Policies

Reading Room Rules

The Oberlin College Archives and Terrell Special Collections share the Goodrich Reading Room and welcome all members of the College community as well as registered users. We ask visitors to follow a few operational rules:

• Patrons are asked to sign in if they are here to use collections for research. Students visiting as part of a Special Collections class do not need to sign in.

• All historical materials must be used in the Archives/Special Collections Goodrich Reading Room (Mudd 410) or other area designated by staff.

• Coats, boots, bags, umbrellas, etc. should be left on the hooks and in the lockers provided for that purpose in the outer hallway. The lockers can be secured, but are for daytime use only.

• No food or drink are allowed in the Goodrich Reading Room.

• Researchers are asked to work quietly, put their cell phones on vibrate, and take/make calls in the corridor.

• Researchers should use pencil in taking notes and must handle records with utmost care. Handling information will be provided on a case-by-case basis. Staff have the right to refuse access to items that they deem at high risk, until such time as they can be used more safely.

• Researchers are asked to wash their hands prior to using collections and in some instances may be required to wear cotton gloves. A sink is located in the Goodrich Reading Room.

• Some records contain restrictions. Conditions on access exist to protect individual privacy or confidential information. In these cases, the Archivist or the creating office can sometimes grant permission to gain access to the records. Special Collections will not permit access.

• The College Archives/Special Collections offers photocopying and .pdf scanning facilities for a fee of 40 cents per page. For higher resolution images please see our Permissions & Reproductions guidelines. All work is done by our staff. We can direct requests for continuous tone photographic reproductions to an outside vendor.

• Patrons can make full use of laptop computers. The Goodrich Reading Room is equipped with power outlets, data ports, and wireless Internet. More limited use of handheld digital cameras in the Reading Room is permitted. Flash photography is not permitted.

• The primary mission of Special Collections is to support the work of Oberlin College students, faculty, and staff. Service for all others is provided as time allows.

Permission to Publish

• Patrons requesting to publish, exhibit, use in a film, or place on a website copies of images from the collections of the Oberlin College Library and College Archives must communicate their intention in an e-mail, phone call, or letter to either the Special Collections Librarian or College Archivist, and complete an application, which includes the specific formatting details and conditions of use.

• The Archivist or Librarian reserves the right to refuse permission for use of Oberlin related images and the Oberlin name in ways it deems unbecoming of the institution.

• Fees for service and use are generally paid by check in advance; see our Reproduction Price List. Archives and Library staff reserve the right to negotiate or waive fees at their discretion depending on the circumstances.

• We remind researchers that items in the care of Oberlin College Archives and Library Special Collections cannot be used for publication without regard for common law literary rights, copyright laws, and the laws of libel. Responsibility for obtaining permission to publish rests with the researcher and their publishers.
  
  We ask the requestor to acknowledge this consent form, which is your agreement to hold harmless the Oberlin College and its trustees, officers, and agents either jointly or severally from any action involving infringement of the rights of any person or their heirs and descendants in common law or under statutory copyright.