Use the Archives Finding Aids to find the materials you'd like to see, or consult with an Archivist about your interests
Set up an appointment to visit the reading room. We are open 9am-5pm, Monday-Friday.
Fill out a Researcher Registration form. The form will ask for your name and a way to contact you, and give you the option of telling the Archivist more about your research project.
Read the Materials Use Policy. Contact an Archivist if you have any questions about the policy.
Check the University Covid-19 policies for any current restrictions on in-person research.
1. The Archivist will greet you at the door of the library (for non-Willamette University researchers) or at the Archives Reading Room (for Willamette University community members).
2. You will wash your hands, either with the provided hand sanitizer or with soap and water in the bathroom.
3. The Archivist will check your government- or school-issued ID.
4. You will initial the sign-in book, affirming that you have read and will abide by the Materials Use Policy.
5. You will place your belongings in a cubby. You can take with you to your table: a laptop, phone, camera, paper, and pencil.
6. The Archivist will bring you one of the boxes you have requested, and you can begin your research!
7. The Archivist will remain in the Reading Room with you to answer any questions and to get you more materials to look at once you have finished with your first box.
1. All researchers must complete and sign a Researcher Registration form once each fiscal year (July-June) and provide a valid photo identification issued by a government agency or educational institution.
2. To protect rare and valuable items, materials remain in the reading room and do not circulate.
3. Food, drink, and tobacco products (including e-cigarettes) are not permitted in the reading room.
4. The use of pens, highlighters, or indelible pencil is prohibited. Pencils are available in the reading room.
5. Note paper, pencils, laptop computers and mobile devices are allowed at the study tables. Researchers must silence all devices and leave the reading room to place or receive calls.
6. Personal items are not allowed at the study tables. Researchers must store all personal belongings except those noted above in the shelving provided.
7. The use of personal hand-held cameras is permitted within copyright restrictions.
8. Researchers are permitted to use only one box of materials at a time.
9. Exercise care when using material: Manuscript and archival materials must lie flat on the tables; turn pages carefully; no weight should rest on materials; do not mark, deface, alter, fold anew, or trace on materials; do not place material in the lap or prop against the edge of the table. Gloves may be required at Staff’s discretion.
10. Keep material in original order by maintaining the sequence of folders within the box as well as the sequence of pages within the folder. Pages will stay in order if turned like the pages of a book. If material seems to be out of order, note the discrepancy to Staff rather than editing independently.
11. Permission to examine Archives and Special Collections holdings is granted for reference purposes only and are not to be used for any purpose other than for private study, scholarship, or research.
12. Reproduction of holdings is permitted at Staff discretion. In order to protect the materials from inadvertent damage all duplication and reproduction is done by Staff. Permission to reproduce, publish, exhibit, broadcast, or electronically disseminate the materials must be obtained by separate agreement(s) with the department of Archives and Special Collections.
13. All material must be returned to Staff before leaving the reading room for an extended period of time.
14. Living persons enjoy a common-law right to privacy. Documents containing information that would be used to embarrass, damage, injure, or harass living persons will be withheld from publication/production at the discretion of the repository.
15. Staff reserves the right to refuse access to its holdings and/or to impose such conditions as it may deem advisable in its sole and absolute discretion.