In-person appointments

Special Collections & Archives (SCA) is pleased to offer limited in-person access to our collections. This service is for Waterloo students, faculty, and post doctoral fellows for requests that support teaching, learning, and research. Access will be by appointment only and drop-in visits are not allowed. This service is not available to researchers external to the University at this time.

A maximum of three appointments are available in three-hour blocks on the following days:

• Wednesday 9:00 – 12:00
• Thursday 9:00 – 12:00
• Friday 9:00 – 12:00
• Friday 13:00 – 16:00

In order to keep visitors and staff safe, we ask for the following rules to be followed:

• Please wait to travel to the Library until you have received an email confirming your appointment
• SCA will confirm your appointment via email and will advise you of the time to arrive for your appointment
• Please cancel or reschedule your appointment by emailing archives.booking@library.uwaterloo.ca  if you are feeling unwell
• On arrival, please come to the main entrance of Dana Porter Library
• As the exterior doors to Dana Porter Library will be locked, we ask that you call 519-888-4567 ext. 42445 or ext.47092 when you arrive
• SCA staff will meet you at the entrance of the Library, check your WatCard through the door, and bring you into the building
• Visitors and staff are asked to adhere to social distancing protocols during all in-person interactions
• Visitors are asked to wear a mask/cloth face covering at all times in our building. Staff will be doing the same
• Please either wash your hands thoroughly after arriving using the First Floor public washrooms, or use hand sanitizer provided
• Lockers are provided for your personal items as directed by staff. Lockers will be cleaned after use
• Visitors will be provided with nitrile gloves to wear whilst handling archival materials and rare books
• Visitors are kindly requested to remain at the desk assigned to them and not walk through the corridor between the front desk and the Reading Room if someone else is there
• Please only bring silenced cell phones, digital cameras, wallets, pencils, notebooks, and laptops or tablets without cases into the reading room. Power cords and headphones for electronic equipment are permitted
• Requests for Reproductions will be handled by staff and if appropriate the forms will be completed via email and the visitor will use their personal electronic device to take a picture for research purposes. If the intent is to publish, staff will advise on the process
• Washrooms are available on the first floor. Visitors are asked to follow social distancing and hand washing protocols
• At the end of the appointment, visitors are advised to wash or sanitize their hands before leaving the Library

Let’s work together for your safety and ours.