Form 6045A Standards of Conduct for Volunteers

OMB control no. 3095-0060 • expires 01/31/2013

Standards of Conduct for Volunteers
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) recruits people
to volunteer at its
• presidential libraries
• regional facilities
• Washington, DC-area locations.
Volunteers help NARA achieve its goals by donating their time and talents for work
with the public and for work behind-the-scenes.

The primary objective of the NARA Volunteer Program is to assist the Nation-

al Archives and those using its services, the Standards of Conduct listed here have been
developed to define the responsibilities and obligations that go with this volunteer service.

All volunteers must follow these Standards of Conduct. If any volunteer violates

any of these standards, NARA may terminate that volunteer’s service.
1. NARA volunteers must always act in a courteous, considerate, and prompt manner
in dealing with the public, fellow volunteers, and National Archives staff. NARA volunteers must avoid any action, whether or not specifically mentioned in these Standards of Conduct, which might result in or create the appearance of:
a. Using their NARA volunteer position for the private gain of themselves or
others;
b. Giving preferential treatment to any one NARA user over another;
c. Impeding Government or NARA efficiency or economy;
d. Being partisan; endorsing a particular group, individual, or political perspective; or advancing a social agenda;
e. Affecting adversely the confidence of the public in the integrity of the Government or of NARA.
2. NARA volunteers may not behave in any way that causes people to believe that the
work of a private group is actually the work of the government.
3. NARA volunteers must keep any nonpublic information confidential and may not
make use of outside of NARA any nonpublic information, for themselves or others,
if such information is not generally available to the public or if such information was
obtained solely by reason of their NARA volunteers service.
4. NARA volunteers who are members of a private group, association, or organization
must avoid activities on behalf of the group, which might imply endorsement of the
group by NARA or the Government.
National archives and records administration • na form 6045A (11-12)

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OMB control no. 3095-0060 • expires 01/31/2013

Standards of Conduct for Volunteers
5. NARA volunteers must preserve the security and integrity of Federal property, including archival and donated historical materials in the custody of the National Archives
and the Presidential libraries. They must observe all NARA regulations and procedures
for storing, handling, and disclosing information from these records and materials.
6. During their NARA volunteer shifts, volunteers may not represent any other group.
Also, NARA volunteers may not solicit research or tour-guiding business in a NARA
facility while serving as a NARA volunteer. Volunteers may not include their volunteer status at NARA on any business card.
7. NARA volunteers may not personally seek nor accept money or any other thing of value (including gifts of any kind) in connection with their NARA service, except in those
instances when they are acting on behalf of an officially recognized NARA support organization.
8. NARA volunteers may use, take, dispose of, or allow others to use, take, or dispose of
Government records, property, facilities, or services of any kind only if they are doing so for officially approved Government business. Government facilities, telephones,
property, and staff may be used only for official NARA business and only when authorized by appropriate NARA officials.
9. NARA volunteers may describe themselves as representing the National Archives only
when authorized to do so. Also, when representing the agency to the public—whether on-site, at other locations, or virtually—NARA volunteers may speak only at venues
and on subjects that are in keeping with the mission of NARA.
10. NARA volunteers may publish and distribute the products of their volunteer service only after NARA has released the products or the information they contain to the
public. Examples of such products are indices or descriptive lists, obtained or created
in the course of the volunteers’ duties for NARA. In addition, NARA volunteers may
not claim copyright in the products, because the products are NARA property (that is,
“works of the United States) and are not eligible for copyright protection.
11. The rules in paragraphs 1 – 10 above apply when a NARA volunteer is performing
volunteer services for another Government entity as a NARA volunteer.

__________________________________ _______________
Signature of Volunteer

Date

__________________________________
Printed name

National archives and records administration • na form 6045A (11-12)

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