1. Researchers must complete and sign an Application for Archives Use once a year, provide required identification, and agree to the regulations for use of archival material by signing and dating the application.On subsequent visits, all patrons must show picture I.D. and sign the researcher register.

2. Minors will be permitted to use the archives on a case-by-case basis and will need to be accompanied by an adult on their first visit. The adult must fill out the Application for Archives Use for the minor.

3. Permission to use materials may be limited by certain conditions:

• Restrictions imposed by donor.
  
• Protection of personal privacy.
  
• Fragile or poor condition of items.
  
• Degree to which collection is processed.

4. Researchers must leave all personal property, including briefcases, backpacks, computer cases, books, coats, hats, bags, and purses, behind the front desk.

5. Pencils must be used in the research area. Pens of any kind are prohibited. Laptops, typewriters, and recording devices are allowed as long as their use does not disturb other researchers or patrons.

6. Tobacco, food, chewing gum, and beverages are not permitted in the research area.

7. Most archival materials are housed in closed stacks. Library staff will retrieve them for researchers.

8. The researcher accepts responsibility for careful handling of materials:

• Materials should not be written on, leaned on, folded anew, traced, or handled in any way likely to result in damage.
• Loose sheets and volume pages should be handled gently by their edges.
• The existing order and arrangement of unbound materials must be preserved.
• Any disarrangement or missing items should be reported to a librarian immediately.
• Researchers will be limited to using one manuscript box at a time. Patrons must return each box to a librarian before additional boxes will be issued.
• Only one folder should be removed from a box at a time, and documents should be left inside folders as they are examined.
• Gloves will be issued to patrons handling photographs or other fragile materials.

9. All photocopying will be done by library staff and decisions about photocopying will be made on a case-by-case basis. Not all archival materials can be photocopied.

10. Researchers should be aware that the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S. Code) provides protection of unpublished materials as well as published works. Permission to publish from or quote from unpublished manuscripts or from published items under copyright must first be obtained from the copyright holder. The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming to the laws of copyright.

11. The library does not hold the copyright to all of the materials in its collections. It’s the researcher’s responsibility to secure those rights when needed.

12. In citing materials from archival and manuscript collections, the following form should be used: Identification of the item, title of the collection, Local History Archives, Salida Regional Library. For those materials that are housed in our archives for which we do not possess the copyright, additional citation will be necessary. Library staff will advise researchers in such cases.

13. The researcher’s signature on the Application for Archives Use verifies that he or she understands and agrees to the above regulations.