Access to Archives Collections

• The Archives are a non-circulating collection. Materials cannot be checked out of the library.
• Access is available by appointment only with priority given to Chaffey College faculty, staff, and students. Please click on the tab above called "Make a Request or Appointment" and fill out the "Schedule Appointment" form at least 48 hours in advance.
• Members of the public may also use the Archives by filling out the "Item Scan Request" or "Schedule Appointment" forms. Requests are reviewed based on usage reasons.
• Food and drink are strictly prohibited when viewing archival materials.
• Services for individual researchers for conducting extensive research, scanning, or photocopying materials is not available at this time.

Restricted Materials

While most of our collections are open for researchers to view, some material is closed due to legal restrictions, Chaffey College policy, or donor agreements. Chaffey College Library staff handles requests on a case-by-case basis and may check requested materials over for confidential information before allowing a researcher to view them.

Reasons why access to some archival materials is restricted may include:

• Materials coming from Chaffey College offices (e.g. Board of Trustee records)
• Materials that contain sensitive information (e.g. personally identifiable information, medical information of individuals)
• Materials that contain confidential employment information 
• Materials that contain specific restrictions as requested by their donors

Important Note

As a researcher, you agree to not take notes or make copies of confidential or personal identifiable information and to not publish or disclose such information. Be aware that if you make public protected or personal information without the consent of those individuals to which the information pertains, you may be faced with legal action and liability. 

You assume all responsibility for infringement of right to privacy in your use of the material, and agree to indemnify and hold harmless Chaffey College Library, its agents and employees against all claims, demands, costs, and expenses arising out of use of archival collections held by Chaffey College Library.

What To Bring

• Feel free to bring paper and pencils for taking notes. We may provide these materials for you. Pens and any other ink-based writing materials are not permitted.
• You many also bring a laptop, mobile phone, or tablet for note taking or to take reference photos for most materials in our collection. We will let you know if certain materials are restricted.

Copyright

Physical items in the archives' collection are the property of the Chaffey College Library.

Chaffey College may not hold the copyright to all of its archival items.

Unless otherwise stated, the rights of unpublished works lie with the creator during their lifetime and then for 70 years after their death. Donation of items to the Chaffey College Library does not mean that copyright has been transferred from the creator to the college. 

Works that are unpublished and were made by unknown or anonymous creators, and works created by corporate authors have a copyright period of 120 years from the date of creation.

Once these copyright time periods have expired, unpublished works go into the public domain.

Further Reading

Cornell University Library: Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States

Permissions for Reuse

Researchers may make copies of archival items if the purpose falls under fair use, which includes:

• Private study
• Scholarship/education (includes using copies as part of a course)
• Research

If you are interested in making copies of archival items to use in publications or for commercial use, you must get permission from the item/work's copyright holder and/or from Chaffey College. Publications can include:

• Books and articles
• Websites
• Social media
• Exhibits (physical and virtual)

It is your responsibility to contact the copyright holder for permission to use copies of their work.

The researcher assumes full responsibility for following libel and copyright laws.

Chaffey College Library staff has the right to refuse a copy request if we determine the request violates copyright law.

How to Handle Our Archival Materials

In order to prolong the life of Chaffey College Library's archival materials and to prevent accidental damage, we ask that you follow these procedures when handling materials from the collection:

• Make sure you have washed and dried your hands thoroughly before touching archival materials.
• Check that no food and drink are near archival materials.
• Wear archival gloves as provided by Chaffey College Library staff.
• Use only one folder or item at a time.
• Be sure items are fully rested on a clean, flat table surface.
• Do not use your mobile phone, laptops, books, or other heavy materials as book weights.
• Do not rearrange or remove materials in any way.
• Do not mark, takes notes on top of, or trace materials.

A Chaffey College Library staff member, librarian, or student worker will accompany you during your visit to the Archives to help you handle materials from our collection safely.

Statement on Harmful Content

The Chaffey College Library works to describe its collections in a way that is respectful to the individuals and groups who create, use, and are represented within them. However, for many reasons, users may come across offensive or harmful language and/or imagery in the archives' collections and finding aids.

While some descriptions in our finding aids are written by staff, our original materials (especially books, reports, and photograph captions) may reflect language that was used by the people and organizations that created them.

When original items contain offensive language, it is standard archival practice not to change it; this is to completely represent the items as they were originally created, as they are historical and reflect the viewpoints of their creators and the society in which it was created. As such, archival items' original language are transcribed in our finding aids. However, Chaffey College Library staff will include additional context in the item's entry in its finding aid when necessary. 

When we see problematic language that we believe a staff member created in our finding aids, we amend the wording. 

Chaffey College Library does not support any harmful or offensive historical viewpoints made in its archival collections.

Please contact us if you come across problematic descriptions by emailing Michelle Sanchez at  michelle.sanchez@chaffey.edu. Staff will review the flagged description and make revisions as needed.

Acknowledgements

This statement was adapted from similar statements by Caldwell University Archives, the Huntington Library, and Princeton University Library.

Know exactly what item you want?

If you know what item from the Chaffey College Archives you want and you would like a scan of it sent to you via email or physical mail, you can fill out our Archives Item Scan Request form.

Please allow up to 48 hours processing time on business days (Mondays through Fridays).

Need to perform in-person research?

If you have a vague idea of the topic you are interested in and would like to perform research, you can request an in-person appointment to visit the Chaffey College Archives. Please fill out the Archives Appointment form below by clicking on the "Schedule Appointment" button.

Schedule Appointment