RULES OF USE
Most of the materials in the Archives is
original or rare and often fragile. Due to the nature of archival
collections, we have developed rules governing the use of our materials.
Adherence to those rules assist us in the long term preservation of our
holdings. The rules set forth are not intended to hinder your research but
to preserve our collections for research.
- You must wear gloves provided by the
archives when handling photographs, documents, and rare books.
- You are encouraged to use microfilm
whenever possible. A number of our collections have been microfilmed for
this purpose.
- Photocopies must be made by archival
staff only
- You cannot leave bags or other items on
research tables
- Food and drink are expressly prohibited
- Handle all documents and photographs
with care. Be gentle
- Ask archivist for assistance when in
doubt
GETTING STARTED
- Extra Time: You need more time with archival materials than
with secondary sources found in the library. The nature of finding aids
and the organization of archival materials require more time to locate
holdings for the researcher. Boxes and folders do not come with detailed
indexes as many books and journals do so you will require more time to
browse through folders and scan through papers to find what you're
looking for. Archival documents are often handwritten, faded, printed on
poor paper, or copied on old fashioned carbon paper. This, in turn,
requires more time to read than modern printed matter. Give yourself
extra time to get started on a project requiring use of archival
materials.
- Again, Extra Time: Our collections are organized differently
from a library's so give yourself extra time to search and identify
sources for your project. It's not as simple as typing in keywords in
ALADIN for books and journals. Not everything in the archives are online
or in ALADIN.
- More Extra Time: Organization of collections may not be what
you expect. The answer to your topic may be scattered throughout several
boxes, various folders, and other collections. Collections are not
always organized by topic, date, or subject.
- Be Prepared and Be Specific: When you ask for assistance,
know your project/topic and be prepared to discuss and explain what
searching you've already done. Archival staff will be better able to
assist you if they have a clear understanding of what you're looking
for.
- Don't Assume: While the archives strive to provide
comprehensive and accurate finding aids, indexes, both online and
onsite, they are not always an accurate indicator of usability for your
research project or if it will provide enough information to satisfy
your topic. Some indexes may not accurately reflect our actual holdings.
The only way to know if the material is usable and satisfies your
requirements is when you start looking through the collection.
Translations from one language to another are not available either. Not
all of our holdings are in English or ASL.
Visit our
Locating Materials
Page for Further Tips...
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