Special Collections and Archives blog

Special Collections & Archives: Changes to access for Fall 2020 semester

August 3, 2020 by special collections & archives

Beginning August 12, 2020, Special Collections & Archives (SCA) will offer online resources and virtual research support for all users and scheduled appointments for on-site access to physical collections in the Meriam Lamont Reading Room for members of the NAU and CCC community. Special Collections & Archives’ hours of operation during this time are Monday – Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m, Friday 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.

To learn more about changes to the Cline Library and the broader NAU campus for the Fall 2020 semester, click on the linked text.

Online Resources

Special Collections & Archives’ Digital Collections, which includes digitized and born-digital material from the Colorado Plateau Archives, Northern Arizona University Archives, and other regional cultural heritage institutions, is available online 24/7 for all researchers.

SCA’s current online-only exhibit (Flagstaff 2020: A Clear Vision) and an online version of the Cline Library physical exhibit Full Circle: the Life and Legacies of Katie Lee are available at nau.edu/special-collections/exhibits/. You can also browse past exhibits at that link.

All researchers can search and browse finding aids (narrative guides) for SCA’s archival collections using Arizona Archives Online (http://azarchivesonline.org).

Virtual Research Support

Special Collections & Archives staff are available to support all researchers virtually during SCA’s hours of operation (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday-Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Friday). If you have a research inquiry or need to speak with an archivist, please email special.collections@nau.edu. You can also call SCA at (928) 523-5551 or submit a question via chat during SCA’s operating hours. A staff member will respond to your inquiry within 24 hours.

Requests for digitization of archival and published materials will be considered on a case-by-case basis, as staff time and resources allow. Please note that the fulfillment time for digitization requests will vary based on staff availability, scope and content of request, and other factors. Please contact the department to learn more. 

If you are a faculty member or instructor seeking to use scans of published material (e.g. books, periodicals, etc.) held by SCA for a course, please place a course reserves request.

SCA will fulfill reproduction and permission to use requests virtually, with some limitations. Please contact the department to learn more.

On-Site Appointments

Beginning August 12, 2020 Special Collections & Archives will offer appointment blocks for on-site access to collections material in Cline Library’s Merriam Lamont Reading Room. Appointments will be available during SCA’s operating hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday – Thursday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Friday. SCA staff will work with you to ensure that you have adequate time in the reading room to review your requested materials.

At this time, on-site appointments are limited to NAU and CCC community members in accordance with Cline Library’s general access policies. Non-NAU and CCC users may request virtual research support as detailed above.

Making an Appointment

To schedule an appointment for on-site access to collections materials in the Meriam Lamont Reading Room, please email Special.Collections@nau.edu or call (928) 523-5551.

Please include the following information:

  • Your name
  • Your availability (dates and times) for an on-site appointment in the Meriam Lamont Reading Room, Cline Library
  • Information regarding requested materials (see below)
  • Any other information regarding your request (e.g. purpose of research, digitization needs, research questions, etc.)

A SCA staff member will respond to your request within 24 hours.

Requesting Materials

Please send SCA staff the following information regarding your request for an on-site appointment in Meriam Lamont Reading Room.

Published materials

  • Title
  • Author
  • Year of publication
  • Call number 
  • Library catalog record (if available)

Archival materials:

  • Collection name(s)
  • Collection call numbers (e.g. NAU.MS.###, NAU.PH.###)
  • Box number(s) (e.g. Box 3, NAU.MS.526)
  • Item number(s) (e.g. NAU.PH.2020.11.12-30)

Appointment Policies & Guidelines

Please review the following information about accessing material in the Meriam Lamont Reading Room before arriving at Cline Library for your reading room appointment.

Access to Cline Library

  • Cline Library is open to NAU and CCC students only. Bring your JacksCard or CCC ID to access the library. Need help with your access to the building? Call (928) 523-2173.
  • Beginning August 12, 2020, Special Collections & Archives’ hours of operation will be Monday – Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m, Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • While you are visiting Cline Library, please practice physical distancing: stay at least 6 feet away from other people.
  • Face masks or cloth face coverings must be worn by all NAU and CCC students and employees in Cline Library when in the presence of others and where physical distancing measures can be difficult to maintain.
  • Similarly, SCA requests that its users wear masks when interacting with SCA staff or in public spaces in the department, including the exhibit space, reference desk, and the reading room.

General Reading Room Policies

  • No food or drink are allowed in the Meriam Lamont Reading Room. There is a water fountain down the hall on the second floor of Cline Library.
  • Backpacks, purses, and other items must be left in a locker in SCA for the duration of your visit. An archivist will assign you to a locker and provide you with a key.
  • You may bring the following into the reading room:
    • your own pencils (no pens)
    • loose-leaf paper for notes
    • a personal laptop
    • a camera, cell phone, or hand-held scanner
    • a USB drive or other digital storage device
  • There is a flatbed scanner available in the reading room which you may use to scan materials for future reference. Do not scan photographs using this scanner. Ask an archivist if you have questions.
  • Do not use flash when taking photographs of archival material. Ask an archivist if you have questions.

During Your Appointment

  • Special Collections & Archives is located on the second floor of Cline Library, as shown below.
A map of the second floor of Cline Library.
  • When you arrive in SCA, please proceed to the reference desk located towards the back of the department, on the right-hand side. An archivist will be available to assist you. If the archivist is away from the desk when you arrive, please call their office phone number.
  • Please wash your hands before handling collection materials. It protects your health and the materials! There is an all-genders restroom on the first floor of Cline Library and men and women’s bathrooms down the hall from Special Collections & Archives.
  • An archivist will briefly review proper handling techniques for archival materials with you. In most instances, you should handle archival materials with clean, dry hands. If necessary, the archivist will provide you with a pair of nitrile gloves for handling photographic materials.
  • The archivist will show you to your assigned seat in the Meriam Lamont Reading Room. The materials you requested will be available on a cart near your seat.

After Your Appointment

  • Following your appointment, the materials you used will be quarantined for 72 hours per recommendations from the Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC). If you will need the materials for multiple days, please let an archivist know.
  • If you do not finish reviewing your materials within your allotted appointment time, please let an archivist know. SCA staff will work with you to schedule a follow-up appointment or extend your appointment.

By accepting an appointment in the Meriam Lamont Reading Room in Cline Library, researchers agree to abide by the policies described above.

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