ICA's Access Principles, from #aranzasa conference, Christchurch 2014

ICA's Access Principles

1. The public has the right of access to archives of public bodies. Both public and private entities should open their archives to the greatest extent possible. 

2. Institutions holding archives make known the existence of the archives, including the existence of closed materials, and disclose the existence of restrictions that affect access to the archives. 

3. Institutions holding archives adopt a pro-active approach to access. 

4. Institutions holding archives ensure that restrictions on access are clear and of stated duration, are based on pertinent legislation, acknowledge the right of privacy and respect the rights of owners of private materials. 

5. Archives are made available on equal and fair terms. 

6. Institutions holding archives ensure that victims of serious crimes under international law have access to archives that provide evidence needed to assert their human rights and to document violations of them, even if those archives are closed to the general public. 

7. Users have the right to appeal a denial of access.

8. Institutions holding archives ensure that operational constraints do not prevent access to archives. 

9. Archivists have access to all closed archives and perform necessary archival work on them.

10. Archivists participate in the decision-making process on access.