THE UNIVERSITY of Arkansas treats all researchers equally and encourages the public to access records in our library. I was disappointed to read the July 5 Globe editorial “Arkansas should keep Clinton records open even to critics” (July 5).
The fact is that the research privileges of a single entity, the Washington Free Beacon, were suspended for failure to comply with our library policies, which are standard across the nation.
The characterization that our library dean didn’t approve of the way the Free Beacon used the information is reckless and untrue. We don’t hide our materials from public view and post the availability of our collections online to attract researchers.
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We do ask that researchers complete a permission-to-publish form when they intend to publish materials from our collection. The Free Beacon failed to do this, twice. Requesting permission to publish is important to record keeping, triggering a conversation between the library and a researcher about potential copyright infringement, and allows a library to track use of its material.
We welcome all to access the treasures in our collections — from William Grant Still’s original musical scores to the political papers of Senator J. William Fulbright and drawings of architect Edward Durell Stone — visit libinfo.uark.edu/specialcollections.
The writer is associate vice chancellor of university relations at the University of Arkansas.