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Rules for Using Special Collections
Archives, manuscripts, and rare books are available for research use from Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., with the exception of Emory University holidays. While the Library encourages the broadest possible use of its collections, the nature of these materials requires that we consider applicants on an individual basis.
Procedures for Requesting Materials
- Researchers must complete and sign an application form once each fiscal year (July 1 - June 30) and must provide acceptable identification (driver's license or photographic I.D. card).
- All manuscripts and archival materials are housed in closed stacks. Readers may request particular items by submitting the appropriate call slips to the Special Collections Reference Assistant. The Reference Assistant will bring the material to the researcher. No material will be pulled for researcher use after 3:45 p.m.
- All materials must be consulted in designated areas only and may not be taken to other areas of the Library.
- The Library reserves the right to inspect all research materials and personal articles before a patron leaves the building.
Handling and Care of Materials
- The researcher must accept the responsibility of handling carefully all materials made available. Manuscripts and archival materials are to be maintained in the order in which they are received by the researcher. If any material is discovered out of order, please notify the Special Collections Reference Assistant. Do not rearrange papers. Manuscripts and books may not be leaned on, written on, folded, traced over or handled in any way that may damage them.
- Researchers may be limited in the amount of material received at one time, usually no more than one box of manuscripts.
- The use of ink is strictly prohibited.
- No food or beverages are allowed in the Library, and smoking is prohibited.
- All materials must be returned to the Special Collections Reference Assistant by 4:00 p.m. or before the researcher leaves the Library.
- Mutilation, destruction and theft of Archives and Manuscripts materials are subject to prosecution.
Reproduction for Research Use
The Pitts Theology Library will consider requests for reproduction of material when such duplication can be done without injury to the material and when duplication does not violate donor agreements or copyright law. Requests for reproduction will be considered on an individual basis. Requests for duplicating certain materials may require the approval of the Curator of Archives and Manuscripts. All duplication requests must be made before 3:45 p.m. Permission to reproduce does not constitute permission to publish. For more information, see the Reproduction Policy.
Permission to Publish
Researchers should be aware that the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, USC) provides protection for unpublished materials as well as for published works. Permission to publish from or to quote from previously unpublished manuscripts or from published items under copyright must first be obtained from the copyright holder. It is the researcher's responsibility to secure that permission. For original manuscript materials, the permission of the Pitts Theology Library, as owner of the originals, is also required. In most instances, the Library does not hold the copyright to materials in its holdings. For more information, see the Copyright Policy.
Citations
When citing material from manuscript collections in this library, please use the following form: [Identification of the item and the title of the collection], [Identification of the record group or manuscript collection number], Archives and Manuscripts Department, Pitts Theology Library, Emory University.