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Visit Special Collections and Archives

rare book

The reading room is open Monday-Wednesday 12 pm-4 pm (and is subject to change due to class visits and holidays). Appointments may also be made for visits outside of these hours by emailing us at archives@trinity.edu .

While walk-ins are welcome, appointments are strongly encouraged to allow for the best use of the researcher’s time. If this is your first time visiting the reading room, please fill out the registration form before making an appointment.


Reading Room Guidelines:

  1. Each researcher is required to complete and sign the registration form.
  2. Archival material and rare books are to be consulted only in the Reading Room and do not circulate.
  3. Coats, backpacks, purses, or any bags must be stored in the coat closet or lobby during your visit. Researchers may bring laptop computers into the Reading Room.
  4. Eating and drinking are not permitted.
  5. Only lead pencils may be used in the Reading Room.
  6. Personal cameras may be used without flash.
  7. Personal scanners of any kind may not be used.
  8. To preserve our collections, materials must be handled with care at all times: do not lean on, write on, fold or handle materials in a way that may damage them. Tracing is not permitted.
  9. Please remove only one folder from a box at a time and replace all materials in their original order.
  10. Use of special formats or fragile materials may require special handling or additional consultation with the archivist or librarian.
  11. Requests for scans should be presented to the appropriate library staff.

Special Collections and Archives is located on the second floor of Coates Library.

The main entrance to the library is on the third floor; use either the stairs or elevator to go down one floor to the second.

  1. Coming out of the elevator, turn left, then the reading room will be on your left.
  2. From the stairwell, turn right and the reading room will be straight ahead through the double doors.

Below is a map showing the North campus. The library is highlighted in blue and visitor parking is purple. Additional parking is available (green) at Alamo Stadium across Stadium Drive.

trinity university showing the library and parking