Iowa historians, archivists, donors and community members have filed a lawsuit against the State Historical Society of Iowa over the decision to close its Iowa City facility.
In a lawsuit filed in the Johnson County District Court on Sept. 26, 17 plaintiffs contend that the State Historical Society’s decision to close the Iowa City Research Library constitutes a violation of Iowa law, breaches agreements with donors and “disregards professional archival standards.”
In June, the State Historical Society issued a press release announcing that it would be closing the Iowa City Research Library with plans to move the records, artifacts and books to the Des Moines research center. The decision was due to “ongoing financial considerations,” according to a June news release…