The State Historical Society of Iowa Research Center in Iowa City. (Photo via Google Earth)
A group of Iowa historians, professors, archivists and donors are challenging the State Historical Society of Iowa in court for its decision to close its library and archives in Iowa City.
The lawsuit, filed in late September in Johnson County District Court, is in response to the June announcement that the state would close the State Historical Society of Iowa Research Center June 30, 2026, beginning with changes in operations and hours July 9. The petition for judicial review argues the move is in violation of state law, which explicitly requires the Iowa state government to maintain research centers in both Des Moines and Iowa City.
“Yet, without public input or a clear plan, state officials have begun dismantling the Iowa City archive, laying off staff, and removing collections—many of which were donated under the condition that they remain accessible in Iowa City,” the lawsuit states.
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Following the June announcement of the SHSI Iowa City facility closure, there has been significant pushback among historians and advocates who have said the decision was made without public input, including from the SHSI Board of Trustees. When former Department of Administrative Services director Adam Steen was asked by a trustee about why the board was not given the chance to provide feedback on the action in a June meeting, Steen replied, “this may sound cold, but nothing technically requires that,” according to Iowa Public Radio.
A petition opposing the closure, led by Mary Bennett, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit who worked at the Iowa City research center for 49 years, has gathered more than 7,000 signatures.
But public officials have said the research facility’s closure is a necessary step as the state historical society faces a $800,000 budget shortfall.
The defendants in the case include the state historical society, the Iowa Department of Administrative Services, Steen, State Historical Society of Iowa Administrator Valerie Van Kooten and State Archivist Tony Jahn. Control of SHSI was moved under the Department of Administrative Services in 2023 through the agency restructuring package led by Gov. Kim Reynolds.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of 17 litigants, including historian Linda Kerber, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama to serve on a committee documenting the history of the U.S. Supreme Court; University of Iowa Archivist David McCartney, and author R. Tripp Evans. The group called for the court to immediately issue a temporary injunction preventing documents and artifacts from being removed from the Iowa City facility, and for any of these historical objects that have been removed in preparation for the closure to be returned.
While state officials have said the historical artifacts and documents will be moved to the Des Moines SHSI facility, the lawsuit said the move should not be allowed as the State Historical Building in Des Moines has $72 million in deferred maintenance projects, and “lacks sufficient climate-controlled space to house the Iowa City collections.” At a June board meeting, Jahn, the state archivist, said only 40% of the Iowa City collection would be moved to Des Moines, and the remaining 60% would be privatized, divided up or discarded.
The hearing for a temporary injunction is scheduled for Oct. 14. The petitioners are also seeking to permanently block the closure of the research center.