Archives Use Policies

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The majority of the holdings of the archives are physical books, manuscripts, records, photographs, and other materials. Tangible materials such as archaeological artifacts and personal items are also included in the archives.

The Cedar Key Historical Society follows the Guidelines Regarding Security and Theft in Special Collections [PDF][Visit Site]  developed by the American Library Association to ensure the long-term preservation and availability of our holdings. The Society also adheres to the Guidelines for Access to Original Research Materials [PDF] [Visit Site], a joint statement of the American Library Association and the Society of American Archivists. As such, the Society will “not deny access to materials to any researcher, nor grant privileged or exclusive use of materials to any researcher, nor conceal the existence of any body of material from any researcher, unless required to do so by statutory authority, institutional mandate, or donor or purchase stipulation.” The same policies apply to any digital or electronic materials. We retain the right to refuse access to any person(s) who have behaved in a manner violating these guidelines.

Accessing the Archives

Access to the Society’s archives is provided at the discretion of the Cedar Key Historical Society’s Executive Director, or their appointed representative. The archives are available for on-site use by researchers, scholars, students, and the public according to the policies and procedures established here. The Society does not maintain regular archives hours and our collections are available for use by appointment only.

To Make Appointment:

By Phone Please Call:  (352) 543-5549  During Normal Business Hours [Found Here]

By Email Please Use Our Contact Us Page [Found Here] 

Patrons wishing to access the archives are referred to as Users and are required to print and sign the Archives Use Agreement [PDF] form prior to accessing the archives.

Using the Archives

Only items considered essential research tools (e.g., pencil, paper, notebooks, laptop computers, etc.) are allowed in the archives area. A staff member will remain in the archives area during the entire visit, for both security and assistance purposes. Belongings may be subject to search upon departure.

The archives’ collections are non-circulating and materials may only be used in the archives area. Eating, drinking, or smoking is not allowed. Visitors will have access to the archives’ resources, including finding aids and digital collections. Depending upon which physical collection is to be used, protective gloves (supplied) may be required. Tracing or annotating materials is not permitted.

Visitors agree to hold harmless the Cedar Key Historical Society, its Officers, and employees, from and against any and all claims and actions that may arise out of their use of the archives’ collections.

An appropriate playback machine will be supplied to you for use of audio/visual materials (e.g., digitized oral histories). We recommend that you bring your own headphones that utilize a standard headphone jack.

Guidelines for Reproduction

Photocopies – researchers who wish to obtain photocopies of archives materials must submit a written request with complete details about the material to be copied. Photocopies are intended for personal research only and cannot be published (in print or online) without the written consent of the appropriate copyright holder. All photocopy requests must be reviewed by staff. Some materials are too physically fragile to withstand photocopying.

Digital images – researchers interested in obtaining digital images of materials will adhere to the same policies and restrictions governing photocopy requests. The Cedar Key Historical Society also makes a selection of its archives available online. These and other digital files are intended for personal research only (unless specifically stated) and cannot be published without the consent of the appropriate copyright holder(s), typically the Cedar Key Historical Society.

Personal digital cameras – researchers may be allowed to use personal digital cameras to take their own photographs of books and archival materials but must obtain permission from staff prior to doing so. These images are intended only for personal research and cannot be published without the consent of the appropriate copyright holder(s), typically the Cedar Key Historical Society.

Audio/video recordings – researchers interested in making audio or video recordings of materials should contact the staff well in advance.

Duplication Fees

Type:                               Non-Member:                Society Member:

Photocopies                $0.25 per page               $0.15 per page

Digital Images            $5.00 per image            $3.00 per image

Audio/ Video Recordings will be determined by the amount of time required to fullfill the request.
An additonal $5.00 surcharge for shipping and handling for orders reqiuring postal service.

Publication Requests

Permission to use the archives does not include the right to reproduce or publish their contents. If your use of the collection may result in a request to publish or exhibit, please state this in your original access request. Limited portions of most printed material may be published according to the “fair use” guidelines of the U.S. Copyright Code; otherwise, it is your responsibility to secure the appropriate permission. Do not assume that materials in the archives automatically fall into “fair use” guidelines. The Society does hold the copyright for many of the materials in our collections. When this is not the case, it is the researcher’s responsibility to obtain permission from the appropriate copyright holder.

Permission is granted only for one usage in one publication and one edition. All images remain the property of the Cedar Key Historical Society. A credit line must accompany each image and read “Courtesy of the Cedar Key Historical Society.” The publisher or author must provide the Cedar Key Historical Society with one complete gratis copy of any publication in which the image is reproduced. If the image is to be used on a website, the publisher or author will provide a link from its website to the Cedar Key Historical Society’s website at https://www.cedarkeyhistory.org and https://www.cedarkeymemory.com

You can also access the Cedar Key Historical Society’s Collecting Policy [PDF] and Deed of Gift [PDF] forms in PDF format.