This seems very silly to me. If having a file on her upset her she should have taken it up with either you or whoever is your supervisor or overseer. Why did see feel like she needed to take it on the sly? Does she think that stealing the file is going to prevent the organization from creating a file on her in the future? You after all attempted to create a file on her when she was still around to steal it again--what is stopping a future archivist from starting a file on her when she is no longer around to prevent it? I would treat it for what it is--a theft. I would tell her in no uncertain terms that is what you consider it. I would consider not allowing her physical access to archival collections--for all you know she can be systematically weeding the collections of other things to which she objects. Sounds a bit drastic but she is the one who broke the trust. I would at the very least take this up with whatever entity oversees the Archives in the organization. It needs to be addressed in an official manner. If you let her get a way with it what is stopping other members from demanding their files be removed--or having her remove them on the sly. Perhaps physical access to the collection needs to be restricted and a policy needs to be written on how to handle access to the collection. Andrea Matlak Archivist American Dental Association Chicago, IL Dean DeBolt <[log in to unmask]> wrote: You are dealing with two issues: the right of the archives to create biographical files (just like libraries create vertical files) and the right of an individual to privacy. Given our society's numerous laws granting living individuals the right to remove themselves from telephone books, city directories, to redact certain items from online databases, and the like, I would say that the individual and their lawyer could probably make a good case. I do believe theft of the file was indeed theft, and I would tell her to return it. If she says you are not to have a file on her, then I would remove it (and probably from public access rather than destruction). Yes, any archives/library can create a biographical file on someone, but then there is the political risk that the person may not want this. Dean Dean DeBolt University Librarian, Special Collections John C. Pace Library, University of West Florida 11000 University Parkway Pensacola, FL 32514-5750 850-474-2213 [log in to unmask] A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List sponsored by the Society of American Archivists, www.archivists.org. For the terms of participation, please refer to http://www.archivists.org/listservs/arch_listserv_terms.asp. To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to [log in to unmask] In body of message: SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname *or*: UNSUB ARCHIVES To post a message, send e-mail to [log in to unmask] Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html Problems? Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt --------------------------------- Blab-away for as little as 1¢/min. Make PC-to-Phone Calls using Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List sponsored by the Society of American Archivists, www.archivists.org. For the terms of participation, please refer to http://www.archivists.org/listservs/arch_listserv_terms.asp. To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to [log in to unmask] In body of message: SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname *or*: UNSUB ARCHIVES To post a message, send e-mail to [log in to unmask] Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html Problems? Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <[log in to unmask]>