Use of the Prints & Photographs Reading Room by Children
Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress,
Washington, D.C., 20540-4730
Children as Researchers
The Library of Congress does not, in general,
allow children under the age of 16 to
use the Library's collections. Public notice
of this policy is given on the Library's web
site (http://www.loc.gov/rr/security/readerreg.html).
Anyone over the age of fifteen with
appropriate photo-identification may apply
for a Reader Identification card; a written
introduction is not required. High school
students who are fifteen
or younger will
be allowed to use the Library if they meet
all three of the following conditions:
- They have exhausted all local school, public, and university
library resources and have identified specific materials available
only at the Library of Congress. This can be determined by consulting
a local librarian, and searching the Library of Congress Web Site
and Catalog (http://www.loc.gov/catalog/)
- They have a letter from their principal
describing in detail their project and
the specific materials they need to use.
However, having a principal's letter does
not guarantee the student access to the
Library.
- They are interviewed by a reference librarian,
who makes the final determination as to
whether or not the student's project requires
use of the Library's collections.
In virtually all cases, high school projects
can be completed using local libraries or
interlibrary loan; the Library of Congress
encourages high school students to use these
resources in their research.
Students with
the above cited letter from their principal
will be interviewed by a reference librarian
who will determine if the student needs to
use the collections, and, if so, how he/she
can be best served. If the librarian decides
that use of the Reading Room is warranted,
he/she will complete a form entitled "High School Student Reading Room Authorization" (form
1657). The student will take the form to the Reader Registration Center
where he/she will receive a User Card which is valid only for the dates
the librarian noted on the form. The student will then return to P&P
to do his/her research.
The information on the LC web site does not address the question of
research by children younger than high school age. P&P will treat
such children the same as does those of high school age.
Children Accompanying Adult Researchers
The Library does not have a uniform policy on whether children may
accompany adult researchers as they conduct their research, allowing
practices to vary from reading room to reading room according to the
needs of the given reading room.
The Prints & Photographs Reading Room is the only Reading Room
in the Library which houses original materials in file cabinets on the
reading room floor. Patrons entering the room have direct access to all
material in the room, including the many originals stored in the file
cabinets. This immediate access is a great boon to researchers but does
require the Division to be especially mindful of the preservation and
security needs of the material in these files. Our experience has shown
that it is not reasonable to expect children to use P&P collections
with the necessary care. Even a napping child can awaken quickly and
inadvertently damage material in his/her reach. In addition to these
concerns about the preservation of our collections, we are also concerned
about the children's safety, as our furnishings are not designed for
their use. In general, therefore, children will not be allowed to accompany
adults as they actually conduct their research in this Division.
We understand that this may impose hardships on some parents, and we
restrict access by children only as a measure of protecting our valuable
original collections. Children are welcome to the visit the Library's
public facilities (such as the cafeteria or slide show) while their parents
are using this reading room, or wait quietly in the Reading Room entry.
Prepared by: Prints and Photographs
Division, last revised April, 2008.
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