What are Archives and how is that different from Special Collections?

Archives are records, in any format, that document the history of Brandeis University. Examples include: the Abram L. Sachar papers (first president of Brandeis), the University Photography collection, the Division of Student Life records, and the University Memorabilia collection. Special Collections are rare books, manuscripts and other primary source materials that support research and scholarship, though they may have no direct relationship to the history of Brandeis. Examples include: the Shakespeare first folio, Joseph Heller’s draft manuscript of Catch-22, the Honoré Daumier lithograph collection, and the Louis D. Brandeis papers. The Archives & Special Collections Department is responsible for collecting, preserving and making available these unique, rare, and historically valuable materials for research and educational purposes.

What is a finding aid (or guide)?

A finding aid is a guide to a specific collection of materials. It describes the different parts of the collection and their relationships to one another, and provides a detailed list of the collection’s contents, usually in the form of a folder list. The finding aid enables you to see exactly what items we have and to request them by box number and folder title when you make an appointment.

Our finding aides can be found at http://lts.brandeis.edu/research/archives-speccoll/collections/index.html

or can be searched for at: http://lts.brandeis.edu/research/archives-speccoll/search/specialsearch.html

Do I need an appointment to use the Archives?

Unless you are just stopping by with a call number in your hand, we strongly encourage you to contact us before coming in to do research. This way we can identify what you need and have it ready for you when you arrive. It also gives us a chance to think about your question and possibly identify other less obvious sources of information. You can email us at: ascdepartment@brandeis.edu or call: 781-736-4686. The department is open Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm (closed on holidays).

If I think you have a certain collection, or materials on a particular person or event, how do I find out for sure?

All of our electronic finding aids are indexed by Google; a simple Google search for “Frank Manuel,” for example (using quotation marks), will retrieve a link to the online finding aid to the Frank E. Manuel papers at Brandeis. You may also visit our website and browse our list of collections, or use the Google search box provided on our main page and on internal pages. Feel free to contact us by email or phone to find out if we have useful materials you may not have considered, or even materials for which we have yet to create online finding aids. Or, if you prefer, you may also contact the department to see if we are available to chat with you.

Can I make copies and what do you charge?

We make all photocopies for you with a preservation photocopier. Members of the Brandeis community are charged $.20 per photocopy; non-Brandeis researchers are charged $.25. If your request is small, chances are we’ll be able to photocopy the materials for you right away. Larger requests may take several days to complete. We will also make high-resolution adjusted scans for you at $5 each. All reproductions are for educational or personal use only, and you must agree to comply with copyright law. Personal cameras and scanners may be brought in with permission.

What are those strict rules I have heard about?

We have requirements here that are different from those in the regular library in order to protect our unique, sometimes irreplaceable, items. No food or drinks are allowed in the department. All belongings that you are not using for study must be stored in our coat closet. Pencils or laptop computers are to be used for all note taking—no pens. Cameras and scanners are allowed with permission. All materials must remain in the reading room. We will let you know if particular materials need special handling, but if you notice that an item is fragile please be extra careful. Though it may not be readily apparent, all materials are maintained in a particular order and should be kept that way; folders within boxes and items within folders must not be shuffled.