Archives

Fillmore County Historical Society Research Archive Library Policy

         PLEASE NOTE:  This policy refers to CLOSED stacks of our archives.  The genealogy library with OPEN stacks operates on a separate policy.  Please see GENEALOGY page.            

MISSION

The mission of the Research Archive Library of the Fillmore County History Center is to collect, organize, and preserve materials pertaining to the social, economic, cultural, and natural history of Fillmore County.  Materials in the Research Archive Library are owned and regulated by the Fillmore County Historical Society which makes reasonable effort to allow its holdings to be accessible to scholars, journalists, researchers, and authors for personal research purposes.

GENERAL RESEARCH POLICY

The research archives are closed stacks and accessed in-house only.  History Center staff assists patrons who request access to library materials for personal research purposes.  Materials may not leave the room.  Library patrons will please sign in at the genealogy library guest register.  Patrons will acknowledge by their signature that they have read use policy and agree to abide by it.  Patrons will abide by standard archival policies including submitting information on the purpose of their research.

APPOINTMENTS

Patrons are requested to make an appointment with staff to view materials.  Because the nature of historical research is detailed and often complicated, remote research requests will be directed to staff for approval or recommendation.

ADMISSION AND COPY FEES

Patrons of the Research Archive Library are charged standard entrance fee.  Admission charge and copy fees may be waived for professional journalists researching a current news story.

Library Entrance Fee:

Up to 1 half-day self-service research:  $5 per person plus photocopy fees

Full 1 day self-service research:  $10 per person plus photocopy fees

Copy Fees:

$0.50 per 8 ½” X 11” page off photocopy machine

$1.00 per 8 ½” X 14” and 11” X 17” page off photocopy machine

$1.00 per page off microform machines

Digital copies of certain materials may be available at additional charge. PayPal payment option.

A $30 Return Check Fee may be assessed in the event of a returned check payment.  NOTE: Once a return check has been received; all future payments will be required to be paid with cash or certified funds.

LIBRARY POLICY 

No personal digital devices of any kind are allowed in the library, including cell phones.  No food or drink is allowed in the library. In order to protect the physical integrity of the archives collection, researchers will be permitted to examine materials only under the supervision of staff.  Note taking with pencil is accepted standard of practice.   Absolutely no marks may be made on archives materials.  Researchers will handle materials gently to avoid damage and excessive wear and tear. Patrons may be provided with cotton gloves when handling certain items.

Patrons are responsible for adhering to copyright restrictions and abiding by acceptable use policy.  The library is secure and under surveillance by staff to ensure the safety of materials during research. All materials will be retrieved for patrons and re-shelved by staff. 

REPRODUCTION

Photocopy requests are subject to staff approval and granted depending on physical state of materials, purpose of reproduction, and any prescribed restrictions to use.  To protect any copyright that may reside with archives materials, staff will consider requests for a limited and prescribed amount of photocopying and/or scanning of approved materials.  In cases where the donor of origin has imposed restrictions, the researcher will be informed of the terms.  Staff will perform all copying and scanning of archival materials.

COPYRIGHT AND FAIR USE

The Fillmore County Historical Society is committed to the provisions of the United States Copyright Law (Title 17, United States Code).  Patrons who wish to reproduce copyright-protected works assume all liability for their actions.  In determining whether use made of a work is a fair use, factors to be considered shall include:

1.  purpose and character of use, including whether such use is commercial in nature or is for non-profit educational purposes

2.  nature of copyrighted work

3.  amount of portion used in relation to copyrighted work as a whole

4.  effect of use upon potential market for or value of copyrighted work

The Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproduction of copyrighted material.  Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction.  One of these specified conditions is that the reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.”  If a researcher makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that researcher may be liable for copyright infringement.  The researcher agrees to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Fillmore County Historical Society against all claims, demands, costs and expenses incurred by copyright infringement or any other legal or regulatory cause of action arising from the use of the research archives library.

This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying request if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.  Photocopies and scans from the archives collection may not be reproduced (to include electronic reproduction) and/or distributed without the specific authorization of the Fillmore County Historical Society.

CITATION

Any approved publication or public use of materials reproduced from the research archives library must be credited as follows:

Fillmore County Historical Society

This credit line must be included for each reproduction.  The Fillmore County Historical Society shall receive a free copy of each publication.

NOTICE

All materials are valuable to current as well as future researchers. Violation of the terms of this policy may result in forfeiture of the privilege to access and use materials in the research archives library collection.