January 23, 1968, First Presidency. It was mentioned that sometime ago the First Presidency decided that pictures of the papyri turned over to the Church by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York should not be made available for use by various publications until Dr. Hugh Nibley had had an opportunity to make a study of the papyri and felt that the pictures of it could be released to those who want them.

President [N. Eldon] Tanner said that a representative of the Brigham Young University periodical called and stated that they are using copies of the pictures of the papyri in this publication; that he was informed that this could not be done until Dr. Nibley feels that these pictures can be made available.

This brother then got in touch with Dr. Nibley, who later called on President Tanner and told him that pictures of the papyri are available through other sources; that the press in the East obtained copies of them at the time the transfer was made to us. Dr. Nibley feels that it is just as well to make the papyri public now. He said he had made a study of it and translated a portion of it. Dr. Nibley will send us a letter indicating that he feels it is now proper to release these pictures to the public. Brother Howard Hunter, to whom President Tanner talked, also agrees to this.

The proposal is to let the Deseret News know that the pictures may be made available to anyone who wants them, and they may inform the public that they can obtain copies of the pictures from the Deseret News. A letter will be written to the Deseret News to this effect, signed by President Tanner for the First Presidency.