Washington ? The White House quietly nominated a new national archivist earlier this month at a time when crucial decisions loom about access to sensitive documents of the 9-11 commission and confidential papers of the first Bush administration.

Unlike in the case of the two previous archivists since the post was officially established by Congress in 1984, the Bush administration on April 8, with scant public notice, sent to the Senate the nomination of historian Allen Weinstein.

That action surprised and raised concerns among archivists and historians because it came without notice and before current archivist John Carlin had announced his retirement or other plans, said Tim Ericson, president of the Society of American Archivists.

“We were blindsided by this,” Ericson said. “In the past, it’s been done by having either a call put out saying they are looking for a nomination for the archivist for the United States or a call to react to possible nominees.”

Ericson and other archivists said they thought Carlin had planned to step down next year in July after 10 years on the job.

Friday, however, the White House released a copy of Carlin’s Dec. 19 resignation letter, in which he advises that the search for a successor begins in the spring.

“We’re filling a vacancy,” said White House spokeswoman Erin Healy.

Carlin, a former governor of Kansas appointed by President Clinton in 1995, has declined interviews.

Nine organizations of archivists and historians issued a statement last week, saying they were concerned about the nomination and had questions about how the White House was handling it. They requested that the Senate hold thorough hearings.

Archivists and historians said they questioned whether Weinstein was qualified or too partisan, and whether the Bush administration had political reasons for the appointment.

Weinstein, who taught at Smith College, Georgetown and Boston University, is the author of two controversial books about the Cold War: “The Haunted Wood” about Soviet espionage and “Perjury: The Hiss-Chambers Case” about the espionage case of State Department official Alger Hiss. Weinstein has advised Republican senators, founded the Center for Democracy and has critics among liberal groups.

Weinstein could not be reached for comment.

Historian R. Bruce Craig said presidential advisers “want their own archivist” because of sensitive presidential documents to be opened in the near future and concerns Bush might not be re-elected.

Craig specifically cited the 9-11 commission records, which will go to the archives probably at the end of August.

He also said that in January, the archives are to release confidential communications between principals and staff in the first Bush administration.

Ericson and some others criticized Weinstein for paying to get access to KGB records and refusing to share those records with other historians.

“We believe in equal access to information,” Ericson said.