Policies & Procedures

The Historical Society of Rockland County is the principal repository for original artifacts and documents relating to Rockland County and the Lower Hudson Valley. The collections exist to document, preserve, research and interpret the history of the inhabitants of Rockland County and Lower Hudson Valley History.

Please email Joanne Potanovic for more information &/or to schedule an appointment at:  info@rocklandhistory.org  . Please include in your e-mail the nature of your research request and any additional information you may have to help our research assistant(s) gather the appropriate materials.

For on site research:

• Appointments are required for on-site research.
• To allow time for research assistants to gather the appropriate materials, appointments should be made one to two weeks in advance.
• Most research appointments will be made for Wednesday, Thursday or Friday mornings between the hours of 10:00 am and noon.

Obtaining Materials

1. Each researcher shall complete the Special Collections Request form.
2. Research materials may not be borrowed or removed from the Historical Society of Rockland County.
3. Researchers must request materials by filling out the Request form in advance of visit, to give time to have requested materials available.
4. Materials will not leave the designated area (e.g. Library).
5. Researchers will not be allowed into the collection storage area unless accompanied by the Curator of Collections.
6. The researcher is responsible for returning all material to a staff member.
7. The Historical Society reserves the right to check and inspect all bags, purses, briefcases, portfolios, etc.

Handling Materials

1. Only pencils may be used. There is NO writing on any piece of the collection including research materials. Paper will be provided to take notes, photocopies are available at a nominal fee.
2. No smoking, eating (including candy or gum), and drinking is allowed in the research areas.
3. All materials will be handled with extreme care. If you have questions how to handle a piece, please ask before touching.
4. The curator or assistant will give an overview on handling objects in our collection. White cotton gloves or latex gloves will be provided if necessary.
5. The Historical Society reserves the right to refuse or maintain limited access to any piece in our collection at the discretion of the Curator of Collections.
6. Please keep materials, objects, etc in the order in which you found them. If you have questions, please ask.

Reproduction

1. Materials may be duplicated if it does not injure the materials and does not violate donor agreements or copyright restrictions. Please see staff regarding restrictions and fees.
2. All duplication of materials, whether by photocopying, photography, or other means, must be completed by Historical Society staff only. Researchers may not use their own cameras, scanners, or other duplicating equipment except by written permission, given in advance.

Restrictions on Use

The use of material may be restricted by law or by the donor. The Historical Society of Rockland County may also restrict access to materials, which are not arranged, are being catalogued, or are in fragile condition. In some cases, copies may be substituted for the originals.

Research Requests

The Historical Society of Rockland County can accommodate both onsite research as well as requests via telephone, mail and email. This is a fee based service at $20 per hour for non-members, $10 for members. Copies of materials are an additional $0.25 per page for non-members, $0.10 for members. Responses sent via USPS will have applicable fees apply. Please allow two weeks for requests to be completed. If we cannot fulfill your request, we will try to direct you to the appropriate source, free of charge.

Photographic Reproduction Services

The Historical Society of Rockland County will fulfill requests for reproduction of photographic images for personal, publication, and display use. Please see the fee charges below.

All photographic orders must consist of the following:

1. Letter of request which includes a description of the project including the title, publisher, dates of publication or use, number of copies when appropriate, how and where the images will appear, the type and nature of the publication, and when you need the materials and in what format.
2. A signed copy of the Rights and Permissions Policy, available from the Historical Society of Rockland County.
3. Payment by check, money order or credit card in advance.
4. Please allow 3-4 weeks for processing.

Item	Standard Fee	Member Fee
Letter/legal photocopy (B&W)	$0.25	$0.10
11 x 17 photocopy (B&W)	$0.50	$0.30
Color photocopy of image	$1.50	$0.75
8 x 10 glossy photo*	$25.00	$15.00
Shipping	Cost	Cost

• These prices are for personal use only.
• Publication use may require additional fees.
• For special projects and/or for educational use, please consult the Historical Society of Rockland County as different fees may apply.

Please email our research library at info@rocklandhistory.org.

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