Visitor Information & Research

The Special Collections Department welcomes the use of its collections. In order to best utilize our materials, researchers are asked to call or e-mail before they visit. The department is located on the second floor, room 261 of the S.E. Wimberly Library. For information on research requests, instruction requests, or general help, please contact us at lysca@fau.edu or 561/297-2843 (Please allow 48 hours notice to retrieve requested items and an email confirming your appointment time).

For an extended visit, you may wish to bring a sweater or jacket, as the room temperature is usually quite cool. Parking is more readily available in the afternoons at the metered parking in front of the library or on the first floor of the parking garage on Volusia. Appointments are strongly recommended.

You will not be allowed to have bags, briefcases, purses, portfolios, notebooks, legal pads, pens and other such items while researching. We will provide a secure location nearby for you to leave these items if you have them with you. Laptop computers, PDAs, digital cameras and cell phones may be permitted. Paper and pencils are provided for note-taking, as well as acid-free bookmarks to designate pages you wish copied. Special collections staff will examine the book, papers, etc., and determine whether it can be scanned or photocopied, based on condition. Limited copying will be provided but must comply with all U.S. copyright regulations. Your copies may not be immediately available, depending on staff resources.

Many of our collections have materials in languages other than English, or may use specialized jargon or be handwritten. We do not provide transliteration, translation or transcription services.

Patron Requests

Requests to use special collections materials may be made by phone, email or appointment. If you would like to make a request online, please click here to access our Patron Request Form and fill out the required information. Please allow 48 hours notice to retrieve requested items and an email confirming your appointment time. During your visit, Special Collections staff may require you to provide additional information which allows us to collect basic statistical information about patron affiliations (student, faculty, public researcher, etc.) and keep track of how often certain items are requested. If we find that use is high, we may provide an access copy instead of the original to protect the item from overuse.

Special Collections is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.