Access to Collections

Collections are available for legitimate scientific, educational and religious uses, subject to terms and conditions of the collection owner as well as those necessary to protect and preserve the condition, research potential, religious, or sacred importance of the collection.

The collections manager should be contacted to schedule a time when staff assistance is available and the collection is not already committed to another use.

Collections are to be studied in areas of the repository set aside for this purpose. If necessary, a loan agreement subject to collection owner approval may be arranged for institutions and agencies for of-site use.

Costs of preparing collections for loan, including packaging, transportation, inventory and re-shelving upon return, are the responsibility of the borrower.

To avoid damage or reduction in their scholarly and scientific value, all materials should be handled with great care; failure to be reasonable and prudent in the use of collections will result in the loss of access to them. Insurance coverage may be required for off-site use of a collection.

Materials in use are not normally available for concurrent use by another researcher. In some cases, special arrangements may be made for on-site study of material in exhibits if the material can be returned expeditiously. In the case of materials already under study, the consent of both the collections manager and the individual directing the study is necessary before the materials can be examined by another individual. The repository should be contacted as additional collection owner approval may be necessary. Individuals using materials on loan are not authorized to make further loan of material to someone else.

Loans will normally be limited to a period of six months. Evidence of continued study must be forthcoming or individuals holding material on loan will be required to relinquish the materials. Such evidence can take the form of a regular report on the progress of the study in question. If an extension of a loan period is desired, a written request must be made prior to the end of the original loan period.

When the study of materials under the care of a repository results in a publication the borrower should make proper acknowledgement to the survey and the owner of the collection and provide two copies of the publication (one for distribution to the collection owner and the collection owner's records) to the repository.