Covid-19 Research Policies
- Appointments are required. Patrons must receive confirmation from Archives and Rare Books Library staff before their arrival at the Library. Contact the Archives and Rare Books Library by phone 513-556-1959 or by email at archives@ucmail.uc.edu to make an appointment.
- Only two researchers will be allowed in ARB at one time. Researchers will be scheduled for 4 hour blocks.
- Patrons will fill out a digital registration form prior to arrival for their appointment. Patrons will receive a link to the digital registration form from Archives and Rare Books Library staff after their appointment is confirmed.
- Patrons should call and reschedule their visit if they are feeling ill on the day of their scheduled visit.
General Research Policies
- Patrons must sign in for the day on the register at the reference desk. By signing the register you indicate an understanding of the library rules and a willingness to abide by them. A photo I.D. is required, and will be held while research is being conducted.
- Coats, backpacks, bags and other belongings, other than papers, pencils, laptops, and reference material are not allowed in the reading room. Personal belongings may be kept in lockers provided for that purpose.
- All cell phones must be turned to silent while in the Archives & Rare Books Library.
- UCLID printouts or call slips are to be presented for materials to be retrieved. Call slips can be obtained from the reference desk.
- Materials in the library do not circulate and are to be used in the reading room or reference area.
- No food or drinks (including water) are allowed in the Archives and Rare Books Library.
- Materials must be handled with particular care. Many of them are old, rare, valuable, unique, and are easily damaged. Lay books flat on the table. Books must be supported as evenly as possible to prevent strain on the bindings. Never rest books against the edge of a table, prop them against a pile of other books, hold them up off the table by the corners of the boards, or place them in your lap. Do not keep a book open with other objects or rest your hand or arm on the pages. Oils from skin can be damaging to the paper. Heavy weight on a binding can place undue stress on the spine. Never lay open books face down on the table or piled up on top of one another. Turn pages slowly and carefully.
- If you find uncut pages, please take the item to the reference desk. Never try to cut them yourself. In some instances the uncut state is bibliographically significant and an alternate copy of the item may have to be supplied.
- Clean, acid-neutral strips of paper to be used as markers are available at the service desk. Never use ordinary paper for a marker or an insert; the acid in it can migrate to the pages of the book.
- Only pencils may be used in the reading room and will be provided if needed. Never mark pages or write on paper laid on top of a book or other library materials. Tracing of maps or illustrations is not allowed. Laptop computers may be used but are not supplied. Wireless network is available.
- It is important that manuscript and archival materials are maintained in their processed order. Please do not rearrange or remove items from a collection, and report any materials which are out of order.
- Photocopying services may be requested. Photocopying will be completed by ARB staff for 25 cents per page for in-house requests. To receive copies vial mail, a minimum fee of $10 is required. The $10 minimum fee covers up to 40 copies. Some materials may not be copied because they are fragile or because of legal or contractual reasons. Requests may be made up until 4:30 p.m. Requests made after that will either be mailed or can be picked up the following day.
- We would be grateful if you would bring any damaged material to our attention so that we can arrange for repairs.
- When you finish with your materials, please notify staff at the reference desk.
- Retrievals and photocopies will not be made after 4 p.m. and are always contingent on staffing levels. For this reason, it is advisable to call in advance of your visit.