Using the Collections

Planning a Visit

Please email [email protected] to schedule an appointment to view archival materials. Appointments are encouraged and will be prioritized. Please indicate dates and times for your visit, which collection you would like to view, what specific parts of the collection (boxes or folders) you would like to view, and if you plan to scan materials.

Researchers are strongly encouraged to visit the Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collections and University Archives to conduct their research. We recommend using the libraries online catalog and browsing our web site in order to narrow your search before coming in person. If you still have more questions about items in our holdings or require further assistance, our staff will be glad to help you.

Due to the fragile nature of much of the material housed in Special Collections and University Archives, our materials are non-circulating and can only be used in our reading room during our department’s hours of operation. This rule applies to all researchers, including University faculty and staff. If you are unable to visit Special Collection and University Archives at UNCG, staff can process remote orders for digital reproductions and photocopies. For more information on reproductions, please refer to the Reproductions & Permissions section of the webpage.

Special Collections and University Archives is located in the Hodges Reading Room on the second floor of Jackson Library on the campus of The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Reading Room hours are 8 AM – 4 PM, Monday through Friday. For more detailed directions, please refer to Hours and Location of the website. If you are new to our campus, maps of UNCG are provided on the UNCG home page. Parking information is also provided by UNCG Parking Services.

Policies and Procedures of the Reading Room

Many of the collections are rare or irreplaceable and must be handled with great care so as to remain available for future scholarship. Thus, the staff asks that every visitor to the Reading Room follow policies regarding the handling and use of collections. These policies include the following:

• Researchers are required to complete a Researcher Registration form once per year (July 1-June 30). During each research visit, users are requested to sign the guest register and present a Photo ID.
• Researchers must place backpacks, brief cases, and lap top cases in a designated secure area. They should also place their coats on the coat rack.
• Mobile phones and PDAs must be turned off and stored before using library materials.
• Pencils, note paper, and lap tops are allowed in the Reading Room. Pens or markers of any kind are not permitted in the Reading Room.
• No food or drink is allowed in the Reading Room.
• Materials must be used in the Reading Room; researchers must complete a call slip (Request for Materials) for each item (rare book, manuscript, archival box) requested.
• When an archival folder is being examined, it must remain flat on the reading room table. Materials must be kept in the order they are found in each folder and box. If materials appear to be out of order, please notify the Reading Room staff.
• Use paper slips as place markers. Please do not rest anything on top of printed items, manuscripts, or rare books.
• All photocopy, scanning, and digital photo requests must be approved by Reading Room staff. Staff will consider requests for reproductions of materials when such duplications can be done without injury to the material and when duplication does not violate donor agreements or copyright laws. The researcher is solely responsible for the use made of any material secured from the Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collections and University Archives and liable for any infringement of copyright.
• Researchers planning to quote, paraphrase, or cite materials must use proper citation. Citation format examples are available at the Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collections and University Archives’ Website and in the Reading Room.
• Researchers should contact Reading Room staff if they have any questions about policies, procedures, and collections.

SCUA Offensive Materials and Language Statement

The UNC Greensboro University Libraries collects, preserves, and makes accessible unique and historical materials for learning and research. The nature of historical materials is such that some material may represent positions, norms, and values that are offensive and objectionable. These materials represent the opinions and actions of their creators. By providing access to these records in our reading room and through our digital collections, we recognize that archives and rare books can play a vital role in holding those creators accountable and in helping us learn from the past.

Our finding aids and other collection descriptions may occasionally re-use language provided by creators or former holders of the materials, but we strive to place outdated or offensive terminology in context. That said, we recognize that we may not always make the right decision and welcome feedback from all sources so we can learn and adjust our practices. Please contact us at [email protected] if you encounter problematic language in our finding aids or other collection description. We will review the language and, as appropriate, update it in a way that balances preservation of the original context with our ongoing commitment to describing materials with respectful and inclusive language.