University of Minnesota: Archives & Special Collections

Services & Policies

Research Help

You are encouraged to consult with staff members about your research needs and procedural questions. We provide a range of research service to on-site and remote researchers. For information about the collection or to make an appointment please contact the specific unit.

Staff will help identify sources of information relevant to your interests but cannot undertake extensive research projects. In most cases, off-site research requests can only be answered if they are sufficiently specific, e.g., an individual book, a particular document, or the contents of a particular folder. When research is required to identify relevant material it will be conducted as staff time permits. If desired, we can refer you to an outside researcher for hire who establish his/her own rates.

Reading Room

The Archives and Special Collections Reading Room is on the second floor of the Elmer L. Andersen Library (Room 215), and the Bell Library Reading Room is on the fourth floor of Wilson Library (Room 472). The Andersen Horticultural Library and Wangensteen Library maintain their own readng rooms at the Arboretum and Diehl Hall respectively.

In the Elmer L. Andersen Library, researchers should first visit the individual unit to discuss research topics and strategies and to request collection materials before proceeding to the 2nd floor reading room. Bell curator offices are adjacent to their Reading Room. Reading room policies and procedures are outlined on the back of the registration form.

Please note that retrieval of some materials not stored in readily accessible areas may take 24-48 hours. Appointments are recommended to ensure that staff can have all relevant materials available. Please contact the archival unit of specific interest to you to make an appointment.

Photoduplication

Archives staff will provide photocopies of material at the researcher's expense when such duplication can be done without injury to the material and does not violate copyright restrictions or restrictions imposed by agreement with the donor. We do not duplicate entire archival collections, or all the text of individual books, manuscripts, or boxes of material. Use of personal copiers or scanners is prohibited. Contact the individual unit regarding use of cameras, digital cameras, and video cameras.

Copies are provided for the researcher's personal use only and are not to be transferred to another individual or institution without the permission of the Department of Archives and Special Collections. Provision of copies does not constitute permission to publish.

Please see the Archives and Special Collections website for further information on photoduplication services and fees, and/or infomation on digitization.

Research Orientation Sessions

The Archives and Special Collections staff is pleased to work with instructors to have their classes use primary research materials in their course work. Orientation sessions introduce students to the Archives and Special Collections procedures and give an overview of our resources. For more specialized class sessions we work closely with faculty and instructors to identify and assemble materials for hands-on examination in a classroom setting.

Orientation sessions provide general introductory information and a survey of our holdings including a discussion of major collections. Registration, proper handling of materials, research techniques, intellectual property principles, duplication fees, and feasible time lines are highlighted. Basic search strategies and tools, and useful tips to help students find materials and make the most of our rich resources are also included. Sessions can be tailored to include specific topics and other information as needed. Archivists and curators can also give informational seminars intended for a group of graduate teaching assistants or departmental faculty and staff who wish to incorporate primary source materials into their course work. These can be arranged to incorporate specific topics desired by the group.

Requesting a session
Staff can give a presentation in your classroom, or classes can be held on-site in the Elmer Andersen Library conference suite. Contact the individual unit as far in advance as is feasible to schedule a class session.

Classroom Instruction

The University of Minnesota Libraries Archives and Special Collections welcomes faculty and staff to contact us about incorporating our expertise and resources into their instruction plan. We work with instructors to design assignments and create active learning exercises that encourage the research use of primary materials. Customized presentations on specific topics and based on original primary sources introduce undergraduate and graduate students to original research materials. A general orientation to finding and using resources is included.

Primary source documents can inspire as well as teach students to identify, define and solve problems by locating and critically evaluating information. Students learn to verify sources, track down connections, and find evidence from content and physical clues. Integrating research methodology and archival resources into assignments enhances student learning and fulfills student outcomes. Students learn to communicate effectively and understand the role of creativity, innovation, and discovery across disciplines. We have rich documentary sources, many of which have not been researched. Your students could make important discoveries!

We are happy to partner with our colleagues in the Archives and Special Collections division in the Andersen Library to hold joint sessions to introduce students to primary and secondary sources.

Requesting a presentation
Staff can give a presentation in your classroom, or classes can be held on-site in the Elmer Andersen Library conference suite. Communicating with the instructors enables the staff to prepare materials ahead of time, understand the process behind the assignments and enhance the research work of the students. Advance arrangements and consultations are required for class visits and major classroom research assignments. Contact the unit as far in advance as possible to schedule a visit. Please provide your contact information, the proposed date and time of your visit, number of students, and background about your class.