A Guide to the William Ready Division of Archives and Research Collections

Requesting archival material by email

Please contact us ahead of your visit by emailing us at archives@mcmaster.ca. In your email remember to include the following: 

• A short introduction of yourself
• A brief description of your project (~1 sentence)
• When you plan on visiting the archives
• But most importantly, please include the following information about the material you are requesting:
  • The fonds/collection name
  • The box numbers

Example:

When ordering boxes of material, keep the following things in mind: 

• Archival material is not always available on-site. It may take a few days for the archives to get the material prepared for you. That is why it is always a good idea to email a few days in advance of your visit.
• Archival material may be subject to access restrictions. Be aware of any possible access restrictions which would be listed in the archival finding aid. If the material you are interested in researching is restricted, you will not be able to look at it. 
• You will be allowed to look at only one box of material at a time. Keep that in mind when planning how long you will need for your visit.
• After you have submitted your request, boxes will be kept 'on hold' for one week. 

Requesting archival material in person

It is not necessary to email ahead of time (although it is recommended), but if you are requesting material at our reference desk, keep in mind that it might not be available right away.

Requesting digital copies

You may find archival material that you are interested in, but are unable to visit due to time and budget constraints. In some cases, McMaster can provide digital copies of archival material. When requesting digital copies of archival material, please fill out the form found at the following link: Copy Request Form.

Note: Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, copying services have been suspended to ensure the safety of McMaster Library staff. Please consult the COVID-19 page for information about McMaster Library services during COVID-19.

Things to keep in mind when ordering digital copies:

• There will be a fee. Pay attention to the size of the request and consider your budget:

  • PDFs : $0.30 per page; plus $14 per hour for orders over 50 pages)

  • Photocopies : $0.30 per page; plus $14 per hour for orders over 50 pages

  • High Resolution Scans : $15 per image; oversize material, $40 per image

  • Rare Book Copy on Demand : $40 per volume

• There may be copyright restrictions. The archives may refuse your copy request if copying violates a copyright or other restriction.
• You will have to sign a copy agreement which states that the copy is being made for your own research and will not be duplicated or transferred to others.
• Digital scans may not be possible in cases where the material is fragile and if the process of scanning will threaten its integrity. The staff will assess the condition of the item prior to scanning.