Code Of Ethics

Last Updated: August 6, 2025

Introduction

Pennsylvania Postal History Society (PaPHS) is committed to upholding the highest standards of accuracy, integrity, and ethical responsibility in postal history research. As an education-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, PaPHS fosters historical preservation, archival research, and philatelic connoisseurship, ensuring responsible use of historical materials and scholarly contributions.

This Code of Ethics serves as a guiding framework for members, researchers, and contributors engaged in historical studies, publication, and archival work within PaPHS.

Commitment to Historical Accuracy

PaPHS prioritizes truthfulness and accuracy in all historical research and philatelic studies. Members and researchers are expected to:

• Conduct fact-based research, relying on verifiable sources, historical documents, and expert references.
• Avoid distorting historical facts or misrepresenting postal history for personal or commercial gain.
• Ensure historical interpretations are rooted in authentic data rather than speculation or unverified claims.

Citation & Intellectual Property

Proper attribution and respect for intellectual property are fundamental to ethical research. Researchers and contributors must:

• Credit original sources, including archives, philatelic collections, and previous research publications.
• Use correct citation formats when publishing research to acknowledge authorship and scholarly contributions.
• Avoid plagiarism by ensuring all data, images, and historical findings are properly attributed.
• Secure permissions for copyrighted materials before reproduction or public dissemination.

Preservation & Conservation Standards

PaPHS is dedicated to the responsible handling of postal history artifacts, documents, and philatelic materials. Members involved in preservation efforts must:

• Maintain proper care of historical records to prevent deterioration, damage, or improper handling.
• Adhere to recognized archival conservation practices when storing and displaying materials.
• Ensure digital reproductions do not compromise the integrity of original documents.
• Foster public awareness of postal history preservation, encouraging responsible engagement.

Responsible Data Use & Public Access

Balancing accessibility and ethical use of postal history resources is essential. Members and researchers should:

• Support open access initiatives that allow public engagement with historical postal archives while respecting copyright restrictions.
• Ensure that digital content shared by PaPHS remains accurate and properly credited.
• Avoid misrepresentation of historical findings when sharing documents, images, or research materials.

Anti-Fraud & Integrity in Philately

PaPHS is committed to preventing misinformation, counterfeit practices, and fraudulent philatelic research. Members must:

• Refrain from creating or distributing falsified documents, altered postal materials, or counterfeit philatelic artifacts.
• Ensure auction listings, exhibits, and publications maintain historical integrity and transparency.
• Report any instances of misrepresentation or fraudulent claims regarding postal history artifacts or research findings.

Contributions to Historian & PaPHS Blog

PaPHS welcomes member contributions to Historian journal and the PaPHS blog, fostering knowledge-sharing and historical research within the postal history community.

Article & Research Submission Guidelines

Members submitting articles, research findings, or editorial content must:

• Ensure all historical claims are factually accurate and properly sourced.
• Provide clear citations for archival documents, philatelic collections, and reference materials.
• Verify originality—submissions must not be plagiarized or previously published elsewhere.
• Secure permissions before including excerpts, images, or intellectual property owned by third parties.
• Maintain an educational, non-commercial approach, avoiding promotional or advertising-driven content.

Image & Artifact Contributions

PaPHS encourages members to submit historical postal images, scans, and documented artifacts for publication. Contributors must:

• Provide high-resolution images with proper captions and historical context.
• Obtain permissions for any copyrighted photographs or archival reproductions.
• Confirm that digitized materials are unaltered, maintaining authenticity.
• Acknowledge the right of the PaPHS to use and display submissions within Historian, blog, and educational initiatives.

Editorial Review & Approval

All submissions undergo editorial review to ensure accuracy, integrity, and alignment with the educational mission of the PaPHS.

• The PaPHS editorial team reserves the right to edit content for clarity, format, and historical accuracy.
• Authors will be notified of approval status and may be asked for revisions before publication.
• PaPHS reserves the right to remove any material it deems unethical, misleading, or inappropriate, without notice.

Ethical Donations & Funding Transparency

PaPHS is committed to responsible financial stewardship and ethical handling of donations to support postal history research, preservation, and education.

Types of Donations Accepted

• Monetary Contributions
  • Donations support  research, educational programs, journal publication, and digital preservation efforts of the PaPHS.
• Philatelic & Historical Materials
  • PaPHS welcomes donations of postal artifacts, stamp collections, archival documents, and research materials that contribute to postal history preservation.
• Digital Archives & Research Papers
  • Members may donate historical scans, postal data, or scholarly research for society use.

Ownership & Use of Donations

• Ownership Transfer
  • Upon donation, all physical and digital contributions become the property of PaPHS to be used in archival, educational, or historical preservation initiatives.
• Donor Recognition
  • PaPHS acknowledges contributors through publications, exhibits, or archive credits, based on donor preference and society needs.
• Responsible Allocation
  • All donations
    • Monetary or Physical
  • Are used solely for research, preservation, and member resources, ensuring alignment with the nonprofit mission of the PaPHS.
• Gift Acceptance & Restrictions
  • PaPHS reserves the right to review and decline donations that do not align with its mission or ethical standards.

Contributor Responsibility & Disclaimer

PaPHS assumes that all submitted articles, images, and research materials provided by contributors are accurate, properly sourced, and owned by the individual submitting them.

Additionally, PaPHS does not endorse or take responsibility for the views, interpretations, or opinions expressed in submitted content.

Limitation of Liability

PaPHS provides content for educational purposes only and does not guarantee absolute accuracy.

Policy Revisions & Updates

PaPHS reserves the right to amend this Code of Ethics as needed to address evolving research standards, governance considerations, or ethical concerns.

Conclusion

PaPHS remains dedicated to fostering historical research, ethical philatelic practices, and responsible archival preservation.

By adhering to this Code of Ethics, members contribute to a trustworthy and scholarly postal history community, ensuring that research remains accurate, transparent, and valuable for collectors, historians, and future generations.

Contact Information

For inquiries regarding research guidelines, submissions, donations, or ethical standards, members and contributors can reach PaPHS at:

Pennsylvania Postal History Society (PaPHS)
paphs.org
info@paphs.org