Reading Room Guidelines

Reading Room Guidelines

Welcome to Archives & Special Collections! We value each visitor to the reading room as a collaborator in our research and learning environment, and we’re glad you’re here.

The guidelines below are designed to preserve our collections and ensure that your visit runs smoothly, so that you can focus on the research. While you are here, please ask us any questions you might have.

• We will provide a registration form for you to complete.
• Please provide photo identification.
• Food or drink are not allowed in the reading room.
• Leave bags and coats on the coat rack near the door or in the lockers outside the reading room.
• You may use your laptop and phone for research purposes and for taking non-flash photographs. To connect to the guest wi-fi, please see the NU-Guest Guidelines.
• Take phone calls outside of the reading room.
• Use only pencils. If you do not have a pencil, we will provide one.
• To help preserve materials, we will assign seating.
• Use one folder from a box at a time and do not move items within each folder and box.
• Be careful not to let laptops, notebooks, or other objects rest on top of books, manuscripts, or archival materials.
• Do not attach items to or mark the materials. We provide paper slips to flag a page in a book or a document in a folder.
• We will provide you with paper slips to mark items you would like to have scanned.
• We provide gloves for handling photographs and other items as necessary.
• Archive staff reserve the right to examine the researcher's bags, notebooks, or any other personal property before they leave the reading room.
• Visitors to Archives & Special Collections also agree to adhere to the UNL Libraries Standards of Conduct.

If you need accommodations, please ask. We are happy to help!