|
COLLECTION USE
Clientele
The Institute for Regional Studies Archives supports the educational
objectives of North Dakota State University and the mission and
program objectives of the NDSU Libraries. The Institute seeks
to serve a broad clientele, with special emphasis on the academic
community of the university (faculty, graduate students and undergraduates)
and a particular concern for the citizens of North Dakota.
Today, the Institute's
collections are used by the NDSU community, scholars and the public
in preparing scholarly articles and books, student research projects,
local and family histories, exhibits and a host of other uses.
In addition, professional archivists are on staff to both properly
organize the documents that have been gathered and to provide
the necessary reference assistance to those seeking information
from them. They also attempt to direct researchers to additional
facilities appropriate to their research needs.
Access
Unless restrictions are included in the initial deed of gift
by the donor, a manuscript or archival collection is open for
research use. This includes both campus constituents and the general
public. Any restrictions on access agreed upon by the Institute
staff and donor and documented in the deed of gift will be rigorously
enforced by the Institute staff. Certain records of local government
preserved in the Institute may have access restrictions imposed
by state or federal law. All such restrictions will be enforced
by Institute staff. The Institute also reserves the right to restrict
access to unprocessed collections.
Research and Use Guidelines
Staff will not perform extensive research for patrons. Finding
aids and on-line cataloging records should be the primary method
for patrons to identify potential resources. Research requests
may be submitted in person, by telephone, e-mail or memo.
The archives staff will
facilitate access to archival materials but will not interpret
their contents. Viewing of materials will be done in the archives'
Research Room during regular business hours. Materials cannot
be taken out of the Research Room. Use policies are posted and
are the responsibility of the researcher to read and abide by.
Researchers also are required to register each time they visit
the archives.
Copyright and Reproduction
The Institute attempts, at the time of donation, to obtain the
copyright ownership of the donor for the materials being donated.
The Institute staff will make researchers aware of any copyright
issues related to its collections. For those materials that the
Institute owns the copyright, permission must be obtained, and
proper credit listed, before material may be published by a third
party. Researchers are allowed to photocopy from the collections,
but should be aware of the provisions of Section 108 of the United
States Copyright Law.
Loans and Cooperative
Agreements
No materials in the Institute circulate. In the context of research
use, the Institute does allow the temporary loan of its manuscript
and archival records to other archival institutions with which
it has a mutual loan agreement. Currently such an agreement is
in force with the State Historical Society of North Dakota, University
of North Dakota, Minot State University, Dickinson State University,
and Minnesota State University Moorhead. Likewise, archival collections
preserved at these institutions may be temporarily loaned to the
Institute for research use here. This agreement does not include
the loan of publications or photographs.
|
