Architecture - Rare Book Collections

• Hours are 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday - Friday during normal semester business hours. Summer is by appointment only. 
• Access is by appointment only.
• Hands must be washed and free of lotions, hand sanitizer, etc.
• No backpacks, purses, bags, or jackets are allowed in the RRBR.
• No food or beverages are allowed in the RRBR.
• The only materials you may bring into the RRBR are pencils and paper.
• A RRBR Book Request Form must be filled out prior to consulting materials.
• You may not make photocopies or traces of items in the RRBR.
• You may only use items that have been made available to you.

The collection in the Ryan Rare Book Reading Room is accessible by appointment to Notre Dame faculty, Notre Dame students and outside researchers.  For faculty, students and staff, please use the appointment request form below. 

Rare Book Request Form

Access to the Rare Book Storage Room is limited to authorized library personnel only. 

For outside researchers, please contact Jennifer Parker.

 

Only Notre Dame faculty and students who have completed a brief orientation with the Librarian  are allowed to use the RRBR without a library staff member present.

Library staff may admit classes and small tour groups to the RRBR on condition that the staff member is always with the group and that they do not touch or handle any books. Classes and tour groups must schedule an appointment. If the class or tour group wishes to see specific items the Rare Book Request Form must be submitted in advance. For more information and to schedule a tour, please contact Jennifer Parker. 

The Rare Book Request Form identifies all users of the collection, records the date and time of their visit, and which titles they consulted. It is important for security and statistical purposes. Both Notre Dame and outside researchers must fill in this form before consulting books in the collection.

The Ryan Rare Book Room is under video surveillance at all times. No one may bring a coat, briefcase, backpack or other type of bag into the RRBR. These may be left in the lockers provided outside of the RRBR.  

The Ryan Rare Book Room is always locked and only librarian Jennifer Parker may open it for researchers. When library staff are not on duty, student assistants will provide patrons with the online book request form so an appointment can be scheduled.

Staff will retrieve only those books listed on the book request form and have them ready in the RRBR for the requester. Patrons may not browse the collection or help themselves to volumes on booktrucks or shelves. Likewise, they may not reshelve any books.

Patron’s hands must be clean and free of lotions, hand sanitizers, and perfumes.  Use of these items can cause serious damage to the materials.  

All patrons must take notes in pencil. No pens, tracing paper or other writing tools may be used.

Acid-free bookmarks and cloth bookworms are available for marking pages.

Book cradles are available for use with larger books.

None of the books may be photocopied or scanned. In some cases we also have facsimile editions that may be borrowed or copied. Researchers may request to have select pages scanned for their personal use. Some items may be photographed by permission. Please speak with Jennifer Parker for permission and with any questions. 

Citation:

Reproduced from the original held by the Architecture Library of the Hesburgh Libraries, University of Notre Dame. 

Copyright:

Copyright status for collection materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.