The manuscripts, early-printed and rare books reading room

Chapter 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

1.Regulations for using the Manuscripts, rare publications and early printed books reading room of the Bibliology Research Department (hereinafter referred to as the Regulations) of the National Library of Belarus (hereinafter referred to as Library) regulating the registration procedure, rights, duties and responsibilities of users.

2. The Regulations have been developed in accordance with: the current legislation of the Republic of Belarus; the Code of the Republic of Belarus on Culture; the regulations of the state institution "National Library of Belarus"; the Regulations of use of the National Library of Belarus; the regulations on the Bibliology Research Department; the Regulations of internal labor regulations of the Library; Regulations and standards of labor protection, and fire safety.

3. The right to use the Manuscripts, rare publications and early printed books reading room (hereinafter reading room) is provided to every citizen, except pupils, if they have a Library reading card.

4. In the reading room, Library readers use the main and deposit collections of the Bibliology Research Department (hereinafter referred to as department), they are provided with additional paid services in accordance with the Price List of paid Library Services.

Chapter 2. USER SERVICE

5. Servicing of Library readers is carried out in accordance with the opening hours of the reading room:

• Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday: 10 a.m.– 6 p.m.;
• Tuesday, Wednesday: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.;
• Sunday: the day off.

In summer (from 1 June to 31 August):

• Monday, Thursday, Friday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.;
• Tuesday, Wednesday: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.;
• Saturday, Sunday – days off.

6. Handwritten books, archival materials and publications prior to 1830 are issued for use on the basis of a written request from the place of work or educational institution with a mandatory indication of the topic, purpose of research and chronological framework of the required publications. The written request must be issued on the letterhead of the institution (enterprise), signed by the head and certified by the stamp. The written request is valid for one calendar year.

7. Non-employed retired persons, bibliophiles, collectors and foreign users are allowed to use manuscripts, archival material and editions published before 1830 upon presentation of a personal letter of request addressed to the Deputy Director–Director for Research, Socio-Cultural and Publishing Activity and certified by the head of Department.

8. Documents from the department's collections are not issued to other reading rooms of the Library, as per interlibrary and individual loan. To receive documents from the department's main stock, the user places an order in automated mode for each storage unit. Orders for documents from the department's main stock are accepted in the following mode:

• Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday – up to 5 p.m.;
• Tuesday, Wednesday – up to 6 p.m.

In summer (from 1 June to 31 August):

• Monday, Thursday, Friday – up to 5 p.m.;
• Tuesday, Wednesday – up to 6 p.m.

9. At the same time, the user is issued no more than 5 documents from the main collection of the department, including manuscripts and archival materials – no more than 2 units. Each document is issued under the personal signature of the reader, which is recorded in the reader's log.
Note: Documents of poor physical preservation, documents that are under restoration, bound, in scientific processing, digitization, issued for temporary use to other institutions or that are displayed at exhibitions, documents that require special storage conditions are not issued. If there are facsimile editions or digital copies of documents, the originals are issued in exceptional cases with the permission of the head of the department.

10. Documents from the main collection of the department are issued for work in the reading room of the department for up to 30 days. For researchers, the term of use can be extended if necessary.

11. Documents from the closed part of the department's deposit collection are issued without pre-order at the user's oral request upon presentation of a reader's ticket.

12. Documents from the open part of the department's deposit collection can be used independently, provided that the system of their placement on the shelves is observed. After finishing working with the documents, the user must hand them over to the librarian on duty.

13. Ordering documents from the structural divisions of the Library's storage facility (the Department of information Security, the Special collections safekeeping department) for use in the reading room of the Library by aresearcher in exceptional cases when research activities require simultaneous access to the gray list of documents.

14. At each exit from the Library's reading room, the user must hand over all the collected documents to the librarian on duty.

15. When issuing and receiving documents, the librarian on duty checks them for safety in the presence of the user.

16. Reproduction of documents from the department's collections is carried out with the permission of the librarian on duty, while ensuring the integrity of these documents.
Note: Do not capitalize on the publication completely and documents of poor physical safety. In exceptional cases, for scientific purposes, digitizing of their fragments is allowed. It is not allowed to copy manuscripts, old printed and rare publications of the 19th century, rare newspapers, magazines and leaflets before 1945.

Chapter 3. RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF USERS

17. Users have the right to:

• get full information about the composition and content of the department's main and deposit collections free of charge;
• get free advice on finding information sources;
• receive documents from the department's collections for temporary use free of charge;
• receive copies of documents from the department's collections;
• use a laptop or tablet in the reading room;
• get additional paid services;
• get access to the department's electronic information resources;
• contact the department's management for questions related to the organization of service.

18. Users must:

• take care of the documents and property of the department received for use;
• notify the librarian if any damages are found to the document;
• maintain silence, order, and cleanliness in the reading room;
• follow these Regulations.

19. Users are prohibited from:

• transfer the Library card to other persons and use the Library card of other persons;
• bring printed materials, audio, photo and video equipment, and book scanners to the Library's reading room;perform actions that are harmful to the document (make notes on books or manuscripts, bend the sheets when reading, put one open book on top of the other, break the order of sheets in unbinding materials, make copies with сarbon paper or use other mechanical method, etc.);
• make marks on catalog cards and remove them from catalog boxes;
• move literature outside the Library's reading room;
• eat or drink in the reading room of the Library
• independently arrange all documents from the department's open deposit collection
• use mobile phones, cameras, and other technical means for videotaping and photographing documents from the department's collections and information from monitor screens, except when photographing is carried out on a paid basis according to the Price List of paid Library Services
  

Chapter 4. RESPONSIBILITY

20. Users who have caused damage to documents or property of the Library's reading room shall cover the loss in accordance with the legislation of the Republic of Belarus.

21. The user may be temporarily restricted or denied access to the Library's reading room for violation of these Regulations.