Reference Policy

Purpose:

The purpose of this policy is to establish a set of common guidelines for providing
reference services in Archives & Special Collections.

Mission:

The missions of Archives include the following:

• The identification, acquisition, and preservation of materials relating to the history of Youngstown State University.

• The maintenance of collections dealing specifically with Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley.

• The identification, acquisition, and preservation of rare books as well as other special publications.

• Providing access to the materials described above.

Hours:

Archives & Special Collections is open Monday through Friday, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00
p.m. Access can be arranged at other times by appointment only.

Registration:

All patrons are required to complete and sign the Archives & Special Collections
Registration Form before access to material can be provided. A valid form of
personal photo identification (YSU ID card, a driver’s license issued by Ohio or
another state, etc.) will be provided upon request.

Patrons must register each time they visit Archives & Special Collections.

Regulations:

Patrons are required to observe the following regulations:

• Coats, briefcases, parcels, and personal books are not permitted in the Reading Room. These must be deposited within the lockers provided in the stairway immediately adjacent to the Archives & Special Collections exhibit area.

• No ink of any kind may be used in the Reading Room; Pencils only (mechanical or traditional wooden) are authorized. Computers may be brought into the Reading Room and used at the discretion of the University Archivist.

• Smoking, eating, and drinking are prohibited in the Reading Room.

• All archival materials must be handled carefully; only one folder at a time should be used and all papers therein kept in existing order. Books or volumes must not be placed face downward. Archival items are not to be leaned on or pressed and no tracing of maps or other records is permitted.

• No archival material may be removed from the Reading Room.

• Persons requesting access to restricted materials must contact the person or office imposing the restriction(s). Access cannot be permitted to these materials without written authority.

• It is the responsibility of the researcher, not Archives & Special Collections, to obtain copyright clearance to publish or otherwise reproduce or distribute archival material. Whenever possible, the University Archivist will provide the names and addresses of copyright holders.

• Published materials derived from Archives & Special Collections should be credited as originating from Archives & Special Collections.