What’s Allowed in the Reading Room
- Food and uncovered drinks are ABSOLUTELY NOT ALLOWED in the reading room.
- Water is permitted in the reading room in a lidded container. You must move to a table where there is no material present to open the container. Never drink over the material.
- Non-water beverages are not permitted in the reading room. If you mistakenly bring one into the reading room, kindly keep it within your closed bag and keep the bag away from the materials.
- Please only use pencils when taking written notes. Do not have uncovered pens in the reading room.
Handling Instructions
Paper
- Please only handle paper materials with bare, clean hands.
- Please wash your hands to ensure they are free of lotion and oils before handling paper materials.
- Take special care to turn pages and lift paper slowly to avoid tearing. For fragile books, please use the book cradle provided to minimize strain on the spine. Use the snake weights provided to gently hold the book open.
- Items in archival folders must not be rearranged; they must stay in the order they were in when you opened the folder.
Photographs
- Please only handle photographs while wearing nitrile gloves. These will be provided.
- Avoid touching the surface of the photo. Handle by the edges.
- When lifting or moving the photograph, make every effort to keep it flat. Do not bend the photograph.
Film
- Please only handle film materials with bare, clean hands.
- Please wash your hands to ensure they are free of lotion and oils before handling film materials.
- Only handle film by the leader or edge. Never touch the film itself.
- Use two hands to support the weight of the film. If opening a film can, open it away from you.
Compact Discs
- Only handle with clean hands or with nitrile gloves.
- If hands are bare, please wash your hands to ensure they are free of lotion and oils before handling.
- Hold by the edges and do not touch the disc face.
Magnetic Tape
- For cassettes, avoid touching exposed tape.
- For open reels, only handle with bare, clean hands. Please wash your hands to ensure they are free of lotion and oils before handling.
- Do not unspool the reel without the presence of an OHEC librarian or a Media Commons technician.
Ending your Visit
- Please leave the reading room in the same condition in which you found it.
- Please remember to return the reading room key to the Service Desk.
- Thank you!
