Special Collections & Archives FAQ

The stacks in Special Collections & Archives are closed to those who do not work in the library for security reasons. You're welcome to browse or search our collections online in the Finding Aid Database, Digital Collections, or OneSearch.

The public areas in Special Collections & Archives are reserved for researchers using materials in our collections. This is primarily because our collection materials cannot be checked out, so those who want to use them are unable to sit anywhere else in the library.

Even though our materials can't be checked out, we keep track of who comes in and what they look at, just like other service desks across the library. The information is confidential whether in Special Collections & Archives or elsewhere.

We don't allow personal belongings, especially bags and jackets, in Special Collections & Archives primarily for security reasons. You are welcome to bring other things in that you need during your visit, including your laptop, notebook, etc., though staff may ask to review it before you are seated and before you leave.

You only have to wear gloves if the person at the front desk tells you to, most often if you are using unsleeved photographs. While gloves protect materials from oils on your hands, they also impair your sense of touch, increasing the likelihood some materials will be damaged during handling. 

The BookEye is for the use of researchers using Special Collections & Archives materials. Our materials can't be checked out, which means they can't be taken to another part of the library for copying.

We keep different hours in Special Collections & Archives because being open to the public requires a higher level of staffing than it does in the rest of the library.