While staff may be able to answer some questions remotely, research in the archives often requires an in-person visit.

Complete User Registration

If it’s your first time visiting the archives or starting a new research project, fill out the User Registration form. Let us know about your project and the topics that you are looking to research, so we can help locate related materials. 

Make an Appointment

To schedule an appointment, use the Make an Appointment Form. You will provide desired date, time slot, and basic information about the your visit:

• Name and email address
• Institution / organization. If you’re not affiliated, you can enter self or independent researcher.
• Are you affiliated with the Texas Medical Center?
• Select which location. Please review our locations and hours for more details.
  • Historical Research Center is our primary location. It houses the archival collections and majority of the rare book collections. We can accommodate most research requests at this location.
  • Rare Book Room is located in the TMC Library within the Texas Medical Center. It houses the McGovern Rare Book Collection and Burbank-Fraser Rare Book Collection as well as some of our rarest items. Staff confirmation is required. We will coordinate with you to schedule the best date and time for you and staff availability.
• Select your desired appointment date. We try to schedule appointments for your desired date. If that date is not available, we will coordinate with you to schedule another convenient date and time.
• Select a time slot for your appointment. These are three loose time windows when we can expect you.
• Tell us about your visit. What you’re researching? What you hope to find? Will it be more than one day?

Search the Collections

• Search our holdings to find collections that relate to your research.
• Provide Collection#, Series#, Box# of any materials that you would like to view for your research.
• Save and share a Clipboard ID with us.

Tell Us What You Want Pulled

We ask that you provide us with a list of requested materials at least one day in advance of your scheduled visit. Materials can be located in either of our two locations.  Staff will pull boxes and transport materials and have them ready for your visit. 

Confirm Your Scheduled Appointment

We will confirm your appointment soon after you submit the appointment form. If there are any schedule conflicts, we will coordinate with you to schedule a more convenient date and time. Once the appointment is confirmed, it is your responsibility to keep the appointment. We do not send reminders.

Arrive for Your Appointment

Parking

Historical Research Center (archives) has free parking. You can use any RESERVED MCGOVERN and unmarked spots throughout the parking lot.

Rare Book Room has limited hourly pay-to-park spaces available in Garage 3 and Garage 4.

See locations and hours for more details.

Entrance

Historical Research Center (archives): ring the door bell and staff will open the door for you. You will be asked to sign-in and stow your bags in the available lockers. Staff will go over Reading Room Expectations. Pick any table in the reading room. Staff will bring out the boxes that you requested.

Rare Book Room: Enter the library on the ground floor of the Jesse Jones Library Building. Staff at the Circulation Desk will inform us that you have arrives. We will meet you at the Circulation Desk and take you back to the Rare Book Room. You will be asked to sign-in and stow your bags. Staff will go over Reading Room Expectations. Settle into a table in the reading room. Staff will bring out the books that you requested.

WiFi Access

A wireless connection is available through the library network. Staff can provide a guest user ID and password.

Electrical Outlets

Electrical outlets and power strips are available in the reading room.  

Temperature

The reading room is often chilly. It can be a good idea to bring a jacket or sweater even in the summer. 

Request More Materials

During your visit, you can request additional materials, and we will pull them right away. We will let you know if items need to be transported from the other location. You can request items and schedule another visit. 

You can request photocopies and scans. See our Material Requests & Fees for more details. Generally, you are allowed to take photographs of the materials with your own camera. Consult with an archivist before taking images.

Review Reading Room Expectations

Review our Reading Room Expectations to prepare for your research visit.

Policies to Know

• Access Policy for Special Collections Materials
• Duplication Use Conditions
• Publication Use Conditions