STEPPING STONES FOUNDATION ARCHIVE
ARCHIVE POLICY AGREEMENT FORM
To safeguard the archive, we ask all who use it to abide by the following policies. By submitting the form below, you certify that you understand and agree to all of the following policies.
Hours of Access - Reservations and Application Required
The Stepping Stones Foundation Archive is a by-appointment-only archive. Researchers who apply for access shall make appointments in advance to researcher between the hours of 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (closed for lunch break and holidays) Monday through Friday.
Protection of Manuscripts when Researching On Site
- The majority of files are accessed via digital and microfilm media. In the rare instance that a digital or microfilm copy is not available, researchers may ask staff for permission to review originals. Researchers are responsible for the protection of any material made available to them in the archive. They may not remove materials from the archive for any purpose or rearrange the order of materials in folders or boxes. Researchers must remain in the reading room area.
- Permission to examine archives material will be granted to researchers upon the Foundation’s acceptance of a completed registration form provided for that purpose and any other necessary agreements. Such permissions are granted subject to whatever restrictions may have been placed on the material by the donors or depositors. Researchers are required to use microfilm, digital or printed copies of manuscripts when such copies are available.Materials not needed for research purposes must be left in the entryway to the archives area. This includes briefcases, laptop cases, envelopes, notebooks, and purses. Mobile phones brought into the reading room must be turned off. No recording, cameras and other audio/visual recording features on phones and other devices may be turned on or used without permission.
- Archives materials may not be handled by researchers. Staff will present the material to the researchers who may not touch, move, or reposition any item.
- Researchers may examine one folder and/or reel at a time. Folders and documents must remain flat on the table while being examined.
- If viewing digital files, researcher may not move, delete, change or send files. Use of the internet or email via any Stepping Stones computer is prohibited.
- Only pencils may be used for note taking. Pencils will be provided upon request. Permission is required to use laptops and other devices for notetaking or dictation. Audio/visual recording, broadcasting, scanning, and/or sending or receiving archival material is not permitted.
- Digital cameras and personal scanners are not permitted.
- The Foundation staff reserves the right to review any material or devices brought into or taken from the archive.
- Any work informed by your research of Stepping Stones Archive must include a disclaimer and citations that must be obtained by completing a use agreement.
- The Foundation staff and volunteers may not be quoted or paraphrased in any work without advance written permission from the Foundation.
- Food, drink, tobacco items and vaping devices are prohibited in the archive. Eating and drinking are limited to the main office, outdoors, and off site. Smoking is prohibited near any buildings on site. The smoking area is along the driveway across from the Welcome Center.
- Asking Foundation staff to make exceptions to the rules will result in immediate termination of research permission.
- The Foundation staff reserves the right to deny access to the facilities or to its collection at any time.
- Permission to examine archives material is granted to the researcher only. Guests or assistants to the researcher must be approved in advance or they will be denied entry. Guests or assistants must also complete requisite forms.
Policies for the Use of Archive Material
Photocopying and Copyright: Under certain conditions specified in the United States copyright law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish reproductions of documents and publications for personal study use only. One of the specified conditions is that the reproductions are not to be "used for any purpose other than private non-commercial study, scholarship, or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement. Photocopying of archives materials is discouraged. The foundation reserves the right to refuse to fulfill a copying order, if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve (1) violation of copyright law, (2) damage to the material, is otherwise unnecessary as transcription is possible.
Note taking and transcribing: Note taking in pencil is permitted. Please contact staff in advance of your visit for permission to transcribe on a laptop or via recording device. If necessary, Stepping Stones staff will arrange for the transcribing of volumes of manuscript material that cannot be done in a reasonable amount of time while the researcher is on-site. While Stepping Stones staff make every effort to provide transcription services, such services may require that Stepping Stones hire a temporary worker or charge a fee for services. Such services are at the expense of the researcher in an amount to be agreed upon in advance. When transcribing manuscript materials, last names of those who are not the primary subject of the research and not listed on the subject matter line of the anonymity agreement should be redacted.
Permission to Publish or Use Material: Permission to examine material is not an authorization to use, publish, display/exhibit, present, post, reproduce, disseminate, present, share (online or otherwise), perform, distribute, or prepare derivative works of any archive material. To the extent that it may do so legally, the Foundation ordinarily will grant publication rights for scholarly purposes or other purposes permissible under United States copyright laws upon written request to the Foundation by qualified applicants. Such written requests should include (as indicated on the Use Agreement) the proposed title of the publication or work, the collections to be cited, relevant publication information (the publisher of a book, journal title and volume number for articles, or the university and department for dissertations), and the expected date of publication.
- Researchers who plan to publish or otherwise present their work are urged to make inquiry concerning possible restrictions before beginning their research.
- If permission to publish is granted, the location of the cited manuscripts shall be indicated in the published work. A credit(s) and a disclaimer will be required in all works using Stepping Stones Archive material.
- Dissertations and theses are considered published works.
- Researchers shall be responsible for obtaining all necessary permissions, clearances or consents necessary to publish, including image copyright.