Research Guides
This page contains the same policies that researchers agree to when creating their Special Collections Request System Account. Researchers with an active account can also access this by logging into the system, going to "My Account" and clicking on "Researcher Policies."
Welcome! We look forward to helping you access material at University of Washington Special Collections.
Our collections are rare, unique, and sometimes fragile. To keep them safe and secure, we ask that you abide by the policies found here and on our website. Future researchers thank you for your care!
You will be asked to check your coat and bags outside the Reading Room in our secure lockers.
The following items are welcome in the reading room:
The following items are not permitted in the Reading Room:
Materials from outside Special Collections must be flagged by staff before they are brought in, and are subject to inspection when you leave.
All materials must be handled with care!
Users are allowed to take photos with their own camera or cell phone in the reading room provided that the flash is turned off. We do not allow any extra equipment into the reading room (such as lights, camera stands, portable scanners, document cameras etc.) without special permission from both the Public Service Librarian and the relevant Curator.
There is a low resolution scanner available for use in the reading room. The scanner is available on a first come, first serve basis. Users without a UW NetID should bring a USB drive if they wish to use the scanner.
Some material may not be able to be reproduced for a variety of reasons, such as the condition of the material, legal restrictions, or donor restrictions.
Self-service reproductions are subject to copyright. Copyright law (Title 17, United States Code states that users may make reproductions of copyrighted material, provided the reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research." If a reproduction is used in excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement.
Users may order reproductions for research and publication purposes for a fee. UW Special Collections complies with laws regarding copyright and fair use when filling reproduction requests.
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions 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 photocopy or reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction in excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.
There are some materials in Special Collections that are restricted for a variety of reasons. The University of Washington is a public entity and is bound by Federal and State privacy laws, such as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and Public Records disclosure laws. We are also bound by the terms of our donation agreements with the individuals who have donated their collections to our care.
Please note that "restricted" does not inherently mean that a collection is closed. If you are interested in accessing a restricted collection, please contact us at speccoll@uw.edu to discuss the best way to go about this.
University of Washington Libraries Special Collections collects, preserves, and makes accessible archival and library materials. These materials may reflect outdated, biased, offensive, and possibly violent views, events, practices, and opinions. Though we do not endorse these viewpoints, we retain these materials unaltered in our collections to document their historical relevance and to fully represent materials in context, preserving our history..
If you encounter language that you find offensive or harmful, we welcome your feedback. We are committed to working with staff, communities, and peer institutions to assess and update descriptions that are harmful and to establish standards and policies to prevent future harmful language in staff-generated descriptions in catalog records, archival finding aids, and digital collections as appropriate and feasible.
To learn more about Special Collections' Anti-Racism work, see the Special Collections Anti-Racism Initiatives Library Guide.
Reviewed: February 2023
Information collected with the use of Special Collections Requesting System will be retained and is for internal use only. To learn more, see the UW Libraries Privacy Statement.
You may wish to read the Special Collections Request System FAQ. The FAQ may answer other questions you have about the Special Collections Request System.