Using The Archives
The Archives staff is pleased to assist all researchers in using the materials in our collection. However, we have only a small staff to serve the College, as well as the community at large. In addition to serving the College and local communities, the Archives routinely handles requests from researchers statewide and across the country. For this reason we request that persons interested in doing research with us make an appointment with a staff member to arrange a time to use the materials.
Archives staff is able to conduct limited research for patrons. Due to the limitations mentioned above, staff will spend no more than one hour on any research request. However, Archives staff members may conduct more extensive research for patrons for a fee. Rates for such research are as follows: ten ($10.00) dollars per hour, with a required minimum of five hours ($50.00). Staff members conducting such research will maintain an activity log of their time. Patrons will be reimbursed the balance of this fee for requests that are handled in less than five hours. Photocopying costs, if applicable and as circumstances dictate, will be deducted from the initial fee.
The Archives staff is under no obligation to conduct such research as mentioned above. Agreement to do so is wholly at the discretion of the staff.
Please note: this policy does not apply to requests made by Centenary College staff, or representatives of the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church.
Statement of Policies Governing the Archives
In order to effectively preserve and maintain its archival holdings, and for purposes of security, the Centenary Archives maintains a closed-stacks policy. Only staff members are permitted in the stacks area.
Materials in the Archives may be used only when a member of the staff is present. Researchers wishing to use the manuscript collections should consult the "Statement of Policies Governing the Use of Manuscripts and Archival Materials in the Archives."
Researchers must register once each day by signing the guest register at the Magale Library Circulation Desk.
Research must be conducted in a designated location on the first floor of Magale Library.
Materials in the Archives are of a rare and unique nature. These materials do not circulate. If a researcher needs to have something photocopied, he should consult the staff member in charge who will provide him with a copy of the photoduplication policy. (Please see "Photoduplication Policy" section below.)
All briefcases, notebooks, and other personal belongings will be subject to inspection on leaving.
Statement of Policies Governing the Use of Manuscripts and Archival Materials in the Centenary Archives:
Permission to Examine. Although the Archives may be opened by any member of the staff, manuscripts and archival materials are not to be used without the permission of the archivist. Permission to examine such materials will be granted to researchers subject to whatever restrictions may have been placed on them by their donors or depositors. In certain cases researchers may be required to use microfilm or printed copies of the materials when such copies are available.
Protection of Manuscripts. A researcher is responsible for the safeguarding of any materials made available to him. He may not remove them from the premises for any purpose or rearrange the order in which they are delivered to him. The use of any kind of pen is prohibited. Manuscripts may not be leaned on, written on, folded anew, traced, fastened with rubber bands, or handled in any way likely to damage them.
Permission to Publish. Permission to examine manuscripts or archives is not an authorization to publish them. If permission to publish is granted, the location of the cited materials shall be indicated in the published work. A free copy of all publications which rely on the Archives’s manuscript holdings should be presented to the Archives as soon as the work is published.
Copyright. Although the Archives possesses the physical property rights through its ownership of unpublished materials, literary property rights normally rest with an author or his heirs. If a researcher is granted rights to publish manuscript material held by the Centenary Archives, the Archives does not surrender its own right thereafter to publish the manuscript, nor does the Archives assume any responsibility for infringement of copyright or publication rights in the manuscript held by others.
Exclusive Rights. Exclusive rights to examine or publish manuscripts will not ordinarily be granted, although in exceptional circumstances such rights may be granted for a limited period of time.
Photoduplication Policy.
The Centenary College Archives will have reproductions of rare books and manuscripts in its collections made for patrons under the following conditions:
Reproductions are limited to such material in the collections as the staff member in charge considers suitable for duplication. The Archives reserves the right to decline to make reproductions of any particular item, especially when such reproductions cannot be done without injury to the material. A curatorial fee of ten dollars ($10.00) an hour will be charged in addition to copy cost.
Photocopies will be made at a cost of ten cents per page. Microfilm copies will be made at a cost of twenty cents per page. Researchers requesting copies by mail will be charged a two dollar ($2.00) minimum in order to cover the costs of postage and handling.
Archives staff may also provide scanned images at its discretion, and as circumstances permit. The cost of scanning varies, depending upon specifications. Therefore, the Archives cannot provide a predetermined fee for this service. Researchers are not permitted to use the scanning equipment.
The Archives reserves the right to require payment in advance for all photoduplication services.
The Archives does not sell reproductions, but provides the service of copying for the personal use of the applicant, and the fee paid is exclusively for such service. Reproductions are made solely for the purpose of study and research. Only a single copy will be made.
Manuscripts thus reproduced must not be used for publication without prior consultation with the archivist. The researcher assumes all responsibility for any infringement of copyright and exempts Centenary College, the Archives, and staff from all liability.
