User agreement

Terms and conditions

Your user card:

• allows you to consult published and archival materials
• is valid for two years
• may be revoked by Library and Archives Canada (LAC) if the conditions of this agreement are not respected
• must be worn and kept it visible at all times inside the research facilities at LAC

Please report the loss or theft of your user card immediately to LAC.

Use of LAC facilities

If an alarm bell rings

• Evacuate the building immediately using the stairs, not the elevator.
• Once outside, gather at one of the assembly points to the East or West side of the building.
• Follow the instructions of personnel or the emergency staff at all times.

Accessing the building

• Sign in and out at the Commissionaires’ desk each time you enter and exit the building.
• If you received a key, it must remain in the facility.
• Public spaces and research facilities are under video surveillance.
• Keep your footwear on at all times.
• Users must leave all personal belongings in the ground-floor cloakroom or lockers. This includes:
  • briefcases
  • dictaphones
  • food and beverages
  • umbrellas
  • outerwear
  • any other items that LAC deems harmful to the collection material or the facilities, or that could be a distraction to others. Users will be notified by a commissionaire in this case
• Users may bring the following items into the research facilities:
  • one bag (no larger than 25 cm x 25 cm x 30 cm)
  • a laptop
  • a camera or cellphone
  • a pre-approved scanner (contact Consultation Services for a list of approved scanners)
  • research material (for example: notepad, pencil, etc.)
• You may pick up plastic bags for carrying these items at the Commissionaires' desk.
• Commissionaires will check the contents of all bags and materials you bring into the research facilities.
• LAC is not responsible for the loss, damage or theft of personal effects belonging to users.

Code of conduct in the research areas

• Users must silence their phones and avoid phone call conversations.
• Access to the staff areas or offices is prohibited. To request permission to access these areas, you will need to make special arrangements and be escorted a staff member.
• Users must conduct themselves in a respectful and appropriate manner that does not disturb other researchers and staff. We will not tolerate loud, threatening, disrespectful or abusive language or behaviour.
• LAC facilities are a scent-free.
• When accessing the Internet, you may not:
  • play computer games
  • download software
  • send, receive, or display text or graphics that are illegal, obscene or offensive

Care of LAC collections

The holdings of LAC are unique and often fragile. We must preserve them for future generations.

Users are responsible for all collection material loaned to them. Do not leave any material unattended.

Users may not remove material from the reference or consultation rooms unless authorized by staff. Make sure to return all material to the Consultation Desk when leaving the Consultation Room. Some collection material may be stored in lockers on the third floor.

Unauthorized removal of material from the premises or damage to material may result in sanctions under Canada's Criminal Code. LAC reserves the right to impose limits on the amount of material you can sign out at any one time.

Users must handle documents as little as possible and with extreme care. Hands must be clean and free of hand lotion or cream before you handle collection material. Some documents may be in poor condition. On rare occasions, documents may contain mould. Please notify staff immediately of any such problems.

It is important to keep archival documents in the order in which you receive them.

Document care

• Work with one file at a time.
• Mark a page or file place by using paper flags provided by staff.
• Use paper flags to mark pages for copying.
• Realign documents in the file folders before returning the material to its container by hand and without tapping folders on the table.
• Keep documents in protective sleeves.
• Keep the lids of boxes closed to avoid light damage to the documents contained inside.
• Do not stack or overlap documents and do not lean on them.
• Do not press down on documents and bound materials.
• Staff will provide special mounts to consult and photograph documents.
• Use pencil when working in all consultation spaces. Pens, felt-tip markers and adhesive labels are forbidden.
• Do not annotate, mark, tear, fold or damage collection material.
• Do not remove paper clips, staples, pins, string and any other fasteners.
• Take special care when handling specialized collection material such as:
  • photographs
  • maps
  • fragile items

Our staff will let you know of other procedures specific to the collection.

Reproduction of LAC collections

Three types of access and copying restrictions may apply to the holdings of LAC:

• legislative
• contractual
• institutional

Users must respect all three.

Users agree that they will not use LAC collections in a way that infringes the rights of others. You assume liability for the use of a copy. LAC accepts no responsibility for unauthorized use of collection material by users.

Reproductions made by the user will not be represented as an official version of the documents or as having been made in affiliation with, or with the endorsement of, LAC.

LAC provides self-serve photocopiers. You may only copy published material such as books, magazines and journals. The terms of using of the photocopiers are posted at the photocopying station and include a licence from Access Copyright. Please note that due to copyright restrictions, only 10% of any published work can be copied.

For preservation reasons, users are forbidden from copying archival documents (those contained in cardboard boxes).

LAC provides self-serve microform printers and microform scanners for use by researchers. You can only use these machines to make copies of unrestricted collection material. You will require a USB key to save your copies.

In the research facilities, you may take photos of the collection material to create copies. Users must first complete a Self-Serve Photography Application and receive authorization from staff. You must place the application on the table you are using so that it is clearly visible to staff and commissionaires.

Authorizations may only be granted during service and opening hours.

The source of the material and its reference number should always accompany the copy. We will provide a template so that you can capture the source of the material and its reference number in the reproduction.

You must attach your camera or cellphone to a neck or wrist strap while photographing images. Users must not:

• stand on tables or chairs to capture a photo
• place collection material on the floor
• place tripods on top of documents
• obstruct aisles in the research facilities with photographic equipment, especially tripods

LAC forbids using any equipment that can have negative effects on the preservation of documents. This includes, but is not limited to, flash photography and scanners. LAC reserves the right to refuse the use of any device deemed unsuitable. Staff will inspect photographic equipment for its suitability.

We value everyone’s privacy, so you may not photograph anyone without their express permission. You also may not photograph our research and exhibition facilities without our express permission.