Mississippi Administrative Code
Title 16 - History, Humanities and Arts
Part 2 - Archives and Records Services Division
Chapter 6 - Policy for Reading Room Access and Reference Services
Rule 16-2-6.1 - Access to Reading Rooms
Current through September 24, 2024
A. Access:
Researchers requiring special assistance should notify the receptionist at the lobby registration desk. Every effort will be made to accommodate special needs.
Anyone fifteen years of age or older must have a valid Reading Room Identification Card, which is issued upon successful completion of a card application form, and must register to gain access to the MDAH reading rooms. Persons under the age of fifteen must be accompanied at all times by an adult who is responsible for monitoring the behavior of the child.
Application for a Reading Room Identification Card is made in person at the William F. Winter Archives and History Building.
One of the following forms of valid photographic identification must be presented with the completed application: a state driver's license; a state-issued identification card; a school identification card; or a passport. In the absence of these, other valid photographic identification may be considered; however, issuance of a Reading Room Identification Card is not automatic.
Individuals who cannot present valid photographic identification will not be issued a Reading Room Identification Card, and consequently cannot enter the reading rooms. Application information, reading room registration, and materials requested are confidential in so far as can be supported by state law (§ 39-3-365, MCA 1972).
Reading Room Identification Cards, issued free of charge, are valid for four years from issuance date. There is a small fee to issue a replacement for a lost, stolen, or damaged card.
Persons disruptive to the research of others will be asked to leave.
B. Research Areas: There are three research areas: the Public Reading Room; the Media Reading Room; and the Archival Reading Room.
C. Hours of Operation:
Hours of operation are adopted by the MDAH Board of Trustees, posted on the MDAH website, and are subject to change without notice. MDAH is closed on state holidays. Other holidays may be observed at the discretion of the Governor and/or the MDAH Director.
D. Limitations:
Materials allowed in the reading rooms are pencils, note paper, note cards and tablets, index cards, notebooks, portable electronic devices, sweaters, and shawls.
The following items are not allowed in the reading rooms: outer coats, briefcases, purses, waist packs, backpacks, umbrellas, computer cases, and envelopes. Also, personal books, papers, photographs or other media which could be confused with materials in the MDAH holdings may not be brought into the reading rooms. The use of pens and highlighters in the reading rooms is not allowed, nor are pressure notecards, such as "post its."
Cameras or personal mobile devices such as cell phones and tablets belonging to the public are allowed in the reading rooms.
Lockers are provided for storage of items not allowed in the reading rooms. MDAH has no responsibility for any loss or damage to materials stored in lockers.
No food, drink, or tobacco products are allowed. As a courtesy to our researchers, a vending refreshment area is located off of the lobby.
The use of cell phones for voice communication is restricted to the lobby.
Upon staff request, researchers must allow staff to inspect items upon entering and leaving the reading rooms.
E. Access to Records:
Any researcher possessing a valid Reading Room Identification Card has access to materials available to the public.
Bibliographic access is provided through the online public access catalog (OPAC). Physical access to records is provided in one of the three reading rooms, depending upon the record format and the imposition of security measures related to the record.
Material may not be written on, altered, folded, traced, or handled in any way likely to damage it. It is unlawful for any person to willfully mutilate library materials, punishable as a misdemeanor with a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars or by imprisonment in the county jail not to exceed six months, or by both (§ 39-3-309, MCA 1972).
No material may be removed from the room where originally issued. It is unlawful for any person to remove library materials, without authorization, from the premises wherein such materials are maintained or to retain possession of library materials without authorization (§ 39-3-303, MCA 1972) and is punishable as a misdemeanor with a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars or by imprisonment in the county jail not to exceed six months, or by both (§ 39-3-309, MCA 1972).
When finished with material, researchers should not re-shelve or re-file, but return the material to designated areas in the reading rooms.
Retrieval from the closed stacks ends thirty minutes prior to the closing time.
All research materials must be returned no later than fifteen minutes prior to closing time.
F. The Archival Reading Room:
Materials made available in the Archival Reading Room are unique archival materials, published Mississippiana and other rare items. As a result, additional security procedures govern access to these materials.
To enter the Archival Reading Room, the researcher must present the Reading Room Identification Card to the staff member on duty at the entrance. To receive the requested materials, the researcher presents the Reading Room Identification Card at the reference desk. The researcher may check out one container and must sign the call slip. When finished, the researcher returns the container to the reference desk
To exit the Archival Reading Room the researcher must present the Reading Room Identification Card to the staff member for confirmation that all materials have been returned and checked in.
G. Copying:
The Reading Room Identification Card also serves as a debit card for use in paying for photocopies, public orders and computer printouts.
MDAH is not responsible for any unused money remaining on a Reading Room Identification Card or for a card that is damaged, lost or stolen.
Reading room staff does not make change or give refunds.
Duplication fees and charges are adopted by the MDAH Board of Trustees, posted on the MDAH website, and are subject to change without notice.
United States copyright law governs the duplication of copyrighted material. The user accepts full responsibility for the duplicated materials and agrees to indemnify MDAH, MDAH staff and the State of Mississippi from any damages as a result of said duplicated materials being made available to any persons, organizations or business without appropriate authorization of MDAH and/or copyright holder(s).
Permission to further reproduce any MDAH material outside of the fair use provisions of Title 17, U.S. Code, in accordance with the Bern Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, should be requested of the director of the Archives and Records Services Division prior to duplication.
For material housed in, or delivered to, the Public Reading Room: researchers may use cameras or personal mobile devices such as cell phones and tablets to copy said material; or researchers may produce self-service photocopies. The researcher is responsible for the operation of the machine and the resulting quality of the copies. Other reproductions must be requested using an MDAH order form.
Researchers may use cameras or personal mobile devices such as cell phones and tablets to copy material in the Media Reading Room so long as duplication is not prohibited by legal, preservation, copyright, donor or other restrictions, permission and use policies are adhered to, and research activity of other patrons is not disturbed. Researchers may produce selfservice microform prints in the Media Reading Room. The researcher is responsible for the operation of the machine and the resulting quality of the copies. Photographic, electronic or other reproduction formats must be requested using an MDAH order form.
Miss. Code Ann. §§ 29-59-1, 39-3-365, 39-3-303, 39-3-309, 25-61-7(1) (1972, as amended).
