Midwest Archives Conference Statement on the Proposed Closure of the Iowa City Research Center

After reviewing the SHSI websites, the Save Iowa History Coalition’s petition, and the news reporting on the closure of the Iowa City Research Center, the Midwest Archives Conference leadership issues the following statement:

We stand by the expertise that archivists bring in stewarding historical collections and the shared principles of preservation, access, and the ethical care of the archival record. There is no replacement for the professional archival expertise in the management of historical materials.

We support the Society of American Archivists’ Guidelines for Reappraisal and Deaccessioning, which provides a framework for archival professionals to ethically and responsibly manage the reappraisal process and potential removal of materials from a repository’s care.

We understand that budget cuts are often out of our control; but we strongly advocate that the relevant administrators consider other alternatives that will lessen the impact to Iowan history. We urge the State Historical Society of Iowa, the Iowa Department of Administrative Services, and the University of Iowa to make a transparent and collaborative effort to preserve as much of Iowa City’s holdings and collections as possible and commit to supporting public community access to the collections.  

Unanimously approved by MAC Council on September 16, 2025.