Reading Room Hours and Use Rules

Hours of Operation

Regular hours of visitation for the public Reading Room are Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Archives Library is closed to the public on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Our archivists provide telephone reference services on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon at 614-297-2510.

Most of the items in our collection are kept in a storage area onsite, but not accessible to the public. We page items from the storage area and make them available to be viewed in the library's Reading Room. Our staff stops retrieving items from the storage area 45 minutes before closing.

The Archives/Library's Reading Room is closed to the public on Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. Additional holiday hours that may affect business operation will be posted. For more information about hours of operation, please contact the library by telephone at 614-297-2510 or by e-mail.

When visiting, please register at the Ohio History Store front desk as you enter the Ohio Historical Center before proceeding to the Reading Room on the third floor. As always, there is no admission charge for visiting the Archives/Library. However, please indicate that you only will be visiting the Archives/Library in order to avoid being charged the price of admission to the museum.

Membership to the Ohio Historical Society helps fund all services provided by our organization, but there is no obligation to be a member when visiting the Archives/Library. If you are interested in membership, please click here for information about becoming a member of the Ohio Historical Society.

Ohio Historical Society Library Use Rules

1. Visitors to the Research Rooms must complete a registration form to use the collections held at the Ohio Historical Center.
2. No smoking, eating, or drinking is permitted in the Research Rooms or restrooms.
3. Visitors and their possessions are subject to search when entering or leaving the Research Rooms.
4. Notes, computers (but not the cases), notebooks, and pencils ONLY are permitted in the Research Rooms.
5. Any fanny pack, bag, briefcase, purse, or computer case larger than a box of microfilm is not allowed in the Research Rooms. Lockers are provided in the third floor lobby.
6. Defacing any collection item in any way is not permitted. Extreme care should be used in handling materials. Please report any damage to the staff.
7. Visitors may request materials housed in the closed stacks storage by completing a call slip. Retrieval service ends 45 minutes before closing.
8. Please leave collection items on the tables when finished. DO NOT RESHELVE BOOKS OR MICROFILM.
9. For preservation reasons, all photocopy orders are completed by OHS staff. Please ask at the reference desk for further information concerning reproduction services available.
10. For preservation reasons, visitors are not permitted to take photographs of collection items or use personal scanning devices in the Research Rooms. Photo-duplication services are available for a fee. Inquire at the Reference Desk.
11. Manuscript and archival material must be used at designated tables. One box will be provided at a time. Use only one folder at a time. DO NOT remove items from the folders. DO NOT rearrange items.
12. Visitors are responsible for securing written permission to publish material from OHS collections. Copyright laws (Title 17 U.S. Code) and/or other legal requirements may protect materials.
13. In citing materials, please cite the full name of the collection and OHS. Example: The Paul Laurence Dunbar Collection, The Ohio Historical Society.
14. Visitors shall conduct themselves in a manner that will not unreasonably disturb other visitors in the Research Rooms. Cell phones must be set on Manner Mode while in the Research Rooms, and calls should be taken in the third floor lobby.
15. Violation of Collections Use Rules may result in denial of access to the Research Rooms. In the case of willful violations causing loss or damage to collections, criminal prosecution may be taken.
16. A visitor must have his/her Collections Card with him/her at all times while using the Research Rooms
17. When leaving the Research Rooms, each visitor must have his/her Collections Card scanned by the Reference Archivist at the Check-out Desk.

Thank you for your interest in the Ohio Historical Society!