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Rare and Special Collections, EAL: Rare Book Room Policy

Fong Yun Wah Rare Book Room Policy

Materials may be paged from the Fong Yun Wah Rare Book Room Monday through Friday, between 9:00 and 4:00.

Requests for materials should be submitted at least twenty-four hours in advance to ensure availability. Requests may be forwarded to the Chinese, Japanese, or Korean language bibliographers, or to the Executive Manager, Administrative and Editorial Services. The Library cannot guarantee that walk-in paging requests will be satisfied.

Readers wishing to consult Rare Book Room materials must agree to comply with the Library's Conditions of Use:

  1. All items paged from the Rare Book Room must be used in the Rare Book Reading Room.
  2. Readers are requested to wash and dry their hands before using Rare Book Room materials.
  3. Readers may bring only paper, pencils, and laptops into the Rare Book Reading Room. All other personal belongings must be left in the locker provided.
  4. Rare Book Room materials should be laid flat on the Reading Room table or on the viewing pads provided; they should not be held in the lap or hand. Readers should not run their hands over the surface of print and manuscript pages.
  5. Readers may not use paperclips, post-its, or other non-archival items on Rare Book Room materials. Readers are not to mark or mar Rare Book Room materials in any way. Book marks and book weights are provided for readers' use.
  6. Readers may not photograph, photocopy, or scan any Rare Book Room materials. Readers may request digital photographs of materials. These will be taken by staff, at a charge of $5 per image. Readers are limited to five images per volume, for a total of thirty images. Readers are welcome to make arrangements with the Library's Digital Imaging Services for professional-quality images or microfilm of rare book room materials.
  7. Readers are requested to notify the Executive Manager of any evidence of insects, mold, or unusual deterioration.
  8. When finished with Rare Book Room materials, readers should contact the Executive Manager or Circulation staff. Readers should not leave the Rare Book Reading Room until items charged out to them have been discharged.