Texas Collection Visitor Information

A small portion of select volumes may be checked out to patrons with an active Baylor ID.

If visitors bring their own laptops or mobile devices, Baylor's sponsored guest Wi-Fi is available. Review our Guest Wi-Fi guide for setup information.

The Texas Collection encourages patrons to make their own scans of materials, but in the event that patrons require a hard copy, staff can make photoduplications in accordance with the "Conditions of Service" below. Public photocopiers are not available in The Texas Collection.

Baylor University complies with the Copyright Act of 1976 (U.S.C. Title 17). For individuals engaged in scholarly research as provided under Sections §107 and §108, The Texas Collection will copy the following:

1. A chapter from a book,
2. An article from a periodical or newspaper,
3. A short story, short essay, or short poem (i.e., less than 2,500 words), whether or not it is from a collective work,
4. A chart, graph, diagram, drawing, cartoon, or picture from a book, periodical, or newspaper,
5. Certain percentages of such other types of materials such as oral history memoirs, manuscripts, or other unpublished items.

Request Copies

Your signature on the Photoduplication Form when ordering copies indicates your agreement to the following Photoduplication Conditions of Service. If you know what you would like photocopied or scanned, please print and review the request form. Before sending the form, please contact the staff to assure that the item being requested is in fair enough condition to be copied.

Conditions of Service

Special Note: Use and copying of certain materials may be restricted due to the fragile nature of some materials, special formats, or proprietary rights.

1. Prior permission must be obtained before making any copies of Texas Collection materials. Copying includes use of Texas Collection scanning equipment, cameras, cell-phone cameras, photocopiers, and other image producing equipment.

2. The person obtaining copies and signing below (the "User") agrees to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Texas Collection, as well as Baylor University, its reagents, officers, employees, and agents against any claims, demands, costs, and expenses resulting from User's actual or alleged copyright infringement or any other legal or regulatory cause of action or claim arising for the copying use of the Texas Collection material.

3. The Texas Collection does not necessarily hold the copyrights, privacy permissions, releases, or public rights to the photographs and other materials in our collection. It is the User's obligation to determine copyright status and holders, meet the holders' requirements, and honor restrictions.

4. Unless the Texas Collection is the Copyright holder, or the User has permission of the copyright holder, or can show that the material is in the public domain, or can show that an entire copy cannot be obtained at a fair price, only excerpts of material may be copied; that is, User may obtain copies of one article or other contribution to a copyrighted collection or periodical issue or copy a small pert of any other copyrighted work.

5. Copies will not be made of pictorial or graphic works unless the Texas Collection is the copyright holder, or the User has permission of the copyright holder, or the User can show that the material is in the public domain, unless the pictorial or graphic works are published as illustrations, diagrams, or similar adjuncts to works of which copies are reproduced in some accordance with number 4 above.

6. Items to be copied must be listed on the Photoduplication Form.

7. The Texas Collection does not sell reproductions. The fee paid by Users for copies is to reimburse the Texas Collection for services and expenses incurred in making copies. Reproductions are made only for purposes of private study, scholarship, or research in lieu of a loan of the materials.

8. By coping materials, the User does not receive permission to publish manuscript and photographic materials in whole or in part. For materials in which the Texas Collection is the copyright owner, such permission must be obtained in writing from the Texas Collection prior to publication. The Texas Collection does no thereby give up its own right to publish or its right to permit others to publish the materials. Proper credit shall be given in citations and shall read: The Texas Collection, Baylor University; and if the materials are a significant resource for the publication, the Texas Collection requests a copy of the published work. For materials in which another party is the copyright owner, User must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

9. Reproductions are the property of the User and may not be sold, loaned, or in way transferred to any person, entity, organization, or library without permission of the Texas Collection, and additional copies may not be made.

Arrival and Registration

Please check in at the circulation desk when you enter. You will need to complete a registration form with the reading room monitor and present some form of photo identification (student ID, driver's license or passport). Backpacks, book bags, briefcases, coats, purses, computer cases, notebooks, and umbrellas are not permitted in the reading room. Pick up your locker key at the circulation desk and deposit those materials in a locker. When you enter the reading room take only a note pad, pencil, and a laptop. Cameras are permitted in the reading room but permission must be granted before use. Cell phones are permitted but they must be set on silent. You will be asked to leave the reading room if you accept or make a call.

Check in with the Reading Room Monitor

The reading room is supervised by a monitor. All materials must be used in the supervised reading room. The monitor is present to assist you with your research and to safeguard Texas Collection materials. The monitor will check with you periodically to ensure you have the materials you need for a successful and productive visit. At the end of your visit, the monitor will look over your materials and the Texas Collection materials to make certain all items have been returned to their original folders and boxes.

Where to Sit in the Reading Room

Please sit facing the room monitor when you use materials. The monitor can observe who is using archival materials, who is using library materials, and who is studying. The monitor is there to help you if you have questions, feel free to ask the monitor when you need assistance.

Careful Handling of Materials

Library and archival materials are fragile and require special care and handling. Please follow these guidelines for safeguarding our treasures:

• Ensure your hands are clean;
• Do not mark on materials or erase any marks;
• Take notes with a pencil and pad or a computer;
• Request gloves when handling photographs;
• Post-it-notes, paperclips, pencils or pens should not be used to hold a place;
• Do not set anything on materials or take notes on top of materials; and
• Keep all materials in the same folder and in the same order in which you found them.

Be careful when handling archival materials. If you find papers and other items in poor condition, please let the monitor know. Finally, a researcher may only have two boxes of archival materials or one box of photographs on your table at one time; please remove one folder at a time from a box. When finished with those boxes request a new set.

No Food & Drink

No tobacco products, food or drinks are permitted in the reading room. These items can damage materials. If you have any of these items, please deposit them in your locker.

Copies of Materials

A KIC scanner and flatbed scanners are available for use to copy materials. Please bring along a flash drive to digitally store your documents. Photocopies of documents are available but at a fee. The Texas Collection strongly encourages researchers to make a digital copy rather than a photocopy. In either case, a Request Form for Copying Materials needs to be completed. You need to list every scan, copy, or photograph made. If you intend to publish using Texas Collection materials, you must request a Permission to Publish Form. Only 40% of any collection may be copied.

Copyright and Restriction

Some archival materials may be restricted. These restrictions apply when a donor requests some items be closed for a certain period of time, or for other reasons such as privacy or fragility of materials. If there are restrictions of materials for any reason, The Texas Collection will honor those restrictions. If the Texas Collection does not own the copyright to the materials you will have to request permission from the owner of the materials to use them in any published form. The Texas Collection is not responsible for any libel laws, copyright infringement or any other laws that apply to the materials you use.

Citing Materials

For Manuscript Collections:
Pat Neff Collection, Accession #0463, Box #, Folder#, The Texas Collection, Baylor University

For Vertical Files:
Name or title of item with author and date if known followed by name of vertical file. The Texas Collection, Baylor University
 

For Maps:
Title and date of map. Map folder #___, The Texas Collection, Baylor University

Photoduplication Form

Researchers should complete and submit the Photoduplication Form when requesting scans or hard copies of materials.

Registration Form

Researchers should use OneSearch to locate and indicate which archival materials they wish to research. Complete the registration form to reserve print materials, ask questions, and/or make appointments. Appointments for research are highly recommended.  The Texas Collection Reading Room hosts Baylor classes, special presentations, and programming and may occasionally be closed to researchers. If researchers are unable to submit prior to visiting, they can fill out the form at The Texas Collection.

Reserve an Item

Researchers should use OneSearch to locate and indicate which library materials they wish to research by using our visit request form. 

KIC and flatbed scanners are available for use in the Ruth Shick Montgomery Media Resources Room at no cost. A USB drive is required to save scans. Any Texas Collection items copied must be recorded on the Photoduplication Form and submitted to the reading room monitor.

The Texas Collection is located in Carroll Library at 5th and Speight streets.

There is an accessible entrance through a non-automatic door on the Speight Street side.

Visitor Parking

Frequent Visitors (More than one visit in 30 days)

If you will be visiting the campus on several occasions, please set up a visitor's parking account and register your vehicle. You may register online at Baylor Parking & Transportation.

Infrequent Visitors (One visit in 30 days)

If you visit campus on rare occasions, specifically defined as 1 visit in 30 days, you may park on campus without registration.

Please visit Baylor Parking & Transportation for more information about parking on campus.