You are invited to take advantage of Special Collection’s rich and vast resources including archives, rare books, and manuscripts. At the same time, the Special Collections staff has a responsibility to protect and preserve these materials. To reconcile these two important goals, the following rules govern the use of Special Collections material while in the Reading Room at Honnold/Mudd (please note that the Rules for Readers might differ in either Denison or Seeley G. Mudd Libraries):
- All Special Collections materials are in closed stacks and do not circulate. Items are paged by a staff member for researchers to read in the Reading Room only.
- Researchers must fill out call slips for material and show valid Claremont Colleges’ I.D. or other valid photo identification. Researchers may have up to four books with them at a time at the table.
- Most paging requests can be filled on demand. Because of the locations of some of our collections, however, advance notice or a waiting period may be required for some requests for material.
- All personal belongings, including jackets and purses, are stored on the shelves provided; researchers may keep with them whatever paper and reference materials are necessary to do their work. Personal electronic devices are prohibited unless research related. Researchers should remove their personal belongings from the Reading Room whenever they leave the department. Special Collections is not responsible for lost or stolen items.
- Handle all items with care. Do not write on, lean on, put weights on, or otherwise mishandle material. You may be required to use a book support or another apparatus when using fragile material. Uncut book pages are opened by a staff member only. Do not erase any marks from books or manuscripts. Special Collections staff may deny a researcher use of material for improper handling.
- Use only pencil while working in Special Collections; ink is not allowed at all.
- Laptop computers are permitted; personal scanners are prohibited.
- No eating, drinking (including water bottles and travel mugs), or smoking.
- Photocopying and scanning is done as time and staffing levels permit. There may be a wait for copying orders.
- Manuscript and archival material—Researchers will use one folder at a time unless otherwise instructed by a Special Collections staff member. It is important also to retain the original order of papers inside folders.
- Photographs will be handled carefully, one at a time. Researchers will wear cotton gloves while viewing photographs.
- Materials may be “on hold” in the Reading Room for no longer than one semester; materials may be held for longer by arrangement.
- All special circumstances are subject to staff consideration and approval.