Policies & Procedures

Archives, Manuscripts, and Rare Books Use and Access Policies

  • One form of photo identification is required at each visit.
  • All purses, coats, backpacks, and briefcases (including laptop cases) are to be placed in provided lockers. Only pencils, note paper, electronic note-taking devices (without cases) and cell phones are allowed on your table while using archival or rare materials. Cell phones and other devices must be turned to silent or vibrate as this is a quiet study area.
  • Researchers may take no-flash photographs for private study only.
  • All food, drink, and tobacco products are prohibited.
  • Paper and pencils will be provided if needed. No pens or permanent markers of any sort are permitted.
  • When finished using materials, return all items to the desk staff before leaving the Reading Room for the day or for an extended period. Researchers may request the reservation of materials to be used again within the next five days. Thereafter, a new call slip will be required to request the same materials.
  • Special Collections Research Center staff reserves the right to inspect all research materials and personal items before researchers leave the Reading Room.
  • Materials can only be used in the Reading Room. Researchers may submit several call slips at once, but only one item, folder, box, or comic book may be used at a time.
  • Handling Materials: As many of our archival and rare materials are fragile and sometimes irreplaceable, researchers must accept the responsibility for carefully handling ALL items requested. Please make sure your hands are clean and free of moisturizers and lotions. Manuscripts, books, and photographs may not be leaned on, folded, traced over or handled in any way that may damage them. All items must be placed either on the table or in book cradles while in use. For certain materials, it may be necessary to wear gloves supplied by the public services desk staff.
  • Handling Manuscript Collections: Materials must be kept in the order they are found in each folder and in each box. If materials appear to be out of order, please alert the public services staff immediately. Researchers may use one (1) folder from a box at a time.

Duplication

Duplication is available for both rare and browseable stacks materials.

Policies and Instructions for Duplication of Rare Materials

Reproduction is a privilege and not a service that will be rendered on demand. The physical condition of the items involved, the number of items requested, donor restrictions, or the intended use by the researcher determines whether or not permission is granted.

The Special Collections Research Center reserves the right to refuse a duplication request if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would violate copyright law or damage the materials. We will not duplicate an entire folder or collection, or more than 10% or one chapter per publication, unless it is in the public domain. The Special Collections Research Center does not duplicate any commercially-produced audio or video material due to copyright restrictions. The researcher is solely responsible for the use made of any material secured from the university and liable for any infringement of copyright.

All reproductions, except for those made by digital camera or other approved means, will be made by Special Collections Research Center staff. Special Collections provides exact reproductions of original material with no or limited editing. Files are shared through Google Drive.

How to Make a Request

Both on- and off-site researchers can request high-quality scans of archival material at no charge, in accordance with the policies described above.

Duplication requests can be submitted by completing a form that will be provided by request once the researcher has selected materials for digitization. Please contact us at spcoll@appstate.edu or 828-262-4041 to initiate a duplication request.

Use of Personal Camera for Rare Materials

Researchers who wish to use a personal camera to photograph materials will be required to sign the following agreement in the call slip form:

Researchers may use hand-held cameras to photograph materials as long as they:

  1. do not use flash
  2. do not disturb other researchers
  3. agree to handle materials as outlined in the Researcher Registration agreement, and understand that these images are allowed for private research only.
  4. agree to use images solely for private study, scholarship, or research purposes
  5. do not reproduce, alter, or reuse images in any way (including posting on the Web or altering digitally)
  6. do not transfer to any other person or institution without the prior written permission of the Special Collections Research Center

Materials may not be moved outside of the Cratis Williams Reading Room, unless by permission of Special Collections personnel. Special Collections reserves the right to prohibit photography of any of its holdings.

Self-Serve Duplication of Browsable Stacks Materials

  • KIC touch-screen scanner: Users can scan items from the browseable stacks, such as newspaper clippings, books, or serial publications and save them as PDFs, JPGs, or other file formats. Users have the option to email files to themselves or save them to a flash drive.
  • Microfilm reader-printer: Users can make paper or digital copies from microfilm. There is no charge for print-outs.

Copyright Obligations

Permission to obtain a photocopy or other facsimile of material does not constitute permission to reproduce, distribute, publicly display (including posting on the World Wide Web), or make other protected uses of the copy, if it is protected under copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code). The user of the copy may engage in such protected uses if they obtain permission from the holder of copyright of the original materials, if the term of copyright in the original material has expired, if the use is a “fair use” under copyright law, or another applicable exemption. The user of the copy is responsible for determining which uses are lawful, obtaining any required permission, and paying any required fee.

I understand that if I wish to publish or present in public the reproduction(s), I must receive permission from the Special Collections Research Center and complete a Permission to Publish Request form. I also understand that the Special Collections Research Center makes no representation that it is the owner of the common law copyright or literary property in any unpublished manuscript, photograph, drawing or other item in its collection, and that permission to publish must also be obtained from the owner of the copyright (including the author or the author’s transferees, heirs, legatees, or literary executors).

In consideration of my being granted permission to reproduce materials from the Special Collections Research Center on the terms set forth above, I agree to defend, indemnify and hold harmless The University of North Carolina and its Board of Governors, Appalachian State University and its Board of Trustees, and their respective officers, administrators, employees, and agents, and each of them (herein the “University parties”), from any costs, expenses and damages relating to any claim against the University parties whatsoever and howsoever arising from my copying and/or other use of the Special Collections Research Center material(s) reproduced pursuant to this permission, including but not limited to claims for copyright infringement.

Publication, Presentation, and Public Use

Before any material from the collections is used for public audiences, researchers must complete a “Permission to Publish Request” form (PDF). Our preferred citation will be provided upon approval of specific copyright requests. This form must be printed, signed physically, and returned in-person or via mail. Researchers should return completed forms to Greta Browning, who will give them to the appropriate collection curator for review.

Citation

Researchers planning to quote, paraphrase, or cite materials must use proper citation. Please review our citation guidelines (PDF) for examples.