Adopted by the trustees’ Archives Committee October 30, 2011
The General Service Office Archives has been entrusted to safeguard the collection of historical, administrative and organizational records of the Fellowship, as well as other historical material that has been compiled since the early existence of the office.
The Archives’ photocopying policy has been established to protect the physical and the intellectual integrity of the collection. In addition the policy’s purpose is to protect the anonymity and privacy of our members, nonmembers, and to comply with the U.S. Copyright Law as it affects the collection.
Photocopies of copyright material and certain other materials authorized by the Archivist will be provided at the discretion of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. (AAWS, Inc.,) within the minimum standards for fair use, for purposes of private study, scholarship or research, and not for further reproduction. Understandably, we would have to decline any request for photocopying that, we believe, would result in a violation of U.S. Copyright law. It is the responsibility of the person requesting copies to obtain use rights from the copyright holder. If a person makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that person may be liable for copyright infringement.
Original correspondence and unpublished manuscripts frequently cannot be reproduced because of:
- Copyright law prohibitions or restrictions;
- The need to preserve the anonymity of persons in accord with A.A.’s Traditions;
- The parties’ expectation of privacy; or
- The physical condition
Photocopies of early pamphlets and other miscellaneous publications will be made available only when the physical condition of the material allows for photocopying. The physical condition, the fragility of the item or the brittleness of the paper may prevent us from photocopying some of these items.
A.A.W.S. in its discretion may refuse to permit photocopying of certain sensitive material.
GSO Archives Photocopying Policy/Revised January 27, 2019