Discusses issue of photocopying of unpublished personal papers by archives and manuscript repositories at request of individual researchers. Historical rationale for common-law protection, support for statutory law protection, ambiguities in fair-use provisions, effects on photocopying, survey of manuscript repositories, and dissatisfaction with…

Describes the benefits to researchers of the microfiche publication of the "National Inventory of Documentary Sources in the United States," which consists of finding aids for U.S. manuscript and archival collections. Arranged in four parts based on origin, each is described in detail as to scope and arrangement. (EM)

Discusses the advantages of using the MARC format for Archives and Manuscripts Control (AMC), rather than the format for books, to meet the needs of researchers seeking primary source materials. Topics covered include the history and components of the AMC format and searching the AMC file. (seven notes/references) (CLB)

Argues that the quality of information provided to scholars by microform sets of manuscript collections, as compared to original manuscripts and critical editions, does not justify the expansion of research libraries' collection boundaries and fiscal responsibilities to include such materials. (CLB)