Reading Room Policy

Arrival and Registration

Please check in at the circulation desk when you enter. You will need to complete a registration form with the reading room monitor and present some form of photo identification (student ID, driver's license or passport). Backpacks, book bags, briefcases, coats, purses, computer cases, notebooks, and umbrellas are not permitted in the reading room. Pick up your locker key at the circulation desk and deposit those materials in a locker. When you enter the reading room take only a note pad, pencil, and a laptop. Cameras are permitted in the reading room but permission must be granted before use. Cell phones are permitted but they must be set on silent. You will be asked to leave the reading room if you accept or make a call.

Check in with the Reading Room Monitor

The reading room is supervised by a monitor. All materials must be used in the supervised reading room. The monitor is present to assist you with your research and to safeguard Texas Collection materials. The monitor will check with you periodically to ensure you have the materials you need for a successful and productive visit. At the end of your visit, the monitor will look over your materials and the Texas Collection materials to make certain all items have been returned to their original folders and boxes.

Where to Sit in the Reading Room

Please sit facing the room monitor when you use materials. The monitor can observe who is using archival materials, who is using library materials, and who is studying. The monitor is there to help you if you have questions, feel free to ask the monitor when you need assistance.

Careful Handling of Materials

• Ensure your hands are clean;
• Do not mark on materials or erase any marks;
• Take notes with a pencil and pad or a computer;
• Request gloves when handling photographs;
• Post-it-notes, paperclips, pencils or pens should not be used to hold a place;
• Do not set anything on materials or take notes on top of materials; and
• Keep all materials in the same folder and in the same order in which you found them.

Be careful when handling archival materials. If you find papers and other items in poor condition, please let the monitor know. Finally, a researcher may only have two boxes of archival materials or one box of photographs on your table at one time; please remove one folder at a time from a box. When finished with those boxes request a new set.

No Food & Drink

No tobacco products, food or drinks are permitted in the reading room. These items can damage materials. If you have any of these items, please deposit them in your locker.

Copies of Materials

A KIC scanner and flatbed scanners are available for use to copy materials. Please bring along a flash drive to digitally store your documents. Photocopies of documents are available but at a fee. The Texas Collection strongly encourages researchers to make a digital copy rather than a photocopy. In either case, a Request Form for Copying Materials needs to be completed. You need to list every scan, copy, or photograph made. If you intend to publish using Texas Collection materials, you must request a Permission to Publish Form. Only 40% of any collection may be copied.

Copyright and Restriction

Some archival materials may be restricted. These restrictions apply when a donor requests some items be closed for a certain period of time, or for other reasons such as privacy or fragility of materials. If there are restrictions of materials for any reason, The Texas Collection will honor those restrictions. If the Texas Collection does not own the copyright to the materials you will have to request permission from the owner of the materials to use them in any published form. The Texas Collection is not responsible for any libel laws, copyright infringement or any other laws that apply to the materials you use.

Citing Materials

For Manuscript Collections:
Pat Neff Collection, Accession #0463, Box #, Folder#, The Texas Collection, Baylor University

For Vertical Files:
Name or title of item with author and date if known followed by name of vertical file. The Texas Collection, Baylor University
 

For Maps:
Title and date of map. Map folder #___, The Texas Collection, Baylor University