Accessing and Handling Rare Material

Reference & Material Use Guidelines

Accessing material from Rare Books

Security of our collections, while providing reasonable access to them, is a 
major component of our mission.

• All personal belongings must be stored in a locker outside the Special Collections 
  Reference and Reading Room. Researchers are provided with a key to their locker.
•  All researchers are asked to provide a current, valid photo ID before using our materials.
• Researchers are provided with yellow paper and pencil for taking notes. Researchers 
  may use personal laptops minus any casing.
• Rare Books materials may be used only in the Special Collections Reading Room. 
  Researchers do not have access to the closed stacks. 
• More than one item may be requested, but only one item may be used at a time.
• Researchers submit the minimum information of a call number to the Special Collections 
  Reference desk staff. Material is delivered to the researcher by staff.
• Material may be reproduced by Rare Books staff only. Reproduction will be 
  approved on an item by item basis by the Rare Books curator or associate 
  curator. A minimum of 24 hours may be required to provide reproduction. 
  Reproduction is very damaging to printed material. We strongly discourage reproduction
  unless absolutely necessary. 

For help in planning or executing specific research strategies using Rare Books material, 
researchers are invited to request assistance from the staff at the Special Collections Reading 
and Reference Room desk.

Careful use of our collections ensures that they will be available for generations to come.
Staff provides researchers with the necessary tools to help properly care for material.

• Patrons must have clean hands. Please wash hands with soap and hot water. Rinse and 
  dry thoroughly. Patrons will be asked to use a baby-wipe product to clean hands before 
  working with rare material. Wipe hands thoroughly front and back, paying particular 
  attention to fingertips. Repeat. Shake thoroughly dry.
• Book cradles Staff positions material on cradles, or other supports, if necessary, to 
  protect the structural integrity of the item.
• Leaded beads Carefully draped beads over open material may help researchers read 
  without pressing on the item.
• Open material from the center, working backward and forward as needed.
• Gently turn one page at a time.
• Leave material flat or as positioned by staff. Please do not pick up or hold material.
• Do not alter, deface, trace, or lean on material.
• #2 pencils, yellow sheets of paper, provided by staff, and laptops without housings may 
  be used
• Material may be reproduced by Rare Books staff only. Reproductions will be approved 
  on an item by item basis by the head of Rare Books or its curator. A minimum of 24 
  hours may be required to provide reproductions. Reproduction is very damaging to 
  printed material. We strongly discourage reproduction requests unless absolutely 
  necessary.

If a researcher fails to exercise good judgment in the use of material, staff is 
authorized to take necessary actions, including refusing further use of material. 
Failure to follow the handling procedures determined and explained by staff may 
result in the loss of research privileges.