The materials in the A. A. Archives are available to A. A. members and non-A. A. s who have a legitimate interest, such as historians, social scientists, etc. However, as befits an anonymous organization, access is controlled. The Trustees’ Archives Committee of the General Service Board of A. A. has established the policies and rules. Each application for access to the archival holdings must be approved. This committee has complete responsibility for the archival materials and has the sole jurisdiction over their use.

The overall goal is for the Archives to remain as open as possible so that A. A. members may have ready access to the historical legacy of their organization and program. In addition, serious researchers should be allowed to the holdings. Controls are necessary, however, to ensure the anonymity of all persons mentioned in archival materials, in line with their own wishes and with the A. A. Traditions, and in order to protect the materials themselves from loss, from physical damage and from deterioration due to handling, aging or environmental conditions. All A. A. members are welcome as visitors to the Archives Center. There they can selected materials and speak with the archivist about our holdings, about archival activities in their areas and about how they might use the central resources, both the materials in the Archives and technical archival assistance.

However, if A. A. members or non-A. A. scholars wish to make use of specific materials in the Archives, a written request for access should be made to the trustees’ Archives Committee specifying what materials are desired, and the use to which they will be put. Each request will be considered and ruled on an ad hoc basis.

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