Find It in the South Dakota State University Archives and Special Collections!: Archival Research

The South Dakota State University Archives and Special Collections contain the University Archives, as well as material related to South Dakota history and life, which include manuscript and archival materials, books, serials, audiovisual materials, artifacts and photographs. Collections are accessible on the upper level of Hilton M. Briggs Library on the campus of South Dakota State University.

The Senator Thomas A. Daschle Congressional Research Study is also located within the Special Collections area of Hilton M. Briggs Library. This study allows for public access to the papers donated by the Senator, a 1969 SDSU graduate in political science. The collection documents his distinguished twenty-six year public career in the U.S. House and Senate from 1979-2004. 

Planning your visit:

• Contact the archival staff in advance of your visit. Our contact information is: 605.688.5094, arcrefs@sdstate.edu. Our hours are typically 8am-4pm, Monday through Friday. We are locared in room 241 of the H.M. Briggs Library.
• ·Consult with the staff about your topic and which collections you would like to see. Often, the staff will know of additional resources for your research. In addition, some of the collections in the archives are housed in offsite storage and advance knowledge of your visit will give the staff time to retrieve these items.

When you first arrive in the Archives:

•  Researchers are required to sign the logbook. First time users must fill out a "Research Registration Form" in addition to signing in
• Researchers will be asked to for a photo ID (preferably a Driver's License or a student photo ID) and the staff will make a copy of it and attach it to your "Research Registration Form"
• The archives staff will bring you the research materials you requested. We are a closed stack reading room, and researchers are not permitted in our locked storage area
• When you are finished with the materials please let the staff know and we will re-shelve the items
• If at any time you have questions, please talk to a staff member. We are here to help you!

General rules to follow:

• All materials in the archives must be used in the reading room. At no time are researchers permitted to remove items from the reading room.
• Please leave all personal items in the small closet area; this includes bags, coats, umbrellas, briefcases, etc. It is permissible to bring a laptop, note book, or other research materials to your seat at the table.
• No food or beverages are allowed in the research room. Smoking and gum chewing are also not permitted.
• Please use only pencils for taking notes. Pens and highlighters, as well as post-it notes, should not be used in the research room. Pencils and paper will be provided by the Archives and are the only items allowed on the table while viewing materials from the collection. All notes are subject to inspection and approval prior to removal from the research room.

 Handling archival materials and rare books:

• The materials in the room must be handled with respect and care. Materials must be used with supervision in the reading room.
• Please make sure that your hands are clean.
• One box of archives material is allowed per patron at a time.
• One folder can be removed from the box at a time.
• Items in folders should be examined one at a time.
• Please keep materials flat on the table.
• Be sure to keep materials from the folder in their original order. If materials appear to be out of order, please notify staff instead of attempting to rearrange them.
• Consult staff for photocopies.
• If the document has staples, ask attendant to remove prior to photocopying.
• Never place an open book face down.
• Do not lean on books or documents.
• Never write or trace on books or documents.
• Be careful when opening books and turning pages. Always lift the top corner of the page.
• Do not use paper clips, rubber bands, post-it notes, or any three dimensional object for place-markers. Paper bookmarkers are available at the reference desk.
• Do not remove items, such as photographs, from their clear polyester sleeves.
• If the item you are using seems too fragile to handle, please ask staff to assist you.

Copyright and Restrictions:

• The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, U.S. Code) governs the making of photocopies and other reproductions of copyrighted material.
• Users assume full responsibility for conforming with copyright laws and conventions, libel laws and individuals' rights to privacy, and for the literary property rights that may be involved with the use of any materials.  
• The Archives may not hold the copyright to some of its collections.  It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any required copyright permissions from the copyright holder.  
• Permission to examine or to duplicate materials is not an authorization to publish. You must notify the Archives of any intent to publish or use archival materials beyond fair-use. If you intend to publish, please fill out and submit an "Intent to Publish, Quote or Exhibit" form. An archivist will notify you of any copyright information in our possession.
• Some collections may have restrictions governing use. If you have questions regarding restrictions, please talk to the staff
• The Archives reserves the right to revoke or deny access to any or all of the collections.

Citing Collections

 Please use the following format to cite collections in the SDSU Archives: 

Collection Name, Collection Number, South Dakota State University Archives and Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library.

For example:

N.E. Hansen Papers, UA 53.4, South Dakota State University Archives and Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library.

 Please remember to talk to the staff anytime you have questions about the collections or about our policies.

The following is a list of archives located in South Dakota:

The following is a listing of some of the archives available in the  midwest:

If you dont know where to start, a good place to begin is with ArchiveGrid. It provides access to over 2,000,000 descriptions of archival materials from archives, libraries, museums and historical societies from around the world.

Please use the following format to cite collections in the SDSU Archives:

Collection Name, Collection Number, South Dakota State University Archives and Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library.

For example:

N.E. Hansen Papers, UA 53.4, South Dakota State University Archives and Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library.