“Trusting Archivists” Review

• Dingwall, Glenn. "Trusting Archivists: The Role of Archival Ethics Codes in Establishing Public Faith," American Archivist 67 (2004): 11-30.

This article examines the reasons that archives professionals should have a code of ethics to which they subscribe. Dingwall argues that on the continuum between occupations that are and are not professions, archivists fall somewhere in the middle. This leads him to ask why archivists should subscribe to a code of ethics. His main contention is that archivists should subscribe to a professional code to foster a trust of archivists by the public. Archivists have complex professional relationships with their various constituencies. Archivists must balance their commitments to both records creators and patrons, and serve as a mediator between the two. They must also answer to their employers.

Dingwall surveys the various differences in the codes of several professional archives organizations. He notes that all of them are deontologically based yet include teleological elements. He argues that archivists need to be active in comparing and revising ethical codes to include more teleological language. He believes that such actions will increase the public's trust and understanding of the archival profession. Archivists should be aware of these codes and use them in carrying out their work. Likewise, they should educate others about archival ethics.