Teaching with Special Collections and Archives

• Please ask your students to wash hands prior to the instruction session.
• Pencils, paper, computers/tablets, and phones are welcome in the Special Collections Seminar Room. Please leave all bags, drinks, food, and pens in the Research Room cubbies.

• Photography (without flash) is strongly encouraged.

• We host instruction sessions in Special Collections because we believe there is value to close, often hands-on, encounters, with the materials in our collections
• Boone Special Collections and Archives follows established best practices in the field for handling our distinctive materials.
• Depending on the type of session and the materials requested, your special collections instructor will share further details with you and your students about how to interact with the materials at hand. 

• Handle documents carefully-turn pages slowly and gently.
• Ensure one person is turning pages of a bound volume at a time.
• Use gloves when handling photographic materials.
• Read books in book cradles, if given with one.
• Keep documents in order.
• Keep folders of, and individual, documents, flat on the table.
• Use pencils to take notes.
• Do not take notes on top of documents-keep note paper and the collections materials separate. 
• Inform special collections practitioners if you encounter extremely fragile or damaged materials.
• Ask for assistance with foldouts. 

Adapted from NYU Libraries' "Using Archives & Manuscripts" guide