Effective Thursday May 7, 2009 – The Archives Reading Room will be open for individual quiet study Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm. It will be available for meetings and events on a first-come, first-served basis Monday through Thursday from 5:00pm to 9:00 pm (May 11 – August 6). Individuals interested in reserving the Archives Reading Room should contact Tiffany Hairston at (202) 885-3233 or Elizabeth LaRocca at (202) 885-3847.
Monthly Archives: May 2009
Explanation of Food and Drink Policy
Since the Archives Reading Room has opened for individual quiet study, we have gotten numerous questions about the rationale for the food and drink restrictions.
The two primary reasons why food and drink are not permitted in the Archives Reading Room are as follows:
- Wherever food and drink are consumed, there is increased likelihood for crumbs, spills and food waste which can attract pests and thus poses risks for our archival and manuscript collections that are stored in the room next door.
- Researchers use the tables in the reading room to consult rare materials. It is not feasible to clean the tables after each use so we must institute procedures to avoid spills.
Our policy is similar to those at other local universities including the University of Maryland.
I encourage anyone with questions about this policy to contact the Archives for further information.
Reserved Signs
When there are no researchers in the reading room, students may use the tables reserved for researcher use. If necessary, students may be asked to relocate to another table if and when a researcher wants to consult a collection.