Rare Materials Policy

We welcome your use of our resources, and ask that you follow these rules in order to help us preserve the condition of our materials for future users.

  • Use of Rare materials is by appointment only.

     
  • Please make an appointment at least a day in advance and let us know which items you wish to use, so we can have them ready for you. For a group (4 or more people), please give us a week or more to prepare, especially if it’s a large group.

    The Rare Materials Office can only accommodate 1-3 people working together. Other library spaces can be reserved and set up for groups, but we need time to do it.

     
  • Appointments to access books, journals, manuscripts, and photographs are available by special arrangement. To schedule an appointment to access books, journals, manuscripts or photographs, contact Yumin Jiang by email.

     
  • Rare materials are to be used in the library under supervision. All rare materials are to be used in the Strauss Health Sciences Library with a staff member present.

     
  • Individual researchers must register and show a photo I.D. on their initial visit. Signing the reader registration card indicates that you understand and agree to these conditions. Privileges may be withdrawn for failure to comply. Records are confidential by Strauss Health Sciences Library policy, but under Patriot Act legislation, registration cards and circulation request forms may be subject to subpoena or search warrant.

     
  • Leave backpacks, water bottles, coats, briefcases, and purses at the desk near the room entrance. You may keep a notebook, note cards, and/or a laptop with you. Food and drink are not allowed in the Rare Materials Office or the Special Collections Room, or anywhere near rare materials

     
  • Clean hands are required for use of all materials. White cotton gloves, provided by the rare materials staff, are required while handling artifacts, photographs, and certain other materials. This is to protect the fragile surfaces from the natural oils on fingertips.

     
  • Only pencils are allowed for note-taking. Laptops and tablets can also be used. Pens and markers are not to be used near rare materials. Paper for note-taking must be kept on the reading table, and not placed on the pages. A small supply of paper and pencils is available for use in the Rare Materials Office.

     
  • Books and journals must be kept supported in provided cradles on the reading table surface. Take great care in turning the pages. Do not thumb through them as you would a regular text. Book weights are available to hold bound volumes open for reading or photography.

     
  • Handle materials carefully. Please report uncut pages to the staff, who will open them for you. Use bookmarks sparingly, using paper provided by staff. Too many can strain the binding, and they cannot be left in place long-term.

     
  • Please return unbound materials in the same order in which they are provided.

     
  • Photocopying and scanning may be done only by rare materials staff at their discretion. Fragile items will not be copied or scanned if the staff determines that the procedure would damage the item. No more than 15 pages can be copied from any single volume. There may be a charge for photocopying or scanning.

     
  • You may photograph rare materials using your own camera or phone at no charge, subject to copyright restrictions, but staging must be done under the supervision of a staff member.

     
  • These materials are made available for study use only. It is your responsibility to know and abide by statutes covering copyright and fair use for publication from these sources, literary property rights, and right-to-privacy.

     
  • Materials can be set aside for your use over multiple visits. If the time between uses is more than a month, materials will be re-shelved, and all bookmarks will be removed.

     
  • The library requests that publication of any document or image from the Rare Materials Collection be accompanied by proper credit: “Courtesy of the Rare Materials Collection, Strauss Health Sciences Library, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus."

     
  • Exceptions to these policies or procedures must be approved by the Library Director.

     
  • A courtesy copy of any publication or product made possible by research in our holdings would be greatly appreciated.