Brookline Room Policy

Brookline Room Policy

The Brookline Room Collection contains many rare and irreplacable items relating to the history of Brookline, Massachusetts vital records, city directories and genealogies. In order to protect this important collection, access is carefully monitored with closed circuit TV.

The Brookline Room is designated as aquiet study area. It may not be used for group study or meetings.

Brookline Room materials do not circulate.

Brookline Room Books

Patrons looking for particular items located in the Brookline Room locked cases should request the item at the Reference Desk. Staff will retrieve the items and take an ID until the item is returned to the Reference Desk. All retrieved items must be read at a location designated by the Reference Desk Staff.

Photographs

Patrons interested in the Brookline Photographs should be directed to the blue notebooks at the Reference Desk, marked BROOKLINE PHOTOGRAPH COLLECTION. This set of notebooks contains photocopies of the original photographs along with an information sheet about each photograph. The notebooks are divided by subject and each photograph is identified by its own call number. ID is required and must be left with the Reference Desk Staff.

Patrons may view the original photographs ONLY by requesting them at the Reference Desk. All retrieved items must be viewed at a location designated by the Reference Desk staff.

Patrons may request no more than 5 photographs at a time.

PHOTOCOPYING OF PHOTOGRAPHS IS NOT ALLOWED AT ANY TIME.

If patrons would like a copy of a photograph, guidelines for photograph duplication should be followed.

Brookline Maps

A. Brookline Room Map Case

A list of maps housed in the B.R. Map Case is located at the Reference Desk with the Brookline Information.

Each drawer of the B.R. Map Case contains an inventory list of maps for that particular drawer.

The map case is locked and may only be unlocked by a Reference Librarian. If a patron is interested in a specific map, a staff member will retrieve the map and bring it to the patron in the Reference Room. ID is required and must be left at the Reference Desk.

If a patron is interested in maps of a specific time period, a Reference Librarian will unlock the map case ONE drawer at a time.

The patron will notify the staff member when he/she are through, or, if he/she wish to see the contents of another drawer.

The Reference Librarian will lock ALL drawers when the patron is finished and return the patron’s ID.

THE KEY TO THE MAP CASE IS NEVER GIVEN TO THE PATRON.

Photocopying Maps: Laminated maps may be copied but only if it appears that no damage will be done to the map in the process.

B. Boxed Maps

Maps located in the black boxes may be used by patrons and photocopied.

Brookline Room Pamphlet File

Patrons may copy pamphlets from the folders in the Brookline Room. These items DO NOT circulate.

Microfilm

Located on the Ground Floor near the Information Desk and the Microfilm Reader Printer. Library Use Only.

Miscellaneous

Brookline related audio-visual materials are shelved in the Brookline Room. Access to these materials may be made by Special Charge with the permission of the Brookline Room Librarian or the Reference Supervisor.

Cage Materials

Staff will retrieve any items that have the designation “Cage” in the Call Number. These items may need to be requested up to 48 hours in advance. Cage materials are for use in library only.

ID is required and must be left at the Information Desk. Items must be viewed at the table near the sign up computers.

A limit of 3 items may be requested at one time.

Access to the items is by staff only.

These items should be handled with care.

Voted by the Board of Library Trustees 13 September 2005