College and Research Libraries


Access Denied? The Use 

of Manuscript Material 

Introduction 

CLYDE C. WALTON 

Director, Northern Illinois University Libraries 
Chairman, Manuscripts Committee 

of the Rare Books & Manuscripts Section 

On June 25, 1973, at the Las Vegas Conference, the Manuscripts Com-
mittee of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Section of the Association 
of College and Research Libraries sponsored the first in a series of 
programs which will deal with problems concerning manuscript col-
lections and their use. The first program was titled "Access Denied? 
The Use of Manuscript Material Assembled to Support the Publi-
cation of 'The Collected Works of ... ,"' The topic was explored by 
three scholars: Dr. Herman Kahn, assistant director for manuscripts 
and archives, Yale University; Dr. William S. McFeely, professor of 
history, Mt. Holyoke College, South Hadley, Massachusetts; Dr. John 
Y. Simon, executive director, Ulysses S. Grant Association and editor, 
The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant, Southern Illinois University, Carbon-
dale, Illinois. 

Unfortunately, space limitations make it impossible to publish all 
three papers. Nevertheless, the basic issues are fully developed in the 
two papers we are able to present here, with Dr. McFeely speaking for 
"open access" and Dr. Simon pointing out the problems involved in 
"open access." 

The Manuscripts Committee welcomes whatever comments members 
may care to make. 

Please direct them to the chairman. 

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