Policy on Research in Special Collections

Policy Statement and Purpose

The purposes of this policy are to (1) provide for consistent service to researchers and the secure use of collections, through the application of best professional practices, and (2) to clarify the expectations of researchers regarding access to and use of Special Collections materials. This policy is external.

Applicability

This policy applies to staff in Special Collections and to all researchers using Special Collections materials.

Policy Definitions

Guest Register: Located at the service desk just inside the entrance to Special Collections, the Guest Register is used to log researchers and visitors in and out of Special Collections. The registrant is expected to record on the register their name, the date, and the times of their arrival and departure on that date.

Policy

Special Collections at TCU's Mary Couts Burnett Library contributes to the education of students and the initiatives of the library and university by acquiring, preserving, and making available unique research resources and assisting with their understanding and use by students, university employees, and the general public. It also serves as the university's archives, collecting and making available materials in all formats that document the university's history.

Special Collections also serves members of the general public and is open to anyone who presents picture ID and complies with its policies and procedures. Researchers or visitors (whether they are TCU affiliates or not) who remain non-compliant after staff have made reasonable efforts to bring them to an understanding of the purposes underlying our procedures may be asked to leave.

All guests in Special Collections must sign in and out on the Guest Register. Researchers using materials (but not guests visiting an exhibit) also must complete a Researcher Registration form once per calendar year in order to use materials.

If a researcher departs Special Collections for an extended break or for lunch, they should sign out and make another entry in the Guest Register when they return. When leaving for such a break in their research, they should return all collections materials to the staff member at the service desk.

Classes of students attending an instruction session may be entered on the Guest Register under the name of the instructor as a total count including the instructor. They may be required to complete individual Researcher Registration forms at the discretion of the Special Collections staff member who is hosting the class.

No visitors are permitted to sit at a research table where materials are in use unless they are registered as researchers. A researcher will be given one archival box or vertical file at a time and may have another upon return of the previous box or file. Only one folder at a time is permitted to be removed from the box, even if two researchers are reviewing the box together. Folder contents must remain in the folder and in the order in which they were found. A researcher may have up to three books at one time, though staff may impose a limit of one for rare, large, or fragile volumes.

Camera usage is permitted to facilitate capture of information and images in lieu of note-taking. Flash photography is not permitted. Researchers may request reproductions for personal reference or images of publication quality by completing the Request for Digital Copies form. Requests are administered in accordance with Special Collections' Digital Copies Policy. Staff reserve the right to deny a request if the item is in a physical condition that constitutes a risk.

Special Collections staff will undertake a certain amount of effort to examine materials for remote researchers, but cannot perform research on their behalf. Remote researchers are welcome to hire surrogates to perform their research. Surrogates must register as researchers and follow all policies and procedures applicable to researchers. The Policy on Accessibility of Special Collections' Online Information is intended to assist researchers who may require alternative access because of disability.

Under certain circumstances, materials from Special Collections are available through interlibrary loan. This may entail either partial digitization of the item or its physical loan. Staff reserve the right to determine if an item is suitable for digitization or shipment. If shipped, the item may only be used in the receiving library under controlled, observed, and secure conditions. Unique items such as archives and manuscripts will not be shipped. Large format items such as maps and posters will not be shipped. More details are presented in the Special Collections Interlibrary Loan Policy.

Administrative Responsibility

Mary Couts Burnett Library

Policy History

Approved by Library Administrative Council 11/14/2022

Issued 11/14/2022

Related Policies and Information

Guest Register

Researcher Registration Form

Digital Copies Policy

Request for Digital Copies Form

Policy on Accessibility of Special Collections' Online Information

Special Collections Interlibrary Loan Policy

FAQ How may people with disabilities access information presented online by Special Collections?

FAQ What do I need to know about using Special Collections?