The Ethical Archivist | 
“1. What process is used to identify materials for disposal and deaccessioning, and is it done in an objective and careful manner?
2. Is a clear distinction made between accessioned and nonaccessioned materials?
3. Is a clear distinction made between procedures to screen extraneous inappropriate materials from a collection that is a ‘keeper,‘ and to dispose of a collection in its entirety, the latter being far more serious?”
“The repository may also need to reveal what would be expected if it experiences a sudden financial reversal. Will the repository have the authority to sell or transfer the collection in the future? To dispose of duplicate or out-of-scope materials? There are sample forms widely available that can be used for transfer of documents and title, but the wording needs to be vetted periodically by the in-house legal counsel, if possible . . .”
