Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 16 - History, Humanities and Arts › Part 2 - Archives and Records Services Division › Chapter 6 - Policy for Reading Room Access and Reference Services › Rule 16-2-6.1 - Access to Reading Rooms

Current through June 25, 2024
A. Access:
Researchers requiring special assistance should notify the
				  receptionist at the lobby registration desk. Every effort will be made to
				  accommodate special needs.
Anyone fifteen years of age or older must have a valid
				  Reading Room Identification Card, which is issued upon successful completion of
				  a card application form, and must register to gain access to the MDAH reading
				  rooms. Persons under the age of fifteen must be accompanied at all times by an
				  adult who is responsible for monitoring the behavior of the child.
Application for a Reading Room Identification Card is made
				  in person at the William F. Winter Archives and History Building.
One of the following forms of valid photographic
				  identification must be presented with the completed application: a state
				  driver's license; a state-issued identification card; a school identification
				  card; or a passport. In the absence of these, other valid photographic
				  identification may be considered; however, issuance of a Reading Room
				  Identification Card is not automatic.
Individuals who cannot present valid photographic
				  identification will not be issued a Reading Room Identification Card, and
				  consequently cannot enter the reading rooms. Application information, reading
				  room registration, and materials requested are confidential in so far as can be
				  supported by state law (§
										39-3-365,
				  MCA 1972).
Reading Room Identification Cards, issued free of charge,
				  are valid for four years from issuance date. There is a small fee to issue a
				  replacement for a lost, stolen, or damaged card.
Persons disruptive to the research of others will be asked
				  to leave.
B. Research
				Areas: There are three research areas: the Public Reading Room; the Media
				Reading Room; and the Archival Reading Room.
C. Hours of Operation:
Hours of operation are adopted by the MDAH Board of Trustees,
				  posted on the MDAH website, and are subject to change without notice. MDAH is
				  closed on state holidays. Other holidays may be observed at the discretion of
				  the Governor and/or the MDAH Director.
D. Limitations:
Materials allowed in the reading rooms are pencils, note
				  paper, note cards and tablets, index cards, notebooks, portable electronic
				  devices, sweaters, and shawls.
The following items are not allowed in the reading rooms:
				  outer coats, briefcases, purses, waist packs, backpacks, umbrellas, computer
				  cases, and envelopes. Also, personal books, papers, photographs or other media
				  which could be confused with materials in the MDAH holdings may not be brought
				  into the reading rooms. The use of pens and highlighters in the reading rooms
				  is not allowed, nor are pressure notecards, such as "post its."
Cameras or personal mobile devices such as cell phones and
				  tablets belonging to the public are allowed in the reading rooms.
Lockers are provided for storage of items not allowed in the
				  reading rooms. MDAH has no responsibility for any loss or damage to materials
				  stored in lockers.
No food, drink, or tobacco products are allowed. As a
				  courtesy to our researchers, a vending refreshment area is located off of the
				  lobby.
The use of cell phones for voice communication is restricted
				  to the lobby.
Upon staff request, researchers must allow staff to inspect
				  items upon entering and leaving the reading rooms.
E. Access to Records:
Any researcher possessing a valid Reading Room
				  Identification Card has access to materials available to the public.
Bibliographic access is provided through the online public
				  access catalog (OPAC). Physical access to records is provided in one of the
				  three reading rooms, depending upon the record format and the imposition of
				  security measures related to the record.
Material may not be written on, altered, folded, traced, or
				  handled in any way likely to damage it. It is unlawful for any person to
				  willfully mutilate library materials, punishable as a misdemeanor with a fine
				  not to exceed five hundred dollars or by imprisonment in the county jail not to
				  exceed six months, or by both (§
										39-3-309,
				  MCA 1972).
No material may be removed from the room where originally
				  issued. It is unlawful for any person to remove library materials, without
				  authorization, from the premises wherein such materials are maintained or to
				  retain possession of library materials without authorization (§
										39-3-303,
				  MCA 1972) and is punishable as a misdemeanor with a fine not to exceed five
				  hundred dollars or by imprisonment in the county jail not to exceed six months,
				  or by both (§
										39-3-309,
				  MCA 1972).
When finished with material, researchers should not
				  re-shelve or re-file, but return the material to designated areas in the
				  reading rooms.
Retrieval from the closed stacks ends thirty minutes prior
				  to the closing time.
All research materials must be returned no later than
				  fifteen minutes prior to closing time.
F. The Archival Reading Room:
Materials made available in the Archival Reading Room are
				  unique archival materials, published Mississippiana and other rare items. As a
				  result, additional security procedures govern access to these materials.
To enter the Archival Reading Room, the researcher must
				  present the Reading Room Identification Card to the staff member on duty at the
				  entrance. To receive the requested materials, the researcher presents the
				  Reading Room Identification Card at the reference desk. The researcher may
				  check out one container and must sign the call slip. When finished, the
				  researcher returns the container to the reference desk
To exit the Archival Reading Room the researcher must
				  present the Reading Room Identification Card to the staff member for
				  confirmation that all materials have been returned and checked in.
G. Copying:
The Reading Room Identification Card also serves as a debit
				  card for use in paying for photocopies, public orders and computer printouts.
MDAH is not responsible for any unused money remaining on a
				  Reading Room Identification Card or for a card that is damaged, lost or stolen.
Reading room staff does not make change or give refunds.
Duplication fees and charges are adopted by the MDAH Board
				  of Trustees, posted on the MDAH website, and are subject to change without
				  notice.
United States copyright law governs the duplication of
				  copyrighted material. The user accepts full responsibility for the duplicated
				  materials and agrees to indemnify MDAH, MDAH staff and the State of Mississippi
				  from any damages as a result of said duplicated materials being made available
				  to any persons, organizations or business without appropriate authorization of
				  MDAH and/or copyright holder(s).
Permission to further reproduce any MDAH material outside of
				  the fair use provisions of Title 17, U.S. Code, in accordance with the Bern
				  Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, should be
				  requested of the director of the Archives and Records Services Division prior
				  to duplication.
1. The Public Reading
				Room:
For material housed in, or delivered to, the Public Reading
				  Room: researchers may use cameras or personal mobile devices such as cell
				  phones and tablets to copy said material; or researchers may produce
				  self-service photocopies. The researcher is responsible for the operation of
				  the machine and the resulting quality of the copies. Other reproductions must
				  be requested using an MDAH order form.
2. The Media Reading Room:
Researchers may use cameras or personal mobile devices such
				  as cell phones and tablets to copy material in the Media Reading Room so long
				  as duplication is not prohibited by legal, preservation, copyright, donor or
				  other restrictions, permission and use policies are adhered to, and research
				  activity of other patrons is not disturbed. Researchers may produce selfservice
				  microform prints in the Media Reading Room. The researcher is responsible for
				  the operation of the machine and the resulting quality of the copies.
				  Photographic, electronic or other reproduction formats must be requested using
				  an MDAH order form.
3. The
				Archival Reading Room:
a. All
				photo-duplication of material used in the Archival Reading Room and requiring
				MDAH equipment is done by the reference staff, subject to legal, preservation,
				copyright, donor or other restrictions.
b. Researchers may not use cameras or personal mobile devices such
				as cell phones and tablets to copy material in, or delivered to, the Archival
				Reading Room so long as duplication is not prohibited by legal, preservation,
				copyright, donor or other restrictions, perm
c. Requests for some photocopies may be
				placed on an MDAH copy request form. Electronic scans or other copies must be
				requested using an MDAH order form.
d. United States copyright law governs the
				duplication of copyrighted material. If, in the judgment of MDAH, fulfillment
				of a duplication request would involve a violation of copyright law, MDAH will
				not accept the request.
e.
				Pre-payment of the cost of copying is required (§
											25-61-7(1),
				MCA 1972).
f. Same day completion
				of a request for plain paper copies submitted on a copy request form is
				dependent upon the size of the order, the fragility of the archival item(s),
				and/or the time of day the order is submitted. Copy requests held over may be
				picked up at the reference desk at a later date or may be mailed at the expense
				of the researcher. No completion date can be guaranteed.