Visit

The WVRHC is open to the public and welcomes all who have an interest in consulting the Center's resources. Unable to visit? Read about our remote reference service to see if we might be able to assist you.

Appointments

• Appointments are not necessary for our extensive microfilm and reference collections

• Appointments are required for the following:
• Archives & Manuscripts
• Rare Books
• Folk Music
• Oral History
• Printed Ephemera
• Physical newspapers

• Appointments must be made 2 business days in advance, but we will accommodate walk-in patrons as space allows. Some collections are held off-site and require at least 24 hours notice to be brought to the WVRHC
• Our materials do not circulate, so they cannot be taken out of the WVRHC

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Preparing for Your Visit

• Determine what materials you’ll want to use during your visit

• Book appointment
• To book an appointment, first fill out our Patron Registration form, if you have not registered before. This form will also allow you to take photos of many of our paged collections. Then, select an open date and time in the seat booking system below -- be sure to click "Submit Times" at the bottom of the page. While you will receive an automatic reply saying that your appointment request has been submitted, your booking will not be set until you've received an email from our reference staff. Read more about our new appointments policy on the seat booking page.
• Please indicate what materials you’re requesting on the booking form. If you need help determining what you need, please indicate that on the form or reach out to our reference staff
  
  
  Schedule Appointment
• Some collections contain restricted material and require a separate use form for access. If you will be using one of these collections, our reference staff will have a form ready for you to fill out at the start of your appointment. 
• Familiarize yourself with our policies
• Duplication of Materials 
• Permissions and Copyright 
• First time doing archival research? Learn more about the process on our  Introduction to Primary Source Research guide

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During Your Visit

• All visitors need to sign in upon arrival and out at the end of their visit
• There are special rules to follow if you want to use paged material. Please familiarize yourself with our Access Policy in advance of your visit.
• Should you need additional materials or if you are a walk-in appointment, you'll use the yellow slips to request materials. Please fill out a yellow call slip for each collection or item you'd like to use. Call slips can be found on the Reference Desk in the main reading room and in the Manuscripts Room. Please give your call slip to a staff member, and it will be pulled in the next round of paging.
• Paging 
• Materials that require paging include: Archives & Manuscript collections, oral histories, folk music, printed ephemera, and physical newspapers. 
• Need a break? There are vending machines on the lower level of the library by the back elevator and a water fountain located by the front elevator on every floor. Remember, food and drink is not permitted in the WVRHC, so enjoy your snack before you return!
• Bathrooms: There is a men’s bathroom and women’s bathroom on the 6th floor and a Gender-inclusive restroom on the 2nd floor.
• If you have a question, ask! We have a variety of staff and subject experts here to help you.


If you have any questions about visiting the WVRHC, please contact our reference staff