South Dakota open records legislation: a case study in the struggle for government accountability

Although archivists have traditionally seen themselves as passive recipients and caretakers of records, there is an increasing recognition of the power and influence archivists have in shaping the historical record and collective memory. This recognition has led to calls for archivists to use their power to promote social justice and government accountability. One important way to do this is to ensure maximum access to government records. Governments by their nature prefer to restrict records from the public, sometimes with the noble goal of protecting individual privacy, but most often because they wish to maintain power and control over their citizens. Using the development of public records legislation in South Dakota as a case study, this paper argues that true open access to records is an ongoing struggle that requires commitment and vigilance from the public. Archivists, as the guardians of government records, should play an active role in this battle.