Availability of Materials for Public Use

Standard hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Saturdays 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Hours may vary during summer, intersession, and holidays. On home football game Saturdays the reading room is open until kickoff time. For questions regarding our hours, contact the reception desk at (405)325-3641, or view the online hours.

Researchers are encouraged to contact the Western History Collections prior to an onsite visit to determine the availability and volume of desired materials. The Western History Collections does not allow materials to be circulated from the reading room.

Application Procedures

Applicants who apply in person to the Reading Room shall complete and sign a Researcher Registration Form each day the materials are used. Researchers who apply to use Western History Collections materials shall furnish acceptable photo identification upon request.

Research Policy

The Western History Collections staff makes every effort to assist researchers, but extensive research projects cannot be undertaken. Staff members do not interpret information contained in the materials. Requests for information by telephone or mail are handled as time and circumstance permit.

Information about Materials

A list of published guides to the Western History Collections is available online.

Photocopy Services

The Western History Collections normally furnishes information contained in materials in the form of photocopies. The standard on-site photocopy charge for books, journals and manuscripts is 25 cents per page, to be paid at the time of copy. Additional fees may apply for large orders, rush orders, and orders that require special prep work. Photocopies by mail are provided according to a separate fee schedule. For details, please see the Photocopy Policy.

Photographs, maps, and sound recordings have different copy charges, dependent upon the size and format requested.

The Curator may limit any photocopy activity if the duplication process endangers the physical preservation of the materials of if the request will interfere with the staff's ability to serve other researchers.

Reading Room Use

Access
Use of certain published materials and manuscripts is restricted by law, by reason of their origin, or by donor agreement. For the protection of its holdings, the Western History Collections also reserves the right to restrict the use of unprocessed materials, or books and documents of exceptional value and fragility. Use of any material is subject to the approval of the Curator.

Copyright
Published and unpublished materials may be protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S. Code). Any copies of published and unpublished materials provided by the Western History Collections are for research, scholarship, and study purposes only, and are not to be placed on file in any other repository.

Use of certain published materials and manuscripts is restricted by law, by reason of their origin, or by donor agreement. For the protection of its holdings, the Western History Collections also reserves the right to restrict the use of unprocessed materials, or books and documents of exceptional value and fragility. Use of any material is subject to the approval of the Curator.Published and unpublished materials may be protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S. Code). Any copies of published and unpublished materials provided by the Western History Collections are for research, scholarship, and study purposes only, and are not to be placed on file in any other repository.

Researchers' Responsibility for Materials

Researchers acknowledge the receipt of all materials used by their signature on the Researcher Registration Form. The Curator will limit the quantity of manuscript materials made available in the reading room to four document cases at a time, with one document case on a desk at a time, and only one folder is to be removed from a document case at a time. Requests for boxes to be pulled must be submitted 45 minutes prior to closing time. Researchers are responsible for all materials delivered to them until they are returned to a staff member at the reference desk.

Researchers shall keep unbound materials in the order in which they are delivered and filed. Researchers shall not rearrange materials appearing to be disordered, but shall notify the Curator about the condition.

Researchers shall exercise all possible care to prevent damage to materials. Researchers may use pencils in the Reading Room. The use of fountain pens, ball point pens, highlighters, or "rubber fingers" is not permitted. Materials shall not be written on, leaned on, folded anew, traced, fastened with rubber bands or metal paper clips, or handled in any other way likely to cause damage. Adhesive notes may not be attached to original materials. Researchers shall immediately notify a staff member should damage of any kind occur to any materials. Under no circumstances shall a researcher attempt to repair damage. The use of materials of exceptional value or in fragile condition may be subject to additional conditions the Curator may specify.

The Western History Collections will not provide original materials for research use if a microfilm copy of the materials is available.

Digital Access
The Western History Collections will not provide original materials for research if digital access is available.

Removal of Materials
Researchers shall not remove materials from the reading room. Briefcases, books, backpacks, wraps, and other personal articles must be left in an area designated by the Curator. Researchers shall, on request, present for inspection on leaving the reading room, any package, envelope, or other article which could contain materials furnished for researcher use.

Researchers shall request sound recordings from a staff member who will instruct the researcher in the proper use of the equipment. Researchers shall operate equipment in a manner which will prevent damage to either the equipment or the material. The Curator may place time limitations on the use of sound recording equipment in order to permit other researchers access to the machines.

Only Western History Collections staff may duplicate materials. Personal copying and recording equipment is not permitted in the Western History Collections. This includes, but is not limited to cameras, scanners, video recorders and sound recorders. Researchers who wish to use personal laptop computers shall work in areas designated by the Curator.

Researchers are not allowed to eat, drink, or smoke in the reading room. Loud talking or other activity which may disturb other researchers is also prohibited.

Researchers cannot bring animals into the reading room. Guide dogs for visually impaired persons are exempted from this regulation.

Visitors may not take photographs in any area of the Western History Collections.

All stacks are closed. Research materials will be retrieved from and returned to closed areas by staff members. Researchers shall not enter the stack areas.

For citations in published or unpublished papers, this repository should be listed as the Western History Collections, University of Oklahoma Libraries, Norman, Oklahoma.

Example: Melven Cornish Collection, Box 5, Folder 2. Western History Collections, University of Oklahoma Libraries, Norman, Oklahoma.