New Patron Registration

Welcome to the University of South Florida Tampa Library Special Collections. In order to provide an environment conducive to research, to preserve the collections, and to ensure ongoing access to them, patrons are asked to respect the rules and regulations concerning use of library materials and property. Please read the two documents below and signify your acceptance of these policies and regulations by clicking on the button at the bottom of this page.

Registration as a Special & Digital Collections patron also enables you to request material through Aeon, our automated circulation system.
  • 1. Entering your personal information into this system means that you will not have to supply the information again when making future requests.
  • 2. Having your contact information on file enables Library staff to notify you promptly when materials are available.
  • 3. By specifying a Username and Password of your choosing, you will have secure access to information about your requests.
  • 4. You will be able to review the list of items you have requested in the past.

Policies and Procedures

  • Special Collections welcomes researchers, students, and community users and encourages the use of its collections in a safe, secure, and productive manner. The department has developed the following policies and procedures in concert with best practices developed by ACRL, RBMS, and SAA.
  • 1. All patrons are required to register via Aeon prior to using materials.
  • 2. All materials must be consulted in the reading room. Place requests via an Aeon account or ask the desk attendant for assistance. A staff member will retrieve all items requested; archival collections will be retrieved ten (10) boxes at a time.
  • 3. Appointments are required. We require at least two business days' notice. Some patrons, particularly those traveling some distance or seeking an in-depth research consultation, may benefit with meeting a member of staff. A research consultation request can be made here .
  • 4. Personal belongings, including briefcases, backpacks, purses, and notebooks, must be placed in our onsite locker.
  • 5. Food, drink, and chewing gum are prohibited in the reading room.
  • 6. Patrons may use pencils, laptop computers, or mobile devices to take notes. Pens may not be used. Pencils and paper are available upon request.
  • 7. Patrons are encouraged to wash their hands prior to using rare books and archival materials. Gloves will be provided for handling some photographic materials.
  • 8. Please do not place any items (e.g. writing materials, laptops, note cards, arms, jewelry, archival boxes, etc.) on top of materials. Book supports and snakes are available upon request. Please maintain the original order of manuscript and archival materials and do not remove fasteners.
  • 9. In order to ensure the security and integrity of all collections, Special Collections limits patrons to a single archival box and/or three published works at the work space. Patrons are asked to remove and re-file a single folder at a time from the archival box. Additional materials may be left with the desk attendant for easy access.
  • 10. We offer a variety of options for providing reproductions of our materials. Patrons may take pictures with their personal cameras and cell phones, though the camera's flash may not be used. We also offer a self-service Bookeye scanner, which allows files to be saved to a patron's USB drive or e-mailed directly from the scanner. We no longer provide photocopies.
  • 11. Staff reserves the right to refuse any digital reproduction request for copyright or preservation purposes. Please see below for additional information on copyright.
  • 12. The citation for Special Collections materials is:
    [Item], Special Collections, Tampa Library, University of South Florida.

Copyright and Reproductions

  • Many of the collections and individual items in Special Collections may be protected by copyright law (Title 17, United States Code). Libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction provided that the photocopying or reproduction is not "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research" and if the materials being copied are dated before January 1, 1923. For general information on determining the copyright status of a work, consult the Copyright Spinner or the U.S. Copyright Office.
  • It is the responsibility of the user to observe applicable copyright laws as well as any applicable exemptions. For more information on the fair use and resources for locating U.S. copyright holders, consult Stanford University Library's Copyright & Fair Use. If a researcher makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," that researcher may be liable for copyright infringement.
  • Special & Digital Collections staff cannot offer legal guidance or assistance in obtaining permission to publish copyrighted material; we will, however, be happy to help locate appropriate contact information when possible.
  • Patrons will defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Tampa Library Special & Digital Collections and University of South Florida Libraries, the University of South Florida, its board of regents, its officers, employees, and agents against all claims, demands, costs, and expenses, including attorneys' fees incurred by copyright infringement or any other legal or regulatory cause of action arising from the use of Tampa Library Special & Digital Collections materials.


To print of a copy of the Policies and Procedures and Copyright and Reproductions, please click here.

I have read and I understand "Policies and Procedures" and "Copyright and Reproductions" and agree to abide by their terms and conditions. I also understand that if I do not adhere to these policies, my privileges as a reader may be revoked.