HELP PAGE

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• What is a finding aid?
• How to View Materials
• FAQ

WHAT IS A FINDING AID?

A finding aid is a description of a collection of archival material. The finding aids on this website describe collections held by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Louis Round Wilson Special Collections Library. Unless otherwise noted, the online finding aid is the most detailed description of a collection.

A finding aid provides information about a collection and its creators. It also provides an outline of a collection's contents.

A finding aid may include the following information:

• Indications of a collection's size, date span, and formats (such as bound volumes, audio recordings, photographs, etc.)
• Biographical or historical description of a collection's creator
• Summary of a collection's contents
• A list of a collection's contents by container (for example, folder, box, etc.)

A finding aid does not typically include description of individual documents. Locating individual documents not described in a finding aid requires review of the collection.

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HOW TO VIEW MATERIALS

Can I see the archival materials online?

Probably not. Unless otherwise indicated in the description on the web page, the archival materials have not yet been digitized and cannot be viewed online. The Southern Historical Collection is actively pursuing digitization, and in time, more and more archival materials will be digitized and made available online.

How can I see the archival materials that are not available online?

The Southern Historical Collection is located in the Louis Round Wilson Special Collections Library on the UNC Chapel Hill Campus. The Southern Historical Collection is open and available to the public for use in the reading room at Wilson Library. For library hours, directions, and parking information, please see Visitor Information.

If I am unable to visit Wilson Library, is there another way to see the archival materials that are not available online?

Options, including duplication, may exist for seeing the archival materials without visiting. These options are dependent on the specific archival materials that are relevant to your interests. The first step is to examine the description of archival materials on the web page in order to select relevant materials and formulate your request. The second step is to contact the reference staff.

If the Web page contains a "Sensitive Materials Statement," can I still see the archival materials?

Yes, you may see the archival materials. The "Sensitive Materials Statement" is a notification that the archival materials may contain sensitive or private information - such as social security numbers - that you should not copy, publish, or use in any way. If you find such information within the archival materials you are using, please contact the reference staff.

Why do listening copies or viewing copies need to be made before I can see the audiovisual archival materials that are not available online?

Original sound and image recordings may not be used due to preservation concerns and obsolescence of equipment and formats. Therefore, listening or viewing copies must be made prior to use of the audiovisual archival materials. In advance of a research visit, please contact the reference staff to inquire about listening or viewing copies. Production of listening and viewing copies may require a significant length of time, and same-day service is not available.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

I am planning a research visit to use materials in the Southern Historical Collection, the Southern Folklife Collection, or the University Archives and Records Management Services. Do I need to make an appointment or request my materials in advance?

No appointment is necessary. Research and Instructional Services staff will be available to assist you upon your arrival. We do not pull materials in advance, but we can verify that the materials, including listening and viewing copies of audio-visual items, are available and open for use. Please contact staff [mss@email.unc.edu] at least two weeks in advance of a visit to request listening and viewing copies and please review the information on our location and hours page and using materials page. We look forward to seeing you.

How can I get in touch with ________, whose papers or records are held by the Southern Historical Collection, Southern Folklife Collection, or the University Archives and Records Management Services?

Our services do not include assistance in locating or contacting persons represented in our collections and records, except when permission of the donor is required to use a collection.

I am conducting genealogical research. Do you have information on my ancestor or my family?

To search for your family name in the Southern Historical Collection, either browse the finding aid lists (alphabetized by surname) or search for the name on the search page. Most "hits" will link you to finding aids. Read through the finding aids to determine the relevance of the collection to your family history and contact Research and Instructional Services staff [mss@email.unc.edu] if you need further assistance.

The Southern Historical Collection holds manuscript collections concerning many, but by no means all southern families. Manuscript collections are the private papers of individuals and families or the records of organizations, and these materials were collected primarily for scholarly research. Private papers are rarely comprehensive and are not, in most cases, as useful as public records are for genealogists. Public records, including birth and death notices, marriage licenses, tax records, deeds and wills, and census records for North Carolinians are held by the North Carolina State Library and the Office of Archives and History. The State Library has a genealogy section and staff who can assist genealogical researchers. You may also want to begin your research at your county's public records repository or at your local public library, particularly if they have a local history or genealogy room.

Can I get a collection through interlibrary loan?

If a collection or a portion of a collection is available on microfilm, you may request the film through the interlibrary loan office of any public, academic, or school library with which you are affiliated. The interlibrary loan office should contact the UNC-Chapel Hill University Library's Interlibrary Lending Department. Please note that the Collections do not loan original materials or other items and do not participate in document delivery services.

Can I receive copies of materials contained in a collection?

You may request copies. Please note that the Collections reserve the right to refuse a duplication request in whole or in part at any time at the staff's discretion. We may not be able to fill the request due to the fragility of the original items, the volume of your request, or restrictions. A request for copies requires the completion of registration and duplication agreement forms, and the signature of the requester. If we can fill your request, we will send the forms and an invoice to you. On site researchers are encouraged to use digital cameras for duplication in the search room. For more details, please see our duplication policies.