Harry Ransom CenterThe University of Texas at Austin

Using the Ransom Center Collections

The Hazel H. Ransom Reading Room

Location and Hours

The Harry Ransom Center is located on The University of Texas at Austin campus at the northeast corner of Guadalupe and 21st streets (see map). The Hazel H. Ransom Reading Room and David Douglas Duncan-Cain Foundation Photography and Art Viewing Room, located on the second floor, serve readers using manuscripts, rare books, and visual materials (photographs, performing arts, art, and decorative arts/personal effects).

All patrons must register at the reception desk and show a current photo ID (college/university, driver's license, passport, etc.) on arrival. They must also view a brief presentation on using the facility and handling collection materials. In addition, patrons using manuscripts and some visual materials will need to consult with curatorial staff. We may require users of high school age or younger to be accompanied by an adult.

The Reading and Viewing Rooms are normally open Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m.-12 p.m. No material is pulled within thirty minutes of closing time. All materials must be returned to the circulation desk fifteen minutes before closing.

The Reading and Viewing Rooms are closed during intersessions, the third weeks of May and August, and on all University holidays. Patrons outside Austin should confirm current library hours and closings by contacting the Ransom Center.

All materials in the Harry Ransom Center collections are non-circulating. They are housed in closed stacks (except for the reference collection) and will be delivered to your desk in the Reading and Viewing Rooms. Books from the Knopf, Dobie, and Tinker collections and certain materials from the performing arts and art collections require special paging and will be available for use the day after they are requested. Curatorial staff are able to advise you regarding the availability of particular collections.

Classrooms

The Center has three rooms available for class use on the second floor: the Denius Seminar Room (seats 35), the Feldman Seminar Room (seats 20), and the Zarrow Family Visual Materials Seminar Room (seats 20). Use of these rooms is generally limited to college and university classes making use of the Center's collections. Arrangements for the use of the seminar and viewing rooms must be made well in advance; a reservation form and accompanying FAQ is available on this site. Because of heavy demands on staff and classroom space, we are unable to accommodate elementary or high school classes, except for a limited number of Advanced Placement classes, subject to availability and staff approval. As an alternative, the Ransom Center welcomes school tours of its galleries. To schedule a gallery tour, please complete a tour request form or call 512-475-8086. Two to four weeks advance notice is appreciated.

Getting Started

The size of the Center's collections can be overwhelming. For a helpful subject overview of the principal holdings, consult the online Guide to the Collections. You may also wish to browse departmental holdings using the links at the top of this page. The collections pages contain useful information about accessing particular kinds of materials.

Although website searches will often yield useful results, all users should be aware that many important materials are not represented online. We recommend you contact an appropriate staff member to ensure a complete search. Curators and librarians will answer queries as quickly as possible, but please allow up to two weeks for a response because of the heavy volume of inquiries we receive.

Photoduplication Services and Use Fees

Copies (digital formats, photocopies, and photographs) of Ransom Center materials are made exclusively by the Center's staff and at its discretion under the terms of the Ransom Center's Materials Use Policy. Photoduplication requests must be made using the Photoduplication Order Form. Requests for copies may be denied based on the condition of the materials or for copyright reasons, and size limits may be imposed on large orders. A schedule of photoduplication fees is available.

Use fees will generally be assessed for publication of images from the Center's manuscripts, books, and photographs according to a publication fee schedule. We require that users who wish to publish Ransom Center images complete and submit a Notification of Intent to Publish Photographic Images form. Users who wish to publish manuscript material must submit a Notification of Intent to Quote from or Publish Manuscripts form; fees are generally not assessed for quotation of small amounts of material. Fees may be assessed for the use of reproductions of Ransom Center materials in performances, audio and video recordings, and motion pictures, as well as exhibitions. Other fees may apply when the Center is also the copyright holder for the collection.