About the Museum's Library
Located at 100 North Street in St. Michaels, the Museum's Library is primarily a research library for scholars and researchers of maritime history and related fields. Although that is its principal function, the library's doors are open to both members and non-members of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum who have a serious interest in maritime history. But because of the rarity of the collection, the library's collection does not circulate and is not available through interlibrary loan.

The library is open by appointment only. All visitors wishing assistance from the curator are advised to call ahead before planning to use the library. All visitors are required to sign in at the visitor's log.

Highlights of the Collection
One of the more outstanding collections in the Museum's library is the Robert G. Henry Jr. Collection, containing photographs, original design drawings, and records from a 1940s yacht designer and boat yard manager who contributed to wartime and postwar boatbuilding.

Research Requests
All research requests pertaining to personal use must be in writing and accompanied by a $25 research fee. (Museum members receive a discounted price of $20) You may pay by credit card by calling 410-745-2916 ext. 235 or mail your inquiry accompanied by a check to Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, P.O. Box 636, St. Michaels, MD 21663. Please allow approximately four to six (4 - 6) weeks for a response to a research request, as they are processed in a first-come, first-served order. Rush orders can be arranged for a fee.

For questions regarding research, the Library, or the Museum's collections, send your e-mail to library@cbmm.org.

Commercial clients* who require image research and/or need to license images must contact the Museum to quote current rates at library@cbmm.org. Research requests that do not seek images will be charged at $25 per request for up to thirty minutes. For requests requiring more extensive searches, please contact the Museum library.

*A commercial client is a company, person or persons that will use requested materials for any form of publication including printed pieces, CDs or DVDs, film or documentaries, online use, or in any project where Museum images or objects will be used for anything other than personal interest.

Library Use and Circulation
The Research Library and Archives are open to the public free of charge. Materials do not circulate and books are not available through interlibrary loan. Most stacks are open for public search and browsing, and staff members will readily assist visitors with their requests. Photocopies of materials are available for a fee ($.10 per page members, $.25 per page non members), and photographic services are available (see rates quoted under Photographs on this web page). Research requests made in writing are welcome and should be accompanied by the basic research fee of $25; extensive research can be arranged through Museum staff.

Books
The library's nearly 9,800 volumes relate to maritime and naval history, Maryland and Virginia state and local history, exploration and sea travel, regional maritime fiction, waterfowl hunting, marine engineering, navigation and seamanship, boat and ship design and construction, and yachting and recreational boating. Materials from books may be photocopied at 10 cents per sheet for members, 25 cents for non-members.

Periodicals
The library maintains an estimated 117 regional and maritime periodicals including an almost complete set of Rudder. Materials from periodicals may be photocopied for 10 cents per sheet for members, 25 cents for non-members.

The Weather Gauge
The Museum's scholarly journal, The Weather Gauge, full of originally researched articles exploring various aspects of Chesapeake Bay history. For an index of previously published Weather Gauge articles click here.

Book Reviews
Index of book reviews previously published in The Weather Gauge.

Ships' Plans
The library's nearly 1,000 boat and ship plans detail the construction of modern pleasure craft, schooners, steamboats and other vessels on the Chesapeake. Cataloged on dbase III+, they can be searched by boat type, boat name, designer, draftsman, and other defining features. dbase III+ is not available on the Internet and can only be searched by Museum staff. Copies of most ships' plans can be made.

Manuscripts
The 89 manuscript collections of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum consist of business records, personal papers, drawings and photographs which document various facets of the history of the Chesapeake Bay region and in particular the Eastern Shore. These collections are useful for historical research, to aid in the interpretation of the museum's collections, and to provide background information on some individual objects in the collections.

This guide provides access to the manuscript collections by subject matter, personal name, or collection number and provides short descriptions of the individual collections. More detailed descriptions and folder lists of the contents may be found in individual finding aids, which are by collection number in the manuscript collection notebook. For a listing of the Museum's manuscripts, click here.

Oral History Tapes
150 taped oral histories.

Photographs
The library houses some 2.500 historic and contemporary photographs including works by such noted photographers as Hollerith, Larrabee, Walsh, and Chapelle himself. Copies may be made of any photos in the collection to which the Museum owns or claims the copyright. Reproduction services are conducted out-of-house and usually take 14 days. When no copy negatives exist, one will be made at the cost of $10 per negative. The negative remains the property of CBMM. All prints are made in black and white on glossy paper unless otherwise specified. A $75 fee must be paid for copies made for publications and need to be accompanied by a completed Photo Release form. All prints made for patrons are labeled on the back as CBMM property (rubber stamp) and with the photo accession number. There are many prints in the collection to which the Museum does not own the copyright. Indications of other copyright holders may be found on the back of the prints and in the database. For these images, it is the responsibility of the researcher to contact the appropriate institution for reproductions.

Reproduction Rates*
Black and White Prints (glossy or matte available)
• 4 x 5 $10 each
• 5 x 7 $15 each
• 8 x 10 $20 each
• 11 x 14 $35 each
• 16 x 20 $50 each

Color Prints*
• 5 x 7 $20 each
• 8 x 10 $25 each
• 11 x 14 $35 each

JPEG or TIFF scans of collection images
$20 per image to scan and send by email
$5 additional to burn to CD

Copy Negatives
Not for sale. Charge applied when copy negative must be made to produce print.
$10 each

Blue Line Prints - Scans*
(Ships plans and other large line prints)
First page $30
Additional pages $20 each

Color Transparencies & Slides*
$20 each

Reproduction & Publication Fees
(One-time North American reproduction rights)
Commercial $75 per image
Non-profit $25 per image

Photocopies
Black & white, produced on-site.
Members $0.10 per page
Non-members $0.25 per page

Shipping charges:
$5


*Maryland-based businesses and state residents must add 5% sales tax. Tax exempt number required to waive.

For more information about reproduction fees or obtaining a print, slide or transparency from the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, send e-mail to library@cbmm.org or please call (410) 745-2916 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Images and text may not be reproduced in any form without the express permission of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, St. Michaels, Maryland 21663.

HOME | ABOUT US | WHAT TO SEE & DO | VISITOR INFO | EDUCATION & OUTREACH
MEMBERS & SUPPORTERS| NEWS & MEDIA | Copyright 2003, The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum.