Texas Administrative Code › Title 13 - CULTURAL RESOURCES › Part 1 - TEXAS STATE LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES COMMISSION › Chapter 7 - LOCAL RECORDS › Subchapter A - REGIONAL HISTORICAL RESOURCE DEPOSITORIES AND REGIONAL RESEARCH CENTERS › Section 7.3 - Minimum Requirements for Depositories

Current through Reg. 49, No. 28; July 12, 2024
(a)
				  The depository must maintain regular hours of operation and be open to the
				  public and staffed at least 40 hours per week.
(b) The depository must provide a fire
				  resistive stack area with installed metal shelving designed for record storage
				  containers and an area suitable for processing records, heat, air conditioning,
				  janitorial and maintenance service, and professional supervision for the
				  storage, protection, and reference service of historical resources placed in
				  the depository. The shelving area for historical resources shall be
				  sufficiently separated, either physically or by clearly marked shelf labeling,
				  from that used for the depository's own materials, to avoid accidental
				  interfiling. Stack and processing areas must be closed to the public at all
				  times and locked after operating hours.
(c) The depository must provide at least one
				  staff member to assist patrons in the use of historical resources and to handle
				  loan requests for historical resources; however, the staff member may provide
				  such assistance in addition to other regular duties. The depository must
				  provide depository materials to researchers and must monitor their use so as to
				  avert destructive handling or theft, but is not required nor expected to
				  perform research for patrons.
(d)
				  The depository must provide suitable research space, tables, and chairs for
				  depository patrons and provide other facilities and equipment, such as
				  microfilm readers, necessary to use and copy historical resources.
(e) The depository must enforce commission
				  policies concerning researchers' access to and proper handling of historical
				  resources.
(f) Regardless of
				  whether the depository is publicly or privately funded, it must make historical
				  resources equally available to all persons 15 years of age or older who request
				  them or to a person aged 12 to 15 who is accompanied by an adult. However, this
				  requirement shall not prevent a depository from denying access to any person
				  whose actions endanger the records or who causes a public danger or
				  disturbance. One adult per juvenile researcher is required, and that person
				  will be held responsible for the child's handling of depository materials.
				  Persons under 12 may not use depository materials.
(g) The depository must make historical
				  resources available to researchers free of charge, but a charge may be made for
				  photocopies of historical resources made on depository equipment, or to
				  reimburse the depository for postage or other direct costs incurred in
				  assisting a person, unless prohibited by law.
(h) The depository staff must not make any
				  inquiry of any person who applies for inspection or copying of historical
				  resources beyond the purpose of establishing proper identification and the
				  records being requested, and must otherwise comply with state statutes
				  governing access to public information.
(i) If the commission deems it necessary or
				  advisable to assure proper care and availability of historical resources, it
				  may establish additional requirements for specific institutions prior to
				  signing agreements designating them as regional depositories.