Special Collections & Archives Policies

• All patrons must complete a research agreement form. This form also includes a list of policies for using the Special Collections and Archives. Patrons must read, acknowledge and sign the policy prior to using the materials. Once the form is complete, patrons must provide a valid picture ID and sign the register.
• The Special Collections and Archives do not participate in Interlibrary Loan or the temporary loan of materials to researchers. Our collection is currently divided between the Gainesville and Dahlonega Campuses. Individual collections or items do not circulate between campuses.
• Please make an appointment to come to the Special Collections at least one business day in advance. Morning appointments must be made by 3 p.m. the day before the appointment.

• Food and drink, including candy and chewing gum, are not permitted in Special Collections areas.
• Please silence your cell phone and the speakers on your computer. Headphones are permitted, but please keep the volume low so that you do not disturb other researchers. We reserve the right to ask users to check electronic devices that are not on a silent or quiet setting.
• Library materials and personal items (including notebooks, laptops, books, etc.) are subject to inspection prior to entering and upon leaving Special Collections.
• Books, manuscripts, and archival documents are paged for readers and may be used only in the areas designated by the Special Collections staff.
• All written notes are to be taken in pencil. Marking, erasing, or altering Special Collections materials is prohibited. Paper place holders/markers are available for patron use. Manuscripts and books may not be leaned on, written on, folded, traced over, or handled in any way that may damage them.
• Always handle archival and library materials with clean, dry hands. Handle materials carefully and turn pages gently.
• All materials must remain on the surface of the table. When appropriate, readers may be asked to place books and bound manuscripts on book rests or cradles, to use weights for holding books open, or to wear protective gloves. When in doubt about proper handling, please consult Special Collections staff.
• Laptops and tablets for taking notes are permitted in the Special Collections.
• Hand-held cameras may be used without a flash in the Special Collections and Archives to photograph documents as long as the materials being photographed are handled in accordance with our standard guidelines. The researcher is responsible for complying with copyright laws. No extra lighting or equipment is permitted in either area. Permission to photograph does not grant permission to publish.
• Manuscript and archival materials circulate one box at a time. The exact arrangement of unbound materials (papers in folders and folders in boxes) must be maintained. Only one folder may be removed from a box at one time. If any material is discovered to be out of order, please notify the staff member on duty. Please do not rearrange papers or folders on your own.
• Readers are permitted to consult three printed volumes at a time. Depending on size and condition, Special Collections staff may further limit the number of books circulated at one time.
• All items charged to patrons must be returned to the librarian at 4 p.m. We are happy to place items on hold for 24 hours.

The University of North Georgia Special Collections and Archives will consider requests for reproductions of specific items from its collections subject to limitations imposed by U.S. Copyright Law, donor restrictions, curatorial approval, conservation and security concerns, and available resources, as stipulated in the following policy.

1. The Copyright Act of 1976 (PL 94-553) provides statutory protection for all writings from the dates of their creation, whether or not they are formally copyrighted. Generally, the term of copyright is the life of the author plus 70 years. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission for the publication and commercial use of material not clearly in the public domain as penalties for violation of this statute are severe.
2. Reproductions of published material without the permission of the copyright holder are restricted by federal law to excerpts (not the whole) of books, articles, essays, etc., and to scholarly, noncommercial use only.
3. Written permission must be obtained from the owners of the copy/literary rights and from the University of North Georgia for any publication or commercial use of reproductions. The permission granted by the University of North Georgia Special Collections and Archives to use reproductions of material held in the collection does not constitute and may not be substituted for permission from the owner of the copy/literary rights, which it is the direct responsibility of the user to obtain.
4. Deposit of reproductions in another repository is prohibited.
5. Reproductions of extremely aged and fragile material will not be permitted. Reproductions will not be made from books, newspapers, and serials that can be found elsewhere in the library or from an online source.
6. A One-time Use Permission Form and fee will be issued for the commercial use of a reproduction for a single, specified project. Further use of a reproduction for another project/purpose requires a new application for permission and payment of additional fees. A printed notice or complimentary copy of the exhibition, publication, film/television media in which the reproduction(s) will appear must be sent to Special Collections and Archives.

1. Staff must be notified if reproductions will be requested. It is the researcher’s responsibility to indicate what items are to be reproduced and to complete the Reproductions Request and Agreement Form.
2. Please do not remove original material from folders. Use paper markers (provided by staff) to tag the selected items. Use one marker per item. Identify the item and indicate collection name, box/folder numbers and number of pages on the Reproductions Request and Agreement Form and place the marker in front of the item so that the marker is visible when the folder is replaced in the box. Folders and contents should not be left standing upright in the box. Box covers/lids should be replaced securely on all boxes. Be sure to indicate to staff which boxes contain reproduction orders and which boxes can be reshelved.
3. Page limitations on Special Collections and Archives materials will be determined for each order by the staff.

1. Completion of orders is based on staff time and availability. Orders will not be completed on a while-you-wait basis. All orders (except digital reproductions) will be mailed unless otherwise requested on order forms. Special Collections and Archives is not responsible for damage or loss of reproductions sent by mail.
2. Requests are completed in turn, with priority given to smaller orders.
3. Costs for photocopies

   Students	$0.10/page
   Faculty, Staff and Visitors	$0.25/page

4. Cost for digital reproductions

   Scan to email	$1.00/page
   Scan (300 dpi –publication)	$20/image

5. Payment must be received by Special Collections and Archives before orders are delivered.

1. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine the copyright status of materials in the Special Collections and Archives. Resources such as the Watch File, and the U.S. Copyright Office may be helpful in making this determination. The library will share information it has about copyright holders.
2. Researchers do not need to obtain permission to use materials in the public domain.
3. Researchers should note that in some cases, Special Collections and Archives does not hold the copyright for material in its collections. In these cases, it cannot grant or deny permission to use them.
4. Researchers are responsible for contacting copyright holders to obtain permission for use.
5. Written permission must be obtained from the owners of the copy/literary rights and from the University of North Georgia for any publication or commercial use of reproductions. The permission granted by the University of North Georgia Special Collections and Archives to use reproductions of material held in the collection does not constitute and may not be substituted for permission from the owner of the copy/literary rights. The user is directly responsible for obtaining permission from the copy/literary rights holder.
6. The Special Collections and Archives can grant permission to use materials when the University of North Georgia is the copyright holder. In these cases, the researcher should complete Special Collections and Archives' permission to publish form and contact Special Collections and Archives to learn about any use fees that may apply. It should be noted that when granting permission to publish, the Special Collections and Archives retains its own right to publish the material, and to grant permission to others to publish it.
7. Whether or not the University of North Georgia is the copyright holder, the library may charge a duplication fee to create scans or other copies of materials. This process is explained further in the Special Collections and Archives’ Copy Policy. The library also reserves the right to charge a publication fees. Examples of these fees are below.
   1. For books and articles

      Students	$20
      Non-profit/academic	$50
      Commercial	$120

   2. For multi-media productions and exhibitions

      Students	$30
      Non-profit/academic	$75
      Commercial	$150

8. Researchers should be aware that a “fair use” exception is contained in the federal copyright law which allows limited use of materials for non-commercial purposes, such as teaching, scholarship, research, criticism, commentary, and news reporting. Researchers are responsible for determining if their use falls under the “fair use” guidelines. The U.S. Copyright Office is a source for further information on this topic.
9. Researchers should further note that, apart from copyright, individuals possess privacy and publicity rights that are subject to state laws. In some cases therefore, researchers will need to secure the consent not only of copyright holders of materials, but also of third parties who may be represented in them. It is the responsibility of the researcher to address the issues of privacy and publicity in their use of materials.
10. Regardless of whether the Special Collections and Archives holds copyright, users should cite it as the owner of materials by Item, Collection title, Special Collections and Archives, Campus, University of North Georgia.