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WorldCat UMD Problems Reported: Requesting Items and Location/Availability Information

Request Duplication of Special Collections and University Archives

We provide digitization and duplication services for most special collections and archival material. We provide reference copies at lower resolution or high-quality scans for publication or other reproduction purposes.

Please expect that large copy orders will take additional time and may be completed in stages to accommodate other patron requests.

All orders submitted by a patron during a single research visit will be combined to one order for the purposes of billing. 

We reserve the right to limit the number of copies made due to staffing, the condition of the materials, copyright regulations, privacy rights, donor-imposed restrictions, or other rights related issues. We can provide the following on a monthly basis.

Researcher with camera using archival material in the Maryland Room in Hornbake Library
  • 200 pages of photocopies
  • 20 scanned images or digital items (including requests for existing digital objects) 
  • 3 hours of audio material
  • 10 oversize items

You may use a digital camera or mobile phone to photograph material. Personal scanners are not permitted. Onsite overhead scanners may be used for published material that is in good condition. Archival material may not be scanned using the overhead scanner. Consult staff at the reference desk before scanning material, it may not be possible to scan material if doing so would damage the material (if materials are too fragile or are very large).

Request duplication

  • Locate items in the Archival Collections database
  • Click "Request Box”, located at the top of the record
    • If the "Request Box" option is not available, the collection may be unprocessed
      • Contact us to request material from unprocessed collections
  • Click “Request Box” again to confirm your box selection 
  • Click on the TN to open the request record
  • Select "Clone to Copy" at the top
  • Complete duplication order details
    • Be specific as possible about the materials you would like to have copied
  • Select "Submit Request"
  • Locate items in WorldCatUM or the Classic Catalog
  • Click on "Request from Special Collections" 
  • Select "Switch to Duplication Order" at the top
  • Complete duplication order details
    • Be specific as possible about the materials you would like to have copied
  • Select "Submit Request"
  • Locate items you would like to view in Digital Collections
  • Use the clipping tool to save a copy of the image immediately; the file will save to your computer 
  • To request high resolution copies
  • Complete the duplication form 
    • Provide as much information as possible
  • Click "Submit Request"

Fees and payment

Non-profit and individual use

For international orders, an additional $15 flat shipping rate fee will be charged.

Fee Page count
Free 0-50
$25 51-100
$34 101-150
$46 151-200
$58 201-250
$72 251-300
$86 301-350
$100 351-400
$114 401-450
$128 451-500

We can provide digital surrogates of items in our collections requested by individuals and institutions. The cost of scanning orders is as follows:

  • Images already digitized
    • Free up to 10 images
    • $3 per image for each additional image
  • Images not already digitized (or those requiring a rescan for higher resolution)
    • Free up to 5 images
    • $5.00 per image for each additional image

Scanning orders for oversize or fragile materials that require digital photography may take additional time to complete.

Duplication fees for audio-visual materials reformatted on site cover materials and cost of labor.

  • Up to three hours are free, and the rate thereafter is $25/hour.

For materials that cannot be reformatted on site, special collections staff may coordinate with a university-approved vendor. While vendor fees may vary, they generally start at $75/hour.

Commercial and for-profit orders

For international orders, an additional $15 flat shipping rate fee will be charged.

Fee Page count
$25 1-100
$34 101-150
$46 151-200
$58 201-250
$72 251-300
$86 301-350
$100 351-400
$114 401-450
$128 451-500

We can provide digital surrogates of items in our collections requested by individuals and institutions.

  • Images already digitized
    • $3 per image
  • Images not already digitized (or those requiring a rescan for higher resolution)
    • $5 per image.

Duplication fees for audio-visual materials for commercial/for-profit use, assessed at cost of labor, materials, and/or vendor charges.

  • Free up to 3 hours of labor $35/hour thereafter.

Audio-visual materials that require conservation treatment before reformatting will involve more labor, and therefore incur higher costs.

Rush Orders

Contact us prior to placing a rush order to ensure the order can be completed in the desired timeframe. There is a $50.00 fee for orders needed within 1 to 3 business days. Our standard turnaround time is 10-15 business days.

Payment 

Payment by check or money order is preferred. However, payment by credit card and by bank wire transfer is also possible. There is a $15.00 surcharge for bank wire transfers.

Duplication orders will not be delivered until payment has been received. Checks and money orders should be made payable to the " University of Maryland" and may be hand-delivered or mailed to:

Attn: Curator (please direct your request to the appropriate curator)
Special Collections and University Archives
Hornbake Library
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742

Track an Order

As we process your request you can check your Special Collections Account to see the current status of your order. These statuses include

  • Awaiting Request Processing - Duplication 
    • Your request for a duplication order has been received
  • Awaiting Item Delivery 
    • Your duplication order is being worked on by staff 
  • Item Delivered

Download completed duplication orders

You will receive an email once the order is completed with instructions on how to access your completed order. For digital download orders, sign into your Special Collections Account and click "Delivered Items" in the left-hand side menu to download your files.

Citations, copyright, and permission to publish

When citing materials, researchers should include the following information:

  • a copyright notice (if applicable);
  • acknowledgment of the photographer (if applicable);
  • the title of the collection; and
  • the credit line, "Special Collections and University Archives, University of Maryland Libraries."

For example: May Queen 1969; copyright University of Maryland; Michael Parker, photographer; Adele Stamp Papers; Special Collections and University Archives, University of Maryland Libraries.

Within the finding aid, click the "Cite" button in the upper right hand corner of the screen to generate a citation.

The Libraries generally do not own the copyright to materials in its collection. Unless the University is the owner of the copyright, we cannot give or deny permission to publish or otherwise distribute material in its collections. Transmission or reproduction of protected items beyond what is deemed a fair use of those items under copyright law requires the written permission of the copyright owners. It is the requester's obligation to determine if a particular use is fair and to obtain permission to engage in a use that is not fair. However, the very nature of archival materials sometimes makes it difficult, if not impossible, to determine who is the owner of copyright in such materials and what restrictions on use, if any, apply. The Libraries will furnish information it has, if any, regarding the owner of copyright and restrictions on use for particular material. It cannot and will not make any warranty or representation, express or implied, oral or in writing, that a particular use of archival material is not an infringement of any copyright or property right of any third party. It is entirely the responsibility of the requester to determine and ensure that use of material fully complies with copyright law and other possible restrictions on use.

The Libraries recognize that high-quality reproductions of copyrighted materials are characterized by attributes that make them particularly susceptible to infringing uses. For example, a primary attribute of scanned (digitized) works is the ease and speed with which that scanned material can be reproduced in print or electronic format and distributed or transmitted over networks to great numbers of recipients. Similarly, digital works can be displayed electronically at many locations at once, calling into play the exclusive right of the copyright holder to control public display. Finally, digitized works can be easily manipulated in a computer, by distorting, modifying or deleting content, or copyright ownership and other information, thereby compromising the reliability of the underlying work. 

The Libraries reserve the right to refuse to accept a request to scan material if in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.

Requesters must certify that they have received permission from the copyright holder when appropriate.

The University is not the copyright holder for the majority of materials within Special Collections. As a result, we may only provide copies of our materials to researchers for private study, scholarship, or research, as authorized by U.S. copyright law. If researchers wish to use our materials for other purposes, including publication, they have responsibility to determine if the proposed use qualifies as a “fair use” under current U.S. copyright law, or if the permission of the copyright owner and/or payment of a fee is/are required. Because the University does not hold the copyright in most SCUA materials, SCUA cannot grant any such permission.

Queries regarding permissions, publication rights and copyright status of materials within the collections should be directed to the appropriate curator(s). Users wishing to receive permission to publish materials in which the University of Maryland does own the copyright will need to complete a request to use University copyrighted materials contained in our collections for purposes other than personal research and scholarship. SCUA reserves the right to assess a use fee.

If copies from our holdings have been acquired for publication, broadcast, or other commercial use, the researcher must agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the University of Maryland Libraries and the University of Maryland System, its Board of Regents, the University of Maryland, its officers, employees and agents against all claims, demands, costs, and expenses including all attorney's fees incurred by copyright infringement or any other legal or regulatory course of action arising from the use of the Libraries' Special Collections holdings.

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