College Archives and Rare Books Policies
Access
The College Archives and Rare Books can be made available to Elms College faculty, staff, and enrolled students as well as alums; the greater Elms community; and researchers from outside the local area. Access is by appointment with the Archivist (fonsecaa@elms.edu) or the Rare Books Curator (library@elms.edu). Some material will have access restrictions for reasons of confidentiality or condition.
Copyright
The Archivist and Rare Books Curator provide access to the College Archives and Rare Books collections to support education and scholarship. Some materials may be protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). Additionally, the use and reproduction of some materials may be restricted by terms listed in the deeds of gift and donor restrictions.
Publication Rights
Permission to examine and reproduce materials is not an authorization to publish them. Researchers who plan eventual publication of their work should make inquiries concerning overall restrictions on publication before beginning their research. The College Archivist and its Rare Books Curator do not assume responsibility for infringement of copyright. If permission to publish is granted, the location of the material must be indicated in the published work, and there must be appropriate attribution.
Publication of electronic scans or copies of archival material must be obtained from the copyright holder of the material by the researcher/author.
Reproduction
Requested archival material, including documents and photographs, can be supplied as scanned files. Scanning will be dependent upon the condition of the item. Because electronic delivery is much faster than hard-copy delivery, The College Archivist and its Rare Books Curator can email PDFs to researchers on request. Requests must be made at least one week in advance.
Digital copies of audiotapes, videotapes, and other multimedia will be created, when possible, on request. Requests must be made at least one week in advance.
Fees
There is no fee for a digital reproduction. There may be fees for hard copy reproduction. Shipping fees may also apply for hard copies.
Usage Etiquette
Eating, drinking, and smoking are prohibited when using materials from the College Archives or the Rare Books Collection. Researchers will be required to make sure that materials used are not damaged by use. Marking, folding, or removing any archival material is forbidden. Material should be kept in its original order, in the folders in which they are supplied, and handled carefully. Researchers will be required to use freshly washed (soap and water!) bare hands with gloves only used for specific materials. Ink pens are prohibited, but pencils and laptops are allowed for note taking. Photographs (with no flash) are allowed for research or reference purposes.
Hours/Days
The College Archivist is onsite Monday through Wednesday, and on Friday, from the time the library opens until 1:30 pm. Archives materials are available by appointment only (fonsecaa@elms.edu). The Rare Books Curator is onsite Tuesday through Friday from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm. Rare Books are available by appointment only (library@elms.edu).
Donations
If you wish to donate materials, please make an appointment as noted in the Hours/Days section of this policy. Materials may be accepted as On Loan, but the College Archivist and the Rare Books Curator both have the right to not accept an On Loan offer.