Rules Governing Use Of Archival Collections

Hours and Access

The Archives is open Monday- Wednesday and Friday from 8 am – 5 pm, and Thursday from 8am - 6pm. The University community and the general public are welcome to use our collections and tour our site. Because of the unique and irreplaceable nature of the collections, items are stored in closed stacks. Researchers may not browse the stacks and no materials may be removed except by archives staff.

Archival materials are available for research under conditions that ensure their preservation and which comply with the requirements of confidentiality, privacy, and legal arrangements with depositors.

Archives staff will administer access to the archives and its collections in accordance with sound archival principles, legal and ethical obligations, and the physical integrity of the materials.

Registration

Patrons must sign in for the day on forms provided at the reference desk. By signing the form, you indicate an understanding of the archives rules and a willingness to abide by them.

Personal Items

Coats, briefcases, book bags, computer cases, and other belongings must be stored in lockers provided by the archives. Pencils, paper and personal computers may be brought into the research area. Electrical outlets in the archives are available for personal computers at the researchers’ own risk, the archives assumes no responsibility for damaged equipment. The archives staff reserves the right to search personal materials as the individual leaves the research area.

Personal Computers

Personal computer use is permitted and encouraged. You may use archives plug-ins at your own risk, we assume no responsibility for damaged equipment.

Food and Beverages

Food and beverages are prohibited. Please do not bring these items into the archives.

Cell Phones

In the interest of maintaining an atmosphere conducive to research, archives users will be asked to set communication devices to silent or vibrate. When calls are received, users will exit the research area. Patrons may not remove reference materials from the reading room if they leave to take a call. Archives personnel reserve the right to search any papers that the patron attempts to remove from the reading room.

Researchers will not use cell phone cameras without prior approval of the archivist. All requests to duplicate archival materials with personal equipment will be considered on an individual basis.

Retrieval of Materials.

• Request archives items from the staff; they will bring them to you. If you need to confer with them about locating information, they will be glad to help you.
• In the event that you wish to consult the same items the next day, we will hold them off the shelves a maximum of 24 hours; we must return them to the collection after that time.
• The archives collections are in closed stacks. Researchers may not browse the stacks and no materials may be removed except by archives staff.

Use of Materials

• Only pencils may be used in the reading room and will be provided if needed.
• Items from the archives may be used only in the reading room at the tables provided.
• Archival materials must be handled with care at all times. Do not lean on, write on, fold or handle materials in a way that may damage them.
• Do not apply paperclips, fasteners, tape, “Post-It” notes, or rubber bands to archival materials
• Preserve original order and arrangement within all folders and boxes.
• At times, archives staff will request that cotton gloves be used when handling items, particularly when viewing photographs.

 Photocopy Services

• Forms for requesting photocopies or microfilm copies are available from the reference archivist. Photocopies from print sources will be made while you wait. The charge will be 10 cents per page.
• You may either make copies of microfilm articles as you view them, or we will do it for you. The charge will be 10 cents per page.
• You must pay for photocopies in cash, or you may charge to a division of ESU if you are a staff or faculty member (you must provide us with a division account number).
• Photocopies will be made in accordance with the Copyright Law; single copies will be provided for the researcher’s personal reference use. The photocopy must not be further reproduced. Supplying a photocopy is not authorization to publish.
• Some materials may not be copied because they are fragile or for legal or contractual reasons.
• The staff will take reasonable care in making copies, but assumes no responsibility for quality of reproduction.

 

Restricted Materials

The use of certain documents may be restricted by statute or by the office of origin/donor. For the protection of our holdings, the archives staff also reserves the right to restrict the use of materials that are not arranged or are in the process of being arranged, materials of exceptional value, and fragile items.

 Holds

Collections may be held at the desk a maximum of 24 hours; after this period of time they will be returned to the stacks.

 

NOTICE

UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT LAW (U.S.C. TITLE 17) CONTROLS THE PHOTOCOPYING OR OTHER REPRODUCTION AND USE OF COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL

 

• Emporia State University Archives provides access to its collections in support of education and scholarship. Some materials in archival collections may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). Additionally, the use or reproduction of some materials may be restricted by terms of purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and publicity rights, and ESU policy. Written permission of the copyright owner(s) is required for any transmission or reproduction of protected items beyond that allowed by fair use.

• Copyright ownership and other use restrictions of archival materials may be difficult or even impossible to ascertain. If possible, ESU Archives may provide information about copyright owners and other restrictions. ESU Archives may not own rights to material in its collections. It is the user’s obligation to determine and satisfy copyright or other use restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the Archives.

 

Citations

In citing materials from our archives, the form should be as follows:

Collection number, collection title, box number, folder number, Emporia State University Archives, Emporia State University.

 

Please credit the ESU Archives for information that you obtain from our collections.

Thank you.

 

Last Updated January 18, 2008