The reading room is open for use: Monday to Friday, 1:00 pm until 4:00 pm.
If this is your first time visiting the reading room, please fill out the registration form before making an appointment.
Visit Special Collections and Archives
Reading Room Guidelines:
- Each researcher is required to complete and sign the registration form.
- Archival material and rare books are to be consulted only in the Reading Room and do not circulate.
- 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.
- Eating and drinking are not permitted.
- Only lead pencils may be used in the Reading Room.
- Personal cameras may be used without flash.
- Personal scanners of any kind may not be used.
- 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.
- Please remove only one folder from a box at a time and replace all materials in their original order.
- Use of special formats or fragile materials may require special handling or additional consultation with the archivist or librarian.
- 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.
- Coming out of the elevator, turn left, then the reading room will be on your left.
- 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.
Special Collections and Archives Department: Access Policy and Procedures
The following access guidelines are intended to protect all visitors and staff, and to provide security and safety for materials preserved in the Special Collections and Archives unit (room 208) at Trinity University’s Coates Library.
Access to Special Collections and Archives closed stacks areas, and the reading room outside open hours must be supervised by Special Collections and Archives staff.
Visitor/Researcher Access
Policy: Researchers and visitors may access the Lobby and Reading Room of the Special Collections and Archives unit during regularly scheduled business hours available at the library website: https://lib.trinity.edu/library-collections/visit-sca/ .
All Researchers and visitors are required to register on an annual basis by submitting the registration form.
Researchers and visitors may schedule appointments to access the Lobby and Reading Room outside of regular business hours by emailing archives@trinity.edu.
Researchers and visitors that have received approval to visit the closed, non-circulating storage and preservation areas of the Special Collections and Archives department must be supervised by Special Collections and Archives staff members at all times.
Internal Procedure: Researchers and visitors who are allowed access to the secure storage and preservation areas of the Special Collections and Archives department should be documented by name and contact information.
Library Staff Access
Policy: Library staff members requiring supervised access to the Special Collections and Archives department outside of regular hours https://lib.trinity.edu/library-collections/visit-sca/
must be accompanied by a Special Collections and Archives staff member. To schedule an appointment, email archives@trinity.edu.
Internal Procedure: Library staff members allowed access to the storage and preservation areas of the Special Collections and Archives department should be documented by name and contact information.
University Staff Access
Policy: University staff members requiring supervised access to any area of Special Collections and Archives outside of standard research and use of materials should make an appointment prior to the visit by calling x7355 or emailing archives@trinity.edu.
Internal Procedure: University staff members allowed access to the storage and preservation areas of the Special Collections and Archives department should be documented by name and contact information.
Emergency Access
During Regular Open Hours: Individuals requiring emergency access to Special Collections and Archives during regular open hours should proceed directly to the location.
Outside of Regular Open Hours: Library or university staff members requiring access to the Special Collections and Archives department due to an emergency related to the safety and security of individuals or materials should contact x7355. If a staff member is not immediately available, leave a message documenting the date, time, name and department of the requestor, and access purpose by leaving a message. Contact TUPD at x7070 for supervised access in those cases where a Special Collections and Archives representative is not available.
Internal Procedure: Situations where emergency access is provided to an individual or individual(s) with Special Collections and Archives staff supervision should be documented with name and contact information.
Situations where emergency access is provided without Special Collections and Archives staff supervision should be documented with name and contact information drawn from their message attempting to request access.
Situations where emergency access is provided without Special Collections and Archives staff supervision and without documentation of the individual’s request should be reported by email to the University Archivist, the Special Collections Librarian, the library building manager, and the Dean of the Library. The Dean of the Library should contact the head of the individual’s campus
department (if known), the TUPD officer providing access (if known), TUPD Chief of Police, and a representative in Risk Management.
Security Measures
For the protection of researchers, visitors, staff members, and materials located in the Special Collections and Archives department, the following security procedures are currently in place.
(1) Keypad access through room 207
(2) Video/audio recording equipment at entrances
(3) Video/audio recording equipment at designated locations in the department
Internal Procedure: Video/audio recordings of Special Collections and Archives department interiors should be preserved for 30 days. Appropriate signage at entrances should notify visitors that video/audio security measures are in place.