Petrelis Files

Access to HRC Archive Heavily Restricted at Cornell

Peace and the Middle East. George Bush and intelligence. The Human Rights Campaign and transparency. Some things just don't blend together very well.

A friend tipped me off to the heavy restrictions on HRC's archive at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. He writes:

Check this out. Roughly half of the archived materials have some sort of restriction on the user's ability to view or use the contents. Scroll down to information for users. Why archive it at all? Those records could gather dust anywhere.

Not that I have anything against Ithaca, but it is not centrally located and for many people most likely interested in the HRC archive, it would be a real schlep to get to Cornell and read the HRC documents. I don't get the sense that HRC wants too many people having easy access to their records, and even for those who make it up to Ithaca, HRC is keen to maintain high restrictions on how many eyes examine the files.

These are the details on the restrictions from Cornell's web site:

Access Restrictions:

Names and addresses of private individuals cannot be disclosed in writing or other publication medium until 70 years after presumed creation of the document unless the individual gives express written permission. All users of the collection will sign an agreement to abide by this restriction.

HRC records will be restricted until 5 years after creation, except for publications, which can be made available immediately upon creation, and other exceptions as noted below.

Executive Director and administration correspondence and Board of Directors files will be restricted for a number of years still to be determined.

Files marked "confidential," "confidential draft," or "staff only," will be restricted for 10 years after presumed creation unless otherwise noted.

Financial information such as payment and donation amounts will be restricted for 25 years after such transactions occurred.

Materials submitted to HRC under the assumption that they will be anonymous will be restricted until such time that names and addresses have been redacted to protect the privacy promised by HRC.

Blueprints to existing HRC facilities will be restricted to permission of HRC.

Box 54 contains material restricted until 2008.

Box 55 contains material restricted until 2009.

Box 56 contains material restricted until 2010.

Box 57 contains material restricted until 2011.

Box 58 contains material restricted until 2012.

Box 59 contains material restricted until 2013.

Box 60 contains material restricted until 2014.

Box 61 contains material restricted until 2015.

Box 62 contains material restricted until 2016.

Box 63 contains material restricted until 2017.

Box 64 contains material restricted until 2018.

Box 65 contains material restricted until 2019.

Box 66 contains material restricted until 2020.

Box 67 contains material restricted until 2021.

Box 68 contains material restricted until 2022.

Box 69 contains material restricted until 2023.

Box 70 contains material restricted until 2024.

Box 71 contains material restricted until 2025.

Box 72 contains material restricted until 2026.

Box 73 contains material restricted until 2027.

Box 74 contains material restricted until 2028.

Box 75 contains material restricted until 2029.

Box 76 contains material restricted until 2030.

Box 77 contains plans for HRC's office building and is restricted to permission of HRC.

Boxes 78-79 contain material restricted except by permission of archivist.

Box 80 contains material restricted until 2068.

Boxes 82-102 are restricted. HRC has not determined the length of the restriction.