Registering and Requesting Material in Special Collections
- Material from Special Collections does not circulate and must be consulted in the Reading Room during hours of operation. Requests for paging additional materials beyond your initial request must be made by 4:15 PM.
- Readers must complete a registration form on their first visit.
- Readers must present valid photo-identification, such as a UD ONEcard, driver’s license, or passport.
- Readers may place material on “Hold” if planning to make return visits and repeated use of the material within the week.
- Special permission may be required for access to restricted or unprocessed collections.
- Some Special Collections material is housed in off-site storage and may require advance notice for retrieval. When the online catalog (DELCAT) or a finding aid indicates that a Special Collections item is stored in the Annex, use the Library Annex Request Form to request the item. For more information about Annex items, visit our FAQ page.
- Some Special Collections material may be temporarily unavailable due to exhibition loans, conservation treatment, etc. Researchers may want to ensure availability by contacting Special Collections before visiting.
- For any questions about requesting and using Special Collections materials, please contact our team via the Ask Special Collections form.
Rules of the Reading Room
- The following items are permitted in the Special Collections Reading Room: cell phones, digital cameras, tablets or laptop computers (without case or sleeve) and any chargers.
- Purses, backpacks, briefcases, coats, and all personal belongings must be stored in a Special Collections locker and cannot be brought into the Reading Room.
- Food and drink are not permitted in the Reading Room. They can be stored in the lockers along with any other personal belongings.
- In most cases, Special Collections materials can be handled by researchers. When needed, Special Collections staff will offer guidance for safely handling materials. Handle materials with clean hands. Do not make any marks on the materials and do not open uncut pages. Ask for assistance, if needed.
- Pencils may be used to take notes on loose leaf paper. Pens and notebooks are not permitted in the Reading Room. Loose paper can be provided to visitors as needed.
- In general, researchers are permitted to use one item at a time. Exceptions may be made by the librarian on duty, if appropriate. (Examples: researchers using multi-volume sets or working on textual comparisons.).
- Keep Special Collections materials on Reading Room table surfaces at all times, unless provided special supports for the materials by the desk attendant.
- Do not lay any books, papers, or other objects (except the special weights provided by the desk attendant to hold books open) on Special Collections materials.
- When using manuscript material, do not disturb the arrangement of papers or folders. Ask for assistance if unsure about the order of manuscript material.
- When finished using Special Collections material, please return it to the desk or let the desk attendant know you are done with the material.
Reproducing and Photographing Special Collections Materials
Special Collections can accommodate requests for digital reproductions of collection materials on a limited basis, but reserves the right to restrict reproductions from any of its collections and to deny requests for copies.
- Visitors to the Reading Room are encouraged to use their own devices to make reproductions, upon approval by a staff member. Visitors will be asked to record what reproductions they make on a provided form.
- In situations where Special Collections staff are making reproductions, patrons are limited to 200 pages/images per semester.
- The condition, age, or rarity of the individual documents, as well as the size of the job, will determine whether a reproduction request can be accepted.
- Reproductions of Special Collections materials are for personal research only, unless a different type of use has been arranged in discussion with Special Collections staff. Copies may not be donated to other repositories by the recipient.
- Requests for digital scans should be submitted through the “Application to Reproduce Special Collections Materials” online webform. (check link once website is live)
- Permission to reproduce or to photograph material does not imply permission to publish.
Permission to Publish
- Special Collections does not require researchers to request permission to quote from or publish images of collection materials, nor do we charge permission or use fees. However, we ask that you cite Special Collections as the source of the materials following the citation guidelines detailed in our FAQ [Insert LINK to FAQ page].
- While Special Collections may approve the creation of reproductions or may create reproductions of collection material for users, permission for certain uses (including but not limited to quoting, publishing, and performing) may require permission from the copyright holder or executors. It is up to users to obtain permission to republish items that are under copyright. Staff may advise users on the copyright status of material, but cannot offer definitive guidance about items for which Special Collections does not hold the copyright.
- Useful resources for researching and obtaining permissions include:
- Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States, published by the Cornell University Copyright Information Center, can help researchers to determine if a work is in the public domain.
- The WATCH File (Writers, Artists, and Their Copyright Holders) maintained by the Harry Ransom Center and the University of Reading is a database of copyright contacts for writers, artists, and prominent figures in other creative fields.
- Artists Rights Society is a copyright, licensing and monitoring organization for visual artists in the United States.
If you have questions about copyright or permissions for a particular collection, please contact our team via the Ask Special Collections form.