The National Archives Catalog

Access Restriction Note

Mandatory Repeatable Data Type Authority Level Available A/V Only Public Element
No No Variable Character Length (2000) None Series
File Unit
Item
No Yes

 

Definition:

Significant information pertaining to the access restrictions on archival materials.

 

Purpose: Clarifies complex access restrictions, explains multiple levels of security classifications, identifies restricting statutes, or explains access restrictions not included in the Specific Access Restriction Authority List or Security Classification Authority List.

 

Relationship: This element is dependent on Access Restriction Status. To have Access Restriction Note, Access Restriction Status must be created. In addition, the selection of some terms from the Access Restriction Status Authority List and the Specific Access Restriction Authority List requires the use of Access Restriction Note as described in the Guidance for those elements.

 

Guidance:

Enter any significant information pertaining to the access restrictions on the archival materials.

Do not use this element to describe restrictions on using or reproducing the archival materials, instead use the appropriate Use Restrictions elements.

Do not use this element to describe physical reasons for access restrictions, instead use Physical Restriction Note. Physical reasons are often preservation requirements, such as the need to acclimate materials stored in a cold vault.

Do not use this element to describe the hardware or equipment needed to access the archival materials, instead use Technical Access Requirements Note.

For archival materials that have been screened and identified as including records of concern, explain that the archival materials were identified as records of concern in Staff Only Note.

Write in complete sentences. Be precise and brief. Do not use acronyms or organizational designations that are not defined in either Title or Scope and Content Note. If Access Restriction Note uses an acronym that is not defined in either Title or Scope and Content Note, define the acronym the first time that it is used in Access Restriction Note. Consult the Abbreviations section for further guidance on other abbreviation topics.

 

Examples:
The records may be restricted due to privacy concerns. Register numbers 1 through 900 have been screened and are open for research.
Most documents have been declassified, but some are still classified and unavailable for research. Withdrawal sheets giving information necessary for mandatory declassification review requests have replaced the classified documents in the open folders. In a small number of cases, copies were too illegible to permit identification on a withdrawal sheet.
The military records have been declassified. Some records remain restricted due to grand jury, law enforcement, national security, or privacy concerns.


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