone.  Check your spelling before sending 
anything to a list like this.  And sign your messages.  People like to know 
who is expressing an opinion.

Joyce A. Brannan
Technical Services Librarian
Julia Tutwiler Library
University of West Alabama 
Livingston, AL 35470

________________________________

From: genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu on behalf of mrarchive at aol.com
Sent: Fri 2/29/2008 9:51 PM
To: genealib at mailman.acomp.usf.edu
Subject: Re: [Genealib] Family history donation and privacy issues

GOOD GOD ...REWRITING HISTORY  LEAVE IT LAY WHERE IT WAS FLANG..  
FORNICATING WITH THE INDIANS WAS THE FIRST REFERENCE TO ONE NOBLE AMERICAN 
FAMILY HISTORY PLACING THEM I THE EARLY COLONY  SHOULD WE BE CENSURING THE 
WRITTEN WORD OF ANOTHER .. THINK NOT   THOUGH QUEEN VICTORIA WAS DEAD OR 
DOES HSE LIVE IN OUR HEARTS, MONDS AND OUR CENSORSHIP ??

CATALOGUE THE BOOK AND LET THE AUTHOR TAKE THE HEAT OF HIS OR HER PEN!!!
STS

-----Original Message-----
From: Susan Scouras <Susan.Scouras at wvculture.org>
To: Librarians Serving Genealogists <genealib at mailman.acomp.usf.edu>
Sent: Fri, 29 Feb 2008 4:01 pm
Subject: RE: [Genealib] Family history donation and privacy issues

Generally this is not a problem, but I advise at least flipping through the 
book and looking over any personal reminiscences.  We had a manuscript 
(self-published on a desktop computer) donated last year that was an 
excellent straightforward family history at first glance, with an appended 
section of memoirs written by the author's father, a retired physician.  I 
sent the unbound manuscript off to the bindery, then looked at it more in 
depth while cataloging, checking for possible local history or 
physican-related subject headings to add.  I discovered that the physican 
had not thought too highly of some of his colleagues, nor of at least one 
local hospital (still in business), and said so quite plainly, even 
describing some specific practices and cases of which he did not approve.  
He also made quite hurtful observations about his own relatives, including 
his children (still living and none past middle age), such as descriptions 
of alcoholism, intelligence level, failure to meet the writer's 
expectations, character flaws, etc.--all written about very dispassionately. 

We consulted with the donor, who agreed we could separate the family history 
narrative from the father's memoirs and withhold the memoirs from the 
public.  The author's lack of concern over this was telling in itself, and 
the author didn't want the memoir pages returned for re-donation in the 
future.  Reluctant to just trash the memoir, which had a lot of good local 
history in it, as well as useful descriptions of a medical practice over the 
years, we placed it in a restricted collection with some doctors' birth 
record notebooks we acquired that must be withheld for 50 years.  

We had discussions about censorship, etc., but felt many of the statements 
made violated the privacy of living individuals, and the medical comments 
were potentially libelous.  We have a few family history notebook 
collections or manuscripts that were donated with agreed upon release dates, 
or with the request that we place them in our closed stacks so that only 
someone specifically looking for that family will ask for it and no one will 
be browsing it in the public reading room, but this was the first time--and 
I hope the last--that we chose to restrict something from public access 
based on our own concerns.

Susan Scouras
Librarian
WV Archives and History Library
The Cultural Center
1900 Kanawha Blvd. East
Charleston, WV  25305-0300
(304) 558-0230, Ext. 742

   -----Original Message-----
   From: genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu 
[mailto:genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu 
<mailto:genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu?> ] On Behalf Of Taggart, 
Linda
   Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008 3:17 PM
   To: genealib at mailman.acomp.usf.edu
   Subject: [Genealib] Family history donation and privacy issues

   A patron has offered us a copy of his wife's family history, which he 
researched. It would fit into our collection nicely. However, some of the 
family members listed are still living, so I'm a little nervous about 
privacy issues. Can anyone point me in the direction of some good resources 
on this topic, or let me know how you've handled it?

   Thanks!

   Linda Taggart
   Reference Librarian
   Nashua Public Library
   Nashua, NH

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