W. Bruce Fye History of Medicine Library: Handling guidelines

For security purposes, please check in your coat, briefcase, or book bag upon entering the W. Bruce Fye History of Medicine Library.

Food and beverages are not allowed in this area.  Break rooms and vending machines are available on Plummer 14, 3 and 11.

Make sure your hands are clean and free of lotion.  

Handle all materials—and especially those that are large, uniquely bound (e.g., vellum bound), fragile, or in need of repair—with extreme care.

Limit the number of volumes you use at one time and do not stack them on top of one another.  Most of our materials are non-circulating and must remain in the reading room area.

Use a pencil—never an ink pen—when working with our materials.  Take care not to write or trace on paper laid over the materials, whether opened or closed.

Refrain from underlining, making marginal notes, or attaching Post-it notes, paper clips, or rubber bands to any of our materials.

Use a flat, acid-free paper bookmark to save your place in a book.  In items that may scratch, chip, or flake, use a tissue paper bookmark.  Both are available in the study table drawers.

Request a book cradle to support the case and text block of a large or tightly bound volume and use appropriate book weights to lightly hold open a page.

Please bring to our attention damaged materials, uncut pages, and other conservation needs.  Do not attempt any repairs yourself.

Photocopying is limited and at the discretion of the W. Bruce Fye History of Medicine Library Coordinator.  Photographs are allowed  using no flash.  Professional photographs can be arranged with in house photographers. 

Thank you for helping us preserve the collection for future researchers.  We appreciate your cooperation and hope you will find your visit enjoyable.

With special thanks to Jean McDowall, M.L.I.S., Preservation Librarian