Conference tecrus::mormonism

    Well, some documents are not made available to public scrutiny because
    they contain proprietary information about the living.  Obviously this 
    information can not be made available to the general public and
    may not be available to all members.  Other documents may contain
    information that is considered to be of sacred nature, similar to the 
    information one may obtain within a temple.  Other than documents
    that are of personal or sacred nature, I am not immediately aware of 
    historical documents that the Church witholds from public scrutiny.
    On the other hand, the Church has gone to great lengths to acquire
    and make available vasts amount of historical information such as
    can be accessed via geneaological centers near many Church facilities.
    
    
    Steve

All organizations that keep records have an archive, and the LDS church is
no different.  The LDS Church Historian's office has many documents that have
been collected over the years.  I am not in a position to know in detail how
much access historians are given to that information, but I do know that
historians are permitted to access the records.  It was mentioned at a BYU
symposium on the Hofmann forgeries held in August 1987 that Hofmann used 
the LDS Historian's office to research records contemporary with Joseph Smith
and thus be able to imitate them in his forgeries.  (BYU Today, October 1987,
p. 41)

Allen

    I can think of two reasons that the LDS Church limits access to
    historical documents.  The first is to preserve the documents and
    prevent them from being damaged by limiting the number of times
    they are handled.  Not only can the documents be damaged
    unintentionally, but some people would seize the opportunity to
    vandalize them.  Another reason the LDS Church limits access to
    historical documents is to prevent them from being stolen or lost.
    

    In this age of high tech photocopying, why don't they make copies
    and allow access to those, or better yet, allow people to purchase
    copies for themselves.
    
    Ed
    

The following was given by Elder Dallin H. Oaks in a talk given at BYU on
August 6, 1987.  (Ensign, October 1987, pp. 64-65)

********************************************

Are documents ever acquired by the Church and then closed to the public?  Of
course.  This is true of most large archives, as any well informed person
should be aware.  Like other archives, the Church Historical Department closes
or restricts access to certain documentary materials it acquires from outside
sources for such reasons as the following:

1.  The donor has directed that access be restricted or prohibited for a
certain period.

2.  The contents are confidential.  When materials are written or statements
made with the understanding that the communication will not be available to
the public for a certain period of time, the Church Historical Department
respects that understanding.

3.  The contents are private.  The laws and ethics of privacy forbid custodians
from revealing information that may invade the privacy of living individuals.
Examples would include diaries or minutes that discuss the private affairs of
living persons.  In addition, our belief in life after death causes us to extend
this principle to respect the privacy of persons who have left mortality but
live beyond the veil.  descendants who expect future reunions with deceased
ancestors have a continuing interest in their ancestors' privacy and good name.

These same considerations apply to official Church documents, such as the 
minutes of confidential meetings and Church courts.

Historical Department announces rules for library, archives access

Church News, June 1, 1986, p. 14


Administrators of the library and archives of the Church Historical
Department issued the following notice May 27 [1986]:

"In order to assure the preservation and protection of the valuable
materials housed in the Church Library and Archives, and in order
to provide the most efficient and professional service to Church
members and researchers, the Church Historical Department has initiated
some adjustments in the facilities and procedures at the Library and
Archives.

"Administrators have consulted with an expert from the National Archives and
other experts in the field in order to institute standards consistent
with the best practices in professionally directed archives.

"Many of the former practices relating to eligibility for use of archival
materials will be continued.  Patrons should be aware that new procedures
for obtaining clearance to use archival materials may in some cases delay
immediate access to those materials.  New requirements include sign-in
and sign-out procedures that will identify and maintain a record of patrons
who use the Library and Archives.

"A computerized circulation and location system should be operational by
the end of the summer [1986].  Some physical alterations will be made in
the configuration of the facilities, especially in the archives reading
room.  Updated electronic equipment is also being installed.

"We will appreciate your patience and cooperation while these adjustments
are being made."

    Occasionally, critics claim that the Church is trying to create an image
    for itself by giving some information and withholding other.  It is true
    that the Church won't share some kinds of information considered 
    "sensitive."  This, emphasizes Lindsay [Richard Lindsay, Director of
    Public Communications for the Church], is not because the Church is
    trying to hide some kind of bad news, but because there are many
    anti-Mormons waiting to distort or use for their own purposes any
    information they can glean.  ("Communicating the Church" by Maurine
    Jensen Proctor, 'This People', Spring 1989, p. 22)