How to Access Graphic Arts Materials

General Information

Graphic Arts materials are described in Academy Collections. Many item-level records include an image, which serves as the point of access for general researchers. Direct access to materials is available by appointment only to qualified individuals with a bona fide research need.

Start by searching our holdings in Academy Collections (see Graphic Arts Search Tips). To request access to materials that do not have images associated with them, please use the Selection and Research Request functions to create a list of requested items and begin discussions with department staff on their availability. Include a brief description of your project in the Comments section of the Research Request form. A department staff member will review the items on your list and determine their suitability for access. Many Graphic Arts objects are large and very fragile making them especially difficult to access safely and because of their size, many items are stored off-site and require additional retrieval time for an appointment.

We ask that researchers always use the Selection and Research Request functions in Academy Collections in applying for access to materials. Thank you for your cooperation!
Appointments

The library is open to researchers from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays. Appointments to see Graphic Arts materials must be made at least five business days in advance by contacting the department via e-mail or in person. Advance appointments are always required; Graphic Arts materials are not available on a same-day basis.

Because of space constraints, the number of appointments available each day is limited. For this reason, we recommend that appointments be scheduled as far in advance as possible, and ask that specific times and dates of appointments be observed. If you need to cancel or postpone an appointment, please contact the library by telephone or e-mail as soon as possible. Without notification, all materials will be refiled, and you will have to reschedule your appointment.

Use and Handling of Graphic Arts Materials

Use of all Graphic Arts materials is coordinated by the Special Collections service desk. You must leave your library card at this desk whenever you are working with Graphic Arts materials. All materials must be viewed at designated tables in the Katharine Hepburn Reading Room, and may not be taken into the DeMille Reading Room. Except under special circumstances, only one folder or file of material may be viewed at a time. It is extremely important that each item be handled with care, and that you keep the materials within each folder in order at all times.

Researchers may use pencil and paper, laptop computers or tablets for note-taking when working with Graphic Arts materials. Pens are not allowed under any circumstances. Small hand-held tape recorders are allowed, as long as their use does not disturb other patrons. Scanners and cameras, including digital cameras, are not permitted and photocopy services are not available.

At the end of each research visit, please let the desk staff know if and when you will be returning to do additional research, and whether the materials you have been using should be held for your next visit or refiled. If you would like to request additional Graphic Arts materials, you must contact the Graphic Arts department.

Rights and Permissions

With the exception of Academy Awards or other Academy-related materials, the Academy does not claim legal rights for publication or other types of commercial use or reproduction of materials in its holdings. The library provides reproductions only for the purposes of private study, scholarship, or research. The library reserves the right to refuse any order that it believes would violate copyright law. Patrons are responsible for obtaining necessary rights, licenses, or permissions from the appropriate companies and/or individuals regarding any other uses of reproductions provided by the library.

Although the Graphic Arts department staff will inform you of any restrictions on a given collection, and will offer general guidance relating to questions of ownership or permissions, this is in no way represented as a substitute for legal consultation or research. The question of legal rights is a matter that should be pursued by the researcher with an attorney who specializes in copyright law.