Using Materials

Permission to Examine

Use of any material in Special Collections and Archives is subject to approval. The use of some materials may be restricted by agreement with the donor or creating agency. Patrons will be informed when such restrictions exist.

Materials housed in Special Collections and Archives do not circulate and must be used in the Reading Rooms.

Protection of Materials

Because of their sometimes unique and fragile nature, care must be taken in the handling of Special Collections and Archives materials. Patrons who mark, tear, rub, or fold any of these materials will be denied access to their use.

Older primary source material will wilt, stain, and crumble when touched by human hands. Moreover, the natural oil in human skin leaves a lasting mark on older papers. In order to protect and preserve the oldest of these materials, archival gloves need to be worn when handling them.

When using Special Collections and Archives, patrons must use pencil or laptop computers to take notes. Pencils will be provided upon request.

Food or beverages are not allowed in Special Collections and Archives.

Boxed materials must be preserved in their existing order. To retain a collections organization you will be asked to follow the “one box, one folder rule.” That is to say, only one box of materials is placed on the table at a time, and only one folder at a time is removed from the box for review. Please notify a staff member if any magazines, pamphlets, New Hampshire documents, historical papers, etc. appear to be misfiled, mislabelled or missing.

Patrons must check coats and bags before using materials. The Special Collections and Archives Department reserves the right to search the loose papers or notes of those patrons who have made use of manuscripts and archives.

Permission to Publish

Permission to examine a document does not convey the right to publish or reproduce either in full or in part. For permission to publish, a Request to Publish form [pdf] must be completed and returned to the Special Collections Librarian specifying the manuscript or excerpt.

The researcher is also responsible for securing permission to publish from the owner of the literary rights to the manuscript. The University of New Hampshire will attempt to assist in the location of authors or heirs, but the Library makes no representation that it is the owner of the copyright or literary property rights unless such rights have been explicitly transferred. As a condition of use, the researcher assumes full responsibility for any infringement of literary, copyright, or publication rights belonging to the owner of such rights.

If permission to publish is granted, credit should be given as follows: For manuscripts — Milne Special Collections, University of New Hampshire Library, Durham, NH; for archival materials — University Archives, University of New Hampshire Library, Durham, NH. A copy of the publication must be presented to the University of New Hampshire Library.