General Provisions

Special Collections of Riley-Hickingbotham Library of Ouachita Baptist University is the institution’s official archives, responsible for collecting, preserving and providing access to collections of unique materials which require special care. It also serves as the official repository for the Clark County Historical Association and the Arkansas Baptist State Convention. All three major divisions contain resources concerning persons and events significant to that entity’s past. To ensure the preservation of those materials, Special Collections never loans materials to anyone for any reason.

Access to Materials.  Access is generally granted to anyone with a legitimate claim to use material for scholarly or other responsible purposes, but no material from any collection will be made available to a user until the prescribed application form has been completed, signed and approved.  Special Collections materials may not be browsed. Researchers are encouraged to consult any available finding aids and the Archivist before undertaking research in the Library's collections. Access to an excessive quantity of material is not permitted.

Use of Material for Publication.  Researchers assume all responsibility for abiding by the provisions of Copyright Law. Neither receiving access to, nor copies of, materials in a collection convey or imply conveyance of the right to publish such materials or to quote extensively from them in publication.  Researchers planning publication who are not familiar with statutory and common law literary property rights and other legal aspects involved in quoting from or reproducing the contents of unpublished material are advised to consult with an attorney.

Citing of Collections.  Any work based on research in one or more of the Library's manuscript collections must properly cite the source or sources used, naming the collection as well as Special Collections, Riley-Hickingbotham Library, Ouachita Baptist University. Submission of one copy of each publication which utilizes material from Special Collections is required.

Copying.  Researchers may not electronically scan any item.  Requests for extensive copying cannot be accommodated. In some instances, selected documents from some collections may, depending on a number of considerations, be reproduced for researchers. Requests to copy a limited quantity (not to exceed 50 pages) of specific documents from a particular collection may be presented to the Archivist or deputy, who may approve or deny the request in whole or in part.  Approved copying will be arranged and handled by the staff. Payment for copying must be made in advance unless deferred payment is arranged.

Exceptions.  No exceptions to these policies will be made. Anyone violating Library policies will lose use privileges.


Policy Governing Use of Manuscript Collections

Restrictions.  Access to collections subject to specific restrictions requires prior consultation with the Archivist. Approved access to a specific collection or collections does not convey unlimited access; specific documents may remain restricted.

Security Requirements and Restrictions.  Researchers are only permitted to have a pencil and notepaper or cards and/or a computer on or near the table at which manuscript material is examined. All pens, books, briefcases, handbags, file folders, papers (other than notepaper or cards) and other possessions, including overgarments, carried into the reading room by a researcher must be placed in a designated temporary storage area.  All material from manuscript collections must be handled and used only with the greatest care. Documents must be subjected to a minimum of handling and must at all times, except when filed in shelf container, lie flat on the table at which they are being examined. No marks of any kind are to be made on the face or verso of any document, and no document is to be creased or folded in any manner other than that in which it is normally shelved. Access may be limited to transcripts, microform, or photocopies only of especially fragile or valuable documents where such transcripts or photocopies are, or can be made, available, and where their use is, in the opinion of staff personnel, sufficient for the researcher's purpose.  Staff personnel will at all times oversee researcher's use of manuscript materials. Materials may be subject to checking by a staff member and before leaving the reading room, researchers may be asked to submit notes and other papers for examination.

Quantities of Material.  Staff members will provide only a limited number of folders or single documents, to a maximum of one shelf container, for a researcher at a time. When the researcher has finished with those materials, a staff member will replace them with additional materials as requested.  Researchers are required to preserve the exact order of all documents in each folder or container made available to them.

Use of Material for Publication.  In many cases, the university Library's rights to material in its manuscript collections extends only to the physical documents, and not to the contents of the documents. In all cases, the literary rights to incoming correspondence in a collection, or to any document not written or produced by the creator of the collection, remain the property of the original author or producer or his heirs or assignees. The Library cannot guarantee publication rights and assumes no responsibility for a researcher's use or misuse of the contents of documents made available to or copied for him under terms of its established policies governing access to its collections.

Policy Governing Use of Photographic Materials

Special Collections of Riley-Hickingbotham Library of Ouachita Baptist University is the institution’s official archives, responsible for collecting, preserving, and providing access to collections of unique materials which require special care.  As such, it serves as the official repository for the Clark County Historical Association and the Arkansas Baptist State Convention.  All three major divisions contain photographic/visual representations of persons and events significant to that agency’s past.  To ensure the preservation of those materials, The Library never loans its photographs/visuals for any reason.

Copies of photographs/visuals are available from The Library.  Patrons may order copies by completing a photograph reproduction form and returning it along with payment for the total cost.  All fees must be paid before any order can be processed.

All photograph orders will be handled directly by The Library; patrons may not arrange for work to be done by an outside person or agency.

Negatives will not be supplied to patrons.  Patrons may not reproduce photographs/visuals without the express consent of The Library.

Full credit to The Library must be given with photographs used in any published or exhibited form.  Credit must include collection name as well as “Special Collections, Riley-Hickingbotham Library, Ouachita Baptist University.”  Submission of one copy of each publication in which a photograph/visual from The Library appears is required.

No exceptions to these policies will be made.  Anyone violating Library policies will lose use privileges.

The Library reserves the right to refuse to honor requests for photographic reproduction.

Policy Governing Use of Audiovisual Materials

Special Collections contains audio and video tapes of events, and interviews with individuals about events, pertinent to all three of its major divisions. Researchers are required to use transcripts when available for their initial access to audiovisual material.  When researchers are granted access to audio or video tapes, they may only use one at the time and must utilize equipment provided by the Library. Personal recording devices may not be used and should not be present in the research area.  Approved access to specific audiovisual material conveys no publication rights to a researcher. In some instances, copies of audiovisual materials or transcripts may be provided. Such provision is strictly for a researcher’s convenience and conveys no publication rights. Researchers may not make copies of any materials; any approved copying will be done by staff personnel at the researcher’s expense. All attendant fees must be paid prior to any copying unless deferred payment is arranged. Special Collections will not copy an excessive number of audiovisual materials for a researcher.

Contact Us
Jacynda Ammons
OBU Box 3729
Arkadelphia, AR 71998
ammonsj@obu.edu
870.245.5332

SITE INDEX
baptist records
books & rare books
ccha publications
county records
manuscripts
maps
newspapers
oral histories
policies
regional studies
photographs
request forms
contact us