Rules for Using Special Collections

We ask all researchers to fill out a registration form prior to using the collection. Signing the form indicates agreement to the rules listed below.

Special Collections contains materials for use by students, faculty, scholars, and the general public. The use of these materials is freely granted, subject to any restrictions on their use and compliance with the following:

1. Researchers and visitors must sign the register each day when entering. Coats, handbags, briefcases, backpacks, etc. are to be hung on the coat rack, left at the reference desk, or placed in a locker. Researchers may take note paper or similar research-related tools (camera, computer, etc.) to a table in the research area. These items may be checked by the staff before the researcher leaves.
2. No food, drink or tobacco is allowed in the Reading Room.
3. Only pencils may be used in the Reading Room. Ink pens of any type are prohibited.
4. Materials in Special Collections may not be checked out or taken outside the Reading Room or any other work area designated for their use without the permission of the Head of Special Collections. Materials must be treated with care during use; do not lean upon, mark, fold, trace over, or otherwise handle in any way likely to cause damage. The existing order within the folders must be preserved. Items to be copied or scanned should be left in their folder with a marker identifying the location.
5. Materials in Special Collections cannot be lent via Interlibrary Loan.
6. Fifteen minutes before closing, materials being used should be returned to the reference desk, and no further items will be paged.
7. Persons apprehended stealing documents will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law (SC code §16-13-330, §16-13-331, §16-13-332).
8. Materials in Special Collections are protected by copyright law (Title 17, US Code). Researchers assume full responsibility for conforming to the laws of libel and literary property rights which may be involved in the use of manuscripts or other records. With the exception of brief extracts, written permission to publish or mount on an internet site any unpublished material from the Unit's archival holdings must be secured from Special Collections, Clemson University Libraries. The University Libraries does not, by granting this permission, relinquish its own right to publish the material or to permit other persons to publish or quote therefrom.
9. Researchers are further cautioned that neither the University Libraries' exclusive ownership of the collection nor authorization to publish material in the collection constitutes a conveyance of those literary rights not held by Clemson University. Researchers assume full responsibility for any infringement of copyright or publication rights belonging to the author, his or her heirs, or assigns.
10. If access to a collection or portion of a collection is restricted, the researcher must have written permission from the donor to use the collection or any part of the collection. If permission is obtained from the donor, the original copy shall be given to Special Collections for permanent filing. Permission to copy or scan materials under restriction must be specifically obtained.
11. When requesting materials to be copied or scanned, the Photoduplication Request Form, Photographs Request Form, or the Scanning Request Form should be completed, signed, and returned to the reference desk. Staff of Special Collections will handle the actual copying or scanning of the materials. Photocopies and scanned images are made available solely for a researcher's reference use. Duplication of these copies or images is prohibited.
12. In citing materials from manuscript collections and the University Archives, the form should be the following: Identification of the item, folder and box number, and title of the collection, Special Collections, Clemson University Libraries, Clemson, South Carolina.
13. The University Libraries reserves the right to refuse the use or duplication of any material. Also, it may at any time prohibit the further use of a collection by a research for failure to comply with the above stated rules.

Revised 10/23/2006