Institute for Regional Studies & University Archives Research Room, located in the Skills and Technology Training Center, 1305 19th Ave. N., Fargo, Room 117

General Policies and Rules

The Institute for Regional Studies and University Archives and the collections in its care are available for research to NDSU students, faculty and staff as well as the general public. We welcome anyone with a legitimate historical research need to make contact with the archives staff, whether in person, via e-mail or telephone.

One of the responsibilities of the Institute for Regional Studies & University Archives is the preservation of the historical material in its care. While we encourage the use of these materials, we also ask that all users help us in preventing damage to them by observing the following rules:
No materials may be removed from the Research Room, and all materials must be returned to the desk attendant. In addition, publications located in the Research Room are not to be reshelved.
No requests for material will be accepted after 4:15 p.m., and researchers should finish their work and return all materials to the desk attendant by 4:30 p.m.

Do:
    Handle all materials with extreme care
    Maintain the original order of all materials
    Have only one box open at a time and remove only one folder at a time
Do Not:
    Eat or drink in the Research Room
    Remove materials from the Research Room
    Mark materials or erase existing marks
    Fold or bend documents
    Take notes on top of the materials, use the table instead
    Apply paper clips, fasteners, tape, or "post-it" notes
    Touch the surfaces of photographs with your fingers

Photocopies can be made of most materials, however: manuscripts, small collections, photographs, etc. must be copied by staff. Cataloged books may be copied on library copy machines with permission of the staff. We may refuse to allow copying of fragile and oversize items.
Personal computers and dictating machinery are allowed, as long as they do not disturb others.
Written permission must be obtained, from the Institute, the University Archives, or any other copyright holder before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials in the Institute or University Archives. Citations should include the item, name of collection, person or group, folder heading, collection number, and proper credit to the Institute, the University Archives, or other copyright holder. The Institute does not assume any responsibility for infringement of the copyright held by the author or heirs pertaining to Institute materials. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission from the copyright holder, if the Institute does not own the copyright.