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Policies and Guidelines

SDSU Archives and Special Collections Policies and Guidelines for Researchers

Special requests with variations to these procedures should be directed to the University Archivist.

The policies and rules of the Archives are subject to change without notice.

All material located in Archives & Special Collections may be used only with supervision.

All material held by Archives & Special Collections do not circulate.  

Many materials and resources in Archives & Special Collections are not in the public domain and copyright is largely held by the donor. Staff makes these materials available for private study, research, and teaching. Online material may be downloaded and printed without prior permission for these purposes, on condition that you attribute the Archives in all copies.  

By using these resources and materials, you agree to the following conditions of use:

These resources and materials may not be used for any commercial purpose without prior written permission from the Archives or the copyright holder. These resources and materials may not be re-published in print or electronic form without prior written permission from the Archives, or the copyright holder.

The use of certain materials may be restricted by statute, by the office of origin, or by the donor. For the protection of its collections, Archives & Special Collections also reserves the right to restrict use of records that are not arranged, are being processed, or are exceptionally valuable or fragile. In some cases, copies may be substituted for originals. There is no limit to how many times a researcher may request materials.

  • You may not download these resources and materials in order to mount them on another server for public use, or for use by a set of subscribers. Institutions may link to the resources and materials of the Archives, subject to these conditions of use.
  • Any permission given to reproduce these resources and materials is non-exclusive.
  • Photocopying may be done only with permission. The University Archives reserves the right to refuse photocopy requests if the material is fragile or may be damaged by the photocopying process.
  • All users must fill out the researcher registration form.
  • Researchers will be asked to show a photo ID (preferably a Driver's License or a student ID) to the archives staff. Staff will make a copy of the ID for their records. The University Archives maintains records of patron visits to the Archives for a period of 5 years. This information is confidential.
  • Staff will assign you a place to sit to ensure that it has been cleaned and is ready for use.
  •  Archives staff will re-shelve the items. Please leave items on the table or on the designated book truck.
  • Researcher's are to place personal belongings such as coats, purses, briefcases, backpacks, books, and notepads into the designated cubby and closet space.  
  • No food or beverages are allowed while researching. Gum chewing is also not permitted.
  • Please use only pencils for taking notes. Pencils and paper are available upon request.
  • All notes and bags are subject to inspection and approval prior to removal from the research room.
  • Laptop computers, tablets, and other similar devices may be used.  
  • The Archives reserves the right to revoke or deny access to any or all of the collections.
  • Researchers removing any material from the research study without approval will be referred to the University Police Department for prosecution.  
  • The materials in the room must be handled with respect and care. Materials must be used with supervision in the reading room, with the exception of videos or other media which must be removed from the reading room for use.
  • Please make sure that your hands are clean.
  • One box of archival material is allowed per patron at a time.
  • One folder can be removed from the box at a time.
  • Items in folders should be examined one at a time.
  • Please keep the materials flat on the table.
  • Be sure to keep the materials from the folder in their original order. If materials appear to be out of order, please notify staff instead of attempting to rearrange them.
  • Consult research room attendant for photocopies.
  • Do not remove staples, ask a staff member for assistance
  • Never place an open book face down.
  • Do not lean on books or documents.
  • Never write or trace on books or documents.
  • Be careful when opening books and turning pages. Always lift the top corner of the page.
  • Do not use paper clips, rubber bands, post-it notes, or any three-dimensional object for place-markers. Paper bookmarkers are available at the reference desk.
  • Do not remove items, such as photographs, from their clear polyester sleeves.
  • Please handle photographs only when wearing white gloves provided by staff.
  • When using materials housed in special enclosures, please be sure to put them back in the same way. If you need help re-housing an item, please ask staff to assist you.
  • If the item you are using seems too fragile to handle, please ask staff to assist you.

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, U.S. Code) governs the making of photocopies and other reproductions of copyrighted material. Libraries and archives are authorized to furnish reproductions upon request for specified purposes, including private study, scholarship, and research; publication; and public exhibition. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept an order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of that order would involve violation of copyright law.  

Users assume full responsibility for conforming with copyright laws and conventions, libel laws and individuals' rights to privacy, and for the literary property rights that may be involved with the use of any materials.  

The Archives may not hold the copyright to all of the original materials in its collections.  It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any required copyright permissions from the copyright holder.  

Permission to examine or to duplicate materials is not an authorization to publish. You must notify the Archives of any intent to publish or use archival materials beyond fair-use. If you intend to publish, please fill out and submit an "Intent to Publish, Quote or Exhibit" form. An archivist will notify you of any copyright information in our possession.

  • All duplication is subject to the condition of the material and any donor or copyright restrictions.  
  • All duplication is subject to the condition of the material and any donor or copyright restrictions.  
  • Researchers may use personal cameras and cell phones for research purposes. A self-service scanner is available for use in the reading room.
  • Permission to duplicate materials is not an authorization to publish them. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any required copyright permissions from the copyright holder.  
  • Please leave all items to be duplicated in their original order within folders. Staff will provide you with place-markers to flag materials for duplication.  
  • The archives reserve the right to limit the size of duplication requests.  
  • Copies of audiovisual material may have to be obtained through off-campus resources; rates for these services would be determined by that resource.  

Permission to use materials from the Archives for publication or public exhibition must be obtained in writing from the South Dakota State University Archives. In a written application please indicate which items you are seeking to publish or exhibit and where you wish to publish or exhibit them.  

The Archives would appreciate receiving copies of any publications using items from the collections. Use of any archival copies must be only for the purpose stated. If you later wish to make a different or additional use of department material (particularly if you will be publishing or exhibiting them), you will need to contact the Archives again for permission.  

By authorizing permission to publish or quote from this material, South Dakota State University does not surrender its own right to publish it or grant permission to others to do so.  

The applicant assumes the responsibility regarding questions of copyright that may arise in the use of this material. The material will be cited as follows:  [Collection Name], South Dakota State University Archives, South Dakota State University, Brookings, S.D.

SDSU Archives and Special Collections accepts cash, checks and money orders as forms of payment. We do not accept credit cards.

Contact the Archivist for cost of other services not listed below.

SDSU Affiliate (faculty, staff, student, department, alumni, foundation, etc.)

Service

Charge

Digital reproduction of images (high resolution TIFF or other image file)1-5 Images: Subsidized by Library
 6+ Images: $2.00 per image over 5 images
Digital reproduction of text (low resolution PDF file)1-21 Images: Subsidized by Library
 21+ Images: $0.05 per page over 20 pages
ProcessingSubsidized by Library
Use Charges (applies only to items for which the library holds copyright)Subsidized by Library

Non-profit and Scholarly Uses (Non-SDSU Affiliate)

Service

Charge

Digital reproduction of images (high resolution TIFF or other image file)$4.00 per image
Digital reproduction of text (low resolution PDF file)$0.10 per page
Processing$10.00 per reproduction request

Use Charges (applies only to items for which the library holds copyright)

Service

Charge

For reference and unpublished researchSubsidized by the Library
(i.e., family histories, dissertations, and educational uses)Subsidized by the Library
For editorial use (i.e., within books, journals and other published works)$10.00 per image
For advertising and other promotional uses$15.00 per image
(i.e., web sites, posters, brochures, exhibits/displays)$15.00 per image

Commercial Use

Service

Charge

Digital reproduction of images (high resolution TIFF or other image file)$10.00 per image
Digital reproduction of text (low resolution PDF file)$0.10 per page
Processing$50.00 per reproduction request
Use Charges (applies only to items for which the library holds copyright) 
For editorial use (i.e., within books, journals and other published works)$50.00 per image
For advertising and other promotional uses$75.00 per image
(i.e., web sites, posters, brochures, exhibits/displays, merchandise)$75.00 per image

Other services

ServiceCharge
Photocopies (8˝ X 11)$ 0.10 per page (performed by Archives staff)
Black and White Printing$ 0.10 per page (performed by Archives staff)
Color Printing:$ 0.25 per page (performed by Archives staff)
Physical media (CD/DVD)$2.00 for each disc used to save/send digital reproductions
Shipping and Handling charges$2.00 (minimum), large orders may require additional charges.
Facsimile (Fax) service$0.50 per page
Rush service$15.00 per order
Staff Research time$25.00 per hour, minimum charge is 1 hour. Used for in-depth research requests.

SDSU Archives and Special Collections Collecting Policies and Guidelines

Collection Development Statement

The Collection Development Statement guides the selection of materials by the SDSU Archives and Special Collections. The Archives strives to select, preserve, arrange, describe, provide access and promote the use of its rare and unique collections. The Archives maintains materials due to subject matter, age, condition, uniqueness, rarity, and items best managed separately from the H. M. Briggs Library's general collection.  

Records Transfers from SDSU Departments and Offices

The University Archives is the repository of the historically valuable documentation of South Dakota State University units and individuals, including faculty, staff, and administrators.

Donations from Faculty

The University Archives actively seeks to preserve and make accessible the personal and professional papers of faculty and administrators at South Dakota State University. These papers document a faculty member’s career as a researcher and educator at the University.

Preparing Your Files

A  step-by-step guide covers the basics of preparing and sending your records to the archives.