Using Special Collections

Donating Items to the Library

Help Georgetown expand its Special Collections.

Contact Information: 

For additional information regarding gifts please contact David Marshall, Head of the Collection Development Department. Questions about gifts for the University Art Collection should be made to LuLen Walker, Curator.

Questions that are answered by this page: 

how do I donate to Special Collections?

Department(s) Responsible for Maintaining this Page: 
Collection Development
External Affairs and Communications
Special Collections
Date to Review this Page: 
Beginning Fall Semester

Search Strategies for Special Collections

An explanation of the search tools we have available for materials from the Special Collections Research Center's Manuscripts Collections, Rare Books, University Art Collection and University Archives

Location: 

Fifth floor of Lauinger Library

Contact Information: 

Phone: (202) 687-7444
Fax: (202) 687-7501

Hours: 

Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

Questions that are answered by this page: 

How should I search for something in Special Collections?

Department(s) Responsible for Maintaining this Page: 
Special Collections
Date to Review this Page: 
End of Summer Session

Contact Special Collections

Have questions about our Special Collections? We can help.

Use This Service: 

For general inquiries, please fill out and submit the Special Collections Electronic Request Form. Our knowledgeable staff will respond to your question as soon as possible. For more specific questions, please contact the appropriate person for your request from the list of staff contacts. To better assist you, please describe the nature of your inquiry, the intended use of the research material and a summary of your research project.

Location: 

Fifth floor of Lauinger Library

Contact Information: 

Phone: (202) 687-7444
Fax: (202) 687-7501

Hours: 

Monday–Friday 9 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

Questions that are answered by this page: 

How do I contact the Special Collections Research Center?

Department(s) Responsible for Maintaining this Page: 
Special Collections
Date to Review this Page: 
Beginning Fall Semester
Beginning of Spring Semester

Requesting Copies from Special Collections

How to get copies and photos of items in the Special Collections Research Center:

Use This Service: 
Location: 

Fifth floor of Lauinger Library

Contact Information: 

Phone: (202) 687-7444
Fax: (202) 687-7501

Hours: 

Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

Policy: 

Photcopies cost 25 cents per page for the first 100 pages and 50 cents per page for each page thereafter. Postage and handling costs are $2 for orders to be mailed within the US and $5 for international requests.

Please contact David Hagen for information about the cost of photographic copies and scans.

The following policies govern the making and use of copies and photographs from Georgetown University's Special Collections Research Center.

1. Copies are not to be deposited in any other library or repository.

2. Copies will not be published or used commercially without the written permission of a) the owner of the copy/literary rights of the original material and b) Georgetown University Library.

3. All responsibility regarding copy/literary rights arising from the use of this material is assumed by the above-named (with signature of agreement below).

4. Access to manuscript and archival material for any purpose involving pending litigation
must be through the office of the University Counsel.

5. The Special Collections Research Center is not responsible for damage or loss of copies sent by mail.

Please review the Special Collections copying policies.

Questions that are answered by this page: 

How do I make a copy of something from Special Collections?

Department(s) Responsible for Maintaining this Page: 
Special Collections
Date to Review this Page: 
End of Summer Session

Special Collection Research Center Use Policies

Location: 

Fifth floor of Lauinger Library

Contact Information: 

Phone: (202) 687-7444
Fax: (202) 687-7501

Hours: 

Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Policy: 

SECURITY
Please submit a photo I.D. to the reading room desk attendant.

Only pencils, paper, and portable computers may be brought into the reading room. Please place all personal property (including bags and coats) in the lockers outside the reading room.

Georgetown University Library is not responsible for damage or theft of items stored in the lockers.

Staff reserve the right to inspect all personal items upon the arrival and/or departure of any researcher when use of Special Collections material is requested.

USING SPECIAL COLLECTIONS MATERIAL

Use NO INK when examining research material. (Pencils are supplied upon request.)

THREE boxes may be requested at a time. Depending on the amount of material per folder and the value of the contents, only one box or one folder may be provided at a time (based upon the discretion of the Division staff).

Please do not mark materials in any way either directly or by writing notes on top of them, or by resting books or other objects on the surface of the material.

Please preserve the existing order of the material in each folder. Report any disarrangement discovered to the Division staff.
When returning material, please replace all folders in proper numerical or alphabetical sequence in the box and replace box covers securely.

Notify staff when leaving the reading room. Please return all material before leaving for the day.

Staff must be alerted to boxes containing requests for copies. Individual folders containing copy requests must be replaced in the appropriate boxes. (Please refer to the Division’s Xerox and Photographic Copy forms for our policies and the correct procedures for requesting copies.)

Responsibility for Special Collections/University Archives material is assumed by the researcher until all items have been returned to and accounted for by Division staff.

Access to manuscript and archival material for any purpose involving pending litigation must be through the office of the University Counsel. Failure to disclose this intent may constitute a serious breach of legal ethics.

It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine the owner of literary rights, including copyright, and obtain permission from the owner of those rights before the Special Collections materials are published or used commercially.

Questions that are answered by this page: 

What are the policies for viewing the Special Collections?

Department(s) Responsible for Maintaining this Page: 
Special Collections
Date to Review this Page: 
End of Summer Session

Visiting Information

Parking, transit, and other information for visitors.

Department(s) Responsible for Maintaining this Page: 
Access Services
External Affairs and Communications
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