{"id":7578,"date":"2022-03-03T15:12:02","date_gmt":"2022-03-03T20:12:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/librariesdev.mercer.edu\/?page_id=7578"},"modified":"2025-09-23T09:16:53","modified_gmt":"2025-09-23T13:16:53","slug":"archives-material-policy","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/libraries.mercer.edu\/index.php\/university-libraries\/mercer-university-libraries-policies\/archives-material-policy\/","title":{"rendered":"Use of Materials from the Archives Policy"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"7578\" class=\"elementor elementor-7578\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6e055533 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6e055533\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-25a1e38b\" data-id=\"25a1e38b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-592c26f5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"592c26f5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-73227366 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"73227366\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Use of Materials from the Archives Policy<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-594b45b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"594b45b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Thank you for your interest in our collections!\u00a0 To safeguard unique and valuable archival and manuscript material, researchers must observe the following policies:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6858c25 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"6858c25\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Appointments<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-779abd7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"779abd7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Patrons are required to make an appointment to conduct research; they can do so in one of three ways:<\/p><ul><li>by using the online <a href=\"https:\/\/mercer.libwizard.com\/f\/SCAAppointmentForm\">appointment form<\/a><\/li><li>by emailing us at <a href=\"mailto:archives@mercer.edu\">archives@mercer.edu<\/a><\/li><li>by telephone at <a href=\"tel:4783012968\">(478) 301-2968<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8b13903 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"8b13903\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Materials Brought to the Reading Room<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0c89b21 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0c89b21\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Users may bring only those materials needed for research into the reading room.\u00a0 The library reserves the right to inspect briefcases, notebooks, and other personal property before the researcher leaves the unit.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-558f6bf elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"558f6bf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Closed Stacks<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7f736b0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7f736b0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>All archival materials are housed in closed stacks. Researchers must request materials through department staff and conduct their research in Special Collections. Materials will be inspected before they are re-shelved.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c705e65 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"c705e65\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Handling of Materials<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bd39828 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"bd39828\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The researcher accepts responsibility for handling all materials carefully. No pens may be used; only pencils are allowed in the reading room.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-282fd6b elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"282fd6b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">For the Protection of Our Materials, Please:<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ccb557b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ccb557b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul><li>refrain from marking on materials or erasing existing marks<\/li><li>take notes only in pencil (no fountain pens, felt-tipped pens, or similar writing instruments are permitted)<\/li><li>avoid taking notes on top of archival materials<\/li><li>refrain from folding, tearing, or cutting documents<\/li><li>refrain from making tracings or rubbings<\/li><li>avoid resting books or other objects on archival items<\/li><li>handle materials carefully, using the edges of the paper when possible<\/li><li>refrain from using paper clips, staples, tape, &#8220;Post It&#8221; notes, or rubber bands on Special Collections materials<\/li><li>notify an archives employee if you find damaged material<\/li><\/ul><p>Mutilation, destruction, and theft of Special Collections materials will be prosecuted.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1165601 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1165601\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Maintaining Original Order<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0a7513d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0a7513d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>To safeguard the integrity of archival documents, original order must be maintained. To that end, please:<\/p><ul><li>use one folder from a box at a time<\/li><li>maintain the existing order of material within each folder and box. If you have doubt or questions about the order, please notify the Special Collections staff.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-faf1be3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"faf1be3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Equipment<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5322f35 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5322f35\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Portable computers, cell phones, and scanners as well as photographic, video, and audio equipment may be used with permission of the archivist. Users are responsible for the security of equipment and materials they bring to the unit.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7fb78be elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"7fb78be\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Reproduction<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f0cd4dc elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f0cd4dc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Material may be photocopied in accordance with the limits of the copyright act and the unit policies. The Special Collections staff may restrict some copying to protect fragile, damaged, or oversized materials.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0cfe690 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"0cfe690\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Restricted Materials<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-10efed0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"10efed0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Certain documents may be restricted by statute or the office of origin\/donor. The researcher must assume full responsibility for fulfilling the terms connected with the use of restricted material. For the protection of its holdings, Special Collections also reserves the right to restrict the use of \u201cunprocessed\u201d materials (those that are not yet arranged or housed in accordance with archival standards), materials of exceptional value, and fragile or damaged materials.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4c71a41 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"4c71a41\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Publication<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-319c576 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"319c576\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Permission from Special Collections must be obtained before any unpublished documents can be published. In giving permission to copy, quote from, or publish, Special Collections does not surrender its own right to publish such material or to grant permission to others to do so. The researcher assumes full responsibility for use of material and for conformity to the laws of defamation, privacy, and copyright and shall indemnify and hold harmless the university and the unit from claims arising as a result of use of the material so obtained. If the donor has retained literary rights, the researcher must obtain the donor\u2019s permission before publication.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-60bd5b6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"60bd5b6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Citation<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7682db0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7682db0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>If permission to publish is granted, location of the material must be indicated in the work. In citing materials from manuscript collections located in this department, the form should be as follows:<\/p><p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">[Identification of the item and the title of the collection], Special Collections, Mercer University Jack Tarver Library, Macon, Georgia.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d6e7a7a elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"d6e7a7a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Prohibited Activities<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1b0cdf57 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1b0cdf57\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div><article><p>Loud use of cell phones; smoking, eating, and drinking are not permitted in Special Collections under any circumstances.<\/p><\/article><\/div><footer><\/footer>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-40420164 elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"40420164\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-xs\" href=\"https:\/\/libraries.mercer.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Use_of_Materials_from_the_Archives_Policy.pdf\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"far fa-file-pdf\"><\/i>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">View as a PDF<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4293ef8b elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"4293ef8b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Use of Materials from the Archives Policy Thank you for your interest in our collections!\u00a0 To safeguard unique and valuable archival and manuscript material, researchers must observe the following policies: Appointments Patrons are required to make an appointment to conduct research; they can do so in one of three ways: by using the online appointment [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":737,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"page-builder","ast-site-content-layout":"full-width-container","site-content-style":"unboxed","site-sidebar-style":"unboxed","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"default","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Christian Pham","author_link":"https:\/\/libraries.mercer.edu\/index.php\/author\/cspham\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Use of Materials from the Archives Policy Thank you for your interest in our collections!\u00a0 To safeguard unique and valuable archival and manuscript material, researchers must observe the following policies: Appointments Patrons are required to make an appointment to conduct research; they can do so in one of three ways: by using the online appointment&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/libraries.mercer.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7578"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/libraries.mercer.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/libraries.mercer.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/libraries.mercer.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/libraries.mercer.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7578"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/libraries.mercer.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7578\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12695,"href":"https:\/\/libraries.mercer.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7578\/revisions\/12695"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/libraries.mercer.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/737"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/libraries.mercer.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7578"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}