Hours & Directions

To make an appointment, please email us at speccoll@gmu.edu. We do not accept walk-ins.

Special Collections Research Center is located on the Fairfax Campus of George Mason University in the Fenwick Library in room 2400 (second floor).

Access Policies

• Appointments must be made at least 24 hours in advance and are dependent on staff availability and the number of other appointments scheduled.
• No-show appointments (after 30 minutes without notice) will be canceled.
• Researchers can request up to 10 boxes per appointment. No other materials can be pulled during the appointment due to staff availability. 
• All researchers must complete a Researcher Registration Agreement prior to using the collections.
• Researchers agree to handle all library collections gently and carefully and to keep loose documents in the order they are found.
• Researchers may not under any circumstances remove collection materials from the Reading Room.
• All food and beverages (including water bottles) are prohibited in the Reading Room.
• Only pencils may be used in the Reading Room.
• Laptops are permitted, but personal scanners are not allowed. Permission to use digital cameras or cell phones to take pictures will be granted on a case-by-case basis and require the completion of our terms of use .. Restricted items, such as those containing third party personal information, can be viewed in the Reading Room but are not permitted to be photographed.
• Per the Mason Face Covering policy, masks are not required in our Reading Room. When making an appointment, keep in mind there may be other patrons in the Reading Room with or without a mask.
• Please refrain from talking on your cell phone in the Reading Room.
• Researchers may mark pages to be photocopied with paper strips provided by staff. Please do not remove the materials from their folders.
• Special Collections Research Center staff will examine laptops, notes, and other items when researchers exit the reading room.

*Policies, procedures, and available services are subject to change at any point during the semester, based on university and library operations status, state guideline updates, and SCRC staff availability.

Use Policies

• All photocopying and scanning of materials is done by Special Collections Research Center staff.
• Some materials may not be available for duplication or publication due to donor restrictions, privacy restrictions, preservation issues, or copyright. Assessments will be made by Special Collections staff.
• Due to preservation issues, we typically cannot fulfill reproduction requests for bound items.
• Large reproduction requests may be denied or split over months.
• Researchers planning to publish works that are either: 1) not in the public domain or 2) for which copyright is not held by George Mason University Libraries, will need to seek permission from the copyright holder.
• A Reproduction Request form is required for all duplicated materials used in published works in print, web, or video.
• All Special Collections Research Center materials are subject to copyright law.
• On-demand photocopying services are unavailable. Turnaround time varies depending on staff availability. Allow 10 working days for all document reproduction requests. Special Collections staff will give you an estimate at the time of request for larger requests or if there is a high volume of requests if it will require more than 10 days. All reproduction requests are fulfilled after we receive payment.
• Final Document Request Forms must be submitted 30 minutes before closing.

Rush Orders: Orders requested in fewer than 3 business days after payment are considered rush orders and will incur a fee (50% of the total cost of the order, excluding shipping). The availability of rush services must be confirmed prior to the placement of a rush order. The turnaround time for larger orders cannot be guaranteed. Rush orders are accepted at the discretion of Special Collections Research Center staff.

George Mason University Users:
Photocopies and/or digital images for patron with a valid Mason ID and for RESEARCH PURPOSES* ONLY:

Non-George Mason University Users:
Photocopies and/or digital images for RESEARCH PURPOSES* ONLY:

Shipping and Handling:

 “Research Purposes”  or "fair use," is the doctrine embodied in the Fair-Use Statute Section 107 of the 1976 Copyright Act (http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap1.html#107) which allows reproduction and other uses of copyrighted works under certain conditions for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship or research for educational and research purposes. *Additional charges for commercial use may be applicable.

Prices are subject to change without notice.

Payment
Payment in advance is required for duplication requests. We now accept credit card payments online and MasonMoney. Special Collections Research Center accepts checks and money orders. Checks and money orders can be made out to:

GMU Libraries – Special Collections Research Center

* Please use black ink when using checks that have background images.

Citation and Publication
Permission given by Special Collections Research Center for the use of its materials is for one time only and the following citation is required:

Title of collection, Collection number, Box Number, Folder Number, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.

Citation examples available online.