Special libraries, special challenges: An ethical framework for access to problematic historical medical films

Medical films, once a staple of medical education in the twentieth century, are now scarce collection items. Many 16 mm films have been weeded from collections because of their outdated content and obsolete format, and those that remain can suffer rapid deterioration from improper storage conditions. Digitization is imperative to preserve these remnants of our cultural heritage. After digitization is complete and rights are cleared, libraries typically make their collections openly accessible online, but this practice is sometimes complicated due to the content of historical medical films. Without a mechanism to regulate patron access to films with potentially problematic content, libraries must tightly restrict these newly preserved resources. This paper presents a framework that defines problematic content based on four criteria and proposes a tiered approach to access.