Special Collections & Archives: Policies & Forms

The Reed Library Special Collections & Archives division typically does not hold the intellectual property rights for the materials in its collections. The Special Collections & Archives division assumes that all requests for reproductions are made within the guidelines of the U.S. Copyright Office Fair Use doctrine and are intended exclusively for research and educational purposes.

The Special Collections & Archives division will assume no responsibility for any infringement of copyright on the part of the researcher. When seeking to use any reproductions for publication, it is the sole responsibility of the researcher to determine the copyright status of the materials and to contact the appropriate individual(s) in order to gain permission to publish. Please consult this table from Cornell University for more information on determining copyright status.

Requests for copies of materials from our holdings may be initiated by completion of the Reproduction Request Form. In accordance with good scholarly practice, we ask that researchers acknowledge the Special Collections & Archives division as the holding institution for the original materials by using the appropriate style guide.

Individuals or organizations who plan to publish or exhibit materials, including digitally via social media or other online platforms, from the holdings of the Special Collections & Archives Division must contact Special Collections & Archives staff directly and complete the Intent to Publish Form. Permission is granted for a one-time use only, regardless of published format. 

Requests are limited to 50 pages/images within a six-month period or 20% of a single volume or collection at one time.  Reproduction requests are assessed on a case-by-case basis and are dependent on available staff resources and the physical condition of items. 

Failure to comply with all or part of the Reproduction and Publication policies may result in disciplinary action from the Special Collections & Archives Division, the Daniel A. Reed Library, and/or the State University of New York at Fredonia.