Category: Policies and Forms

Visiting the Archives

All patrons must complete a research agreement form. This form includes a list of policies for using the Special Collections and Archives. Patrons must read, and acknowledge the policies prior to using the materials. The form can be completed online by scheduling your appointment at http://bit.ly/ArchivesAppt or in person at the time of your appointment. Patrons must provide a valid picture ID at the time of their appointment.

Please make an appointment to come to the Special Collections at least one business day in advance.

Special Collections & Archives policies

Special Collections & Archives Forms

If you are interested in publishing materials in the UNG Special Collections & Archives, please read the following and submit a permission to publish form as well as a photocopy request form. Your request to publish will be reviewed. A decision usually takes approximately two weeks. You will receive two emails after completing the permission to publish form. The first will be a confirmation email with a copy of your request. The second will include the decision and next steps.

Policy:

1. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine the copyright status of materials in the Special Collections and Archives. Resources such as the WATCH File, and the U.S. Copyright Office may be helpful in making this determination. The library will share information it has about copyright holders.
2. Researchers do not need to obtain permission to use materials in the public domain.
3. Researchers should note that in some cases, Special Collections and Archives does not hold the copyright for material in its collections. In these cases, it cannot grant or deny permission to use them.
4. Researchers are responsible for contacting copyright holders to obtain permission for use.
5. Written permission must be obtained from the owners of the copy/literary rights and from the University of North Georgia for any publication or commercial use of reproductions. The permission granted by the University of North Georgia Special Collections and Archives to use reproductions of material held in the collection does not constitute and may not be substituted for permission from the owner of the copy/literary rights. The user is directly responsible for obtaining permission from the copy/literary rights holder.
6. The Special Collections and Archives can grant permission to use materials when the University of North Georgia is the copyright holder. In these cases, the researcher should complete Special Collections and Archives’ permission to publish form and contact Special Collections and Archives to learn about any use fees that may apply. It should be noted that when granting permission to publish, the Special Collections and Archives retains its own right to publish the material, and to grant permission to others to publish it.
7. Whether or not the University of North Georgia is the copyright holder, the library may charge a duplication fee to create scans or other copies of materials. This process is explained further in the Special Collections and Archives’ Copy Policy. The library also reserves the right to charge a publication fees. Examples of these fees are below.
   • For books and articles:
     • Students – $20
     • Non-profit/academic – $50
     • Commercial – $120
   • For multi-media productions and exhibitions:
     • Students – $30
     • Non-profit/academic – $75
     • Commercial – $150
8. Researchers should be aware that a “fair use” exception is contained in the federal copyright law which allows limited use of materials for non-commercial purposes, such as teaching, scholarship, research, criticism, commentary, and news reporting. Researchers are responsible for determining if their use falls under the “fair use” guidelines. The U.S. Copyright Office is a source for further information on this topic.
9. Researchers should further note that, apart from copyright, individuals possess privacy and publicity rights that are subject to state laws. In some cases therefore, researchers will need to secure the consent not only of copyright holders of materials, but also of third parties who may be represented in them. It is the responsibility of the researcher to address the issues of privacy and publicity in their use of materials.
10. Regardless of whether the Special Collections and Archives holds copyright, users should cite it as the owner of materials by Item, Collection title, Special Collections and Archives, Campus, University of North Georgia.

Food and drink, including candy and chewing gum, are not permitted in Special Collections areas.

Books, manuscripts, and archival documents are paged for readers and may be used only in the areas designated by the Special Collections staff.

All written notes are to be taken in pencil. Marking, erasing, or altering Special Collections materials is prohibited. Paper place holders/markers are available for patron use. Manuscripts and books may not be leaned on, written on, folded, traced over, or handled in any way that may damage them.

Always handle archival and library materials with clean, dry hands. Handle materials carefully and turn pages gently.

All materials must remain on the surface of the table. When appropriate, readers may be asked to place books and bound manuscripts on book rests or cradles, to use weights for holding books open, or to wear protective gloves. When in doubt about proper handling, please consult Special Collections staff.

Hand-held cameras may be used without a flash in the Special Collections and Archives to photograph documents as long as the materials being photographed are handled in accordance with our standard guidelines. The researcher is responsible for complying with copyright laws. No extra lighting or equipment is permitted in either area. Permission to photograph does not grant permission to publish.

A full list of policies is available on the Research Agreement Form.

Copies

The University of North Georgia Special Collections and Archives will consider requests for reproductions of specific items from its collections subject to limitations imposed by U.S. Copyright Law, donor restrictions, curatorial approval, conservation and security concerns, and available resources, as stipulated in the following policy.

1. The Copyright Act of 1976 (PL 94-553) provides statutory protection for all writings from the dates of their creation, whether or not they are formally copyrighted. Generally, the term of copyright is the life of the author plus 70 years. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission for the publication and commercial use of material not clearly in the public domain as penalties for violation of this statute are severe.
2. Reproductions of published material without the permission of the copyright holder are restricted by federal law to excerpts (not the whole) of books, articles, essays, etc., and to scholarly, noncommercial use only.
3. Written permission must be obtained from the owners of the copy/literary rights and from the University of North Georgia for any publication or commercial use of reproductions. The permission granted by the University of North Georgia Special Collections and Archives to use reproductions of material held in the collection does not constitute and may not be substituted for permission from the owner of the copy/literary rights, which it is the direct responsibility of the user to obtain.
4. Deposit of reproductions in another repository is prohibited.
5. Reproductions of extremely aged and fragile material will not be permitted. Reproductions will not be made from books, newspapers, and serials that can be found elsewhere in the library or from an online source.
6. A One-time Use Permission Form and fee will be issued for the commercial use of a reproduction for a single, specified project. Further use of a reproduction for another project/purpose requires a new application for permission and payment of additional fees. A printed notice or complimentary copy of the exhibition, publication, film/television media in which the reproduction(s) will appear must be sent to Special Collections and Archives.

When requesting copies please note that:

1. The researcher must complete and submit a photocopy request form. The link to the electronic version of the form is below. A paper copy of the form can also be requested at the time of your appointment. The form must include information about the items you wish to have copied.
2. PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE ORIGINAL MATERIAL FROM FOLDERS. Use paper markers (provided by staff) to tag the selected items. Use one marker per item. Identify the item and indicate collection name, box/folder numbers and number of pages on the Reproductions Request and Agreement Form and place the marker in front of the item so that the marker is visible when the folder is replaced in the box. Folders and contents should not be left standing upright in the box. Box covers/lids should be replaced securely on all boxes. Be sure to indicate to staff which boxes contain reproduction orders and which boxes can be reshelved.
3. Page limitations on Special Collections and Archives materials will be determined for each order by the staff.

Photography in Special Collections & Archives

On-site researchers may request permission from the Special Collections and Archives to make a limited number of their own photographs using personal cameras or devices. Number of original pages permitted for reproduction will depend on the physical condition of the items and any additional restrictions imposed by the Special Collections and Digital Initiatives Librarian. Each image must show the Special Collections and Archives target, which will be provided by staff or can be printed from the document below. Further setup instructions may be issued by Special Collections staff. All flash and sound features on equipment must be deactivated.

If you are taking photographs of the items, please submit a completed copy of the Digital Photograph Agreement and include a list of items photographed (either by uploading a separate document, or using the provided space in the form).