Conditions & Guidance when visiting the Midland Railway Study Centre

Set out below are the Conditions applying to a visit to the Midland Railway Study Centre, as well as some general guidance which may assist. These conditions are designed to allow the holdings of the Study Centre to be made available to the public whilst ensuring their conservation and safety, not forgetting the health & safety of visitors and others in the building. Attention is particularly drawn to the final paragraph in respect of Copyright.

Whilst we are delighted to make the holdings of the Midland Railway Study Centre available to assist Visitors in their research, it must be understood that the safety and security of the archive material is of paramount importance. Consequently access to the Study Centre as a Visitor is subject to these conditions. Before being allowed to access the Study Centre, you will be expected to acknowledge that you have read and agree to these conditions by way of a signature. YOur signed copy of this document will be retained by the Study Centre Coordinator. Invigilators must be satisfied of a Visitor’s identity and address. Access to the Study Centre will be denied if a Visitor's name and current address cannot be confirmed.

Use of the Midland Railway Study Centre is strictly appointment only.

As Visitors to the Study Centre will be leaving the areas which are normally accessible to the public, they are required to sign in and out of the building at the Museum’s reception. To comply with the Museum’s overall responsibly for evacuation and security procedures for the building, Visitors must follow all reasonable requests by Invigilators and Museum Staff.

These articles are prohibited from the Study Centre:

Coats & bags.
Pens & ink.
Sharp objects.
Food & drink.
Smoking materials (there is strictly no smoking within the whole Museum building).
Any other article at the discretion of staff of the Museum or Invigilators which are deemed inappropriate to come into the Study Centre.

These should not, wherever possible, be brought into the building at all. If necessary, coats & bags etc. may be left with the Museum Reception. Whilst every care will be taken by the Museum staff, no responsibility can be accepted for Visitors' belongings.

These articles are permitted into the Reading Room:

Pencils, sharpeners & erasers.
Still cameras (with flash disabled).
Laptop computers (without bags).
Files, folders and notebooks with reader's own reference materials (N.B. An Invigilator may examine closed folders as the Visitor departs).
Magnifying glass/sheet

Computers are provided in the Reading Room for Visitors to browse the Study Centre catalogue. Items will be produced on request by the Invigilators. Although at the discretion of the Invigilators concerned, as a general rule a Visitor will only be allowed one holding in their possession at a time. No productions can be made from the store whilst only one Invigilator is present.

Under no circumstances are Visitors allowed into the storage area.

Should a Visitor wish to inspect a three dimensional object which is particularly valuable, heavy or fragile, then advance notice must be given. In such cases Museum staff will access the object and position it within the Study Centre or Museum where the conflicting demands of access and conservation are best served. Should such a request be made without advance notice, compliance with the request is entirely at the discretion of the Curatorial staff within the Museum.

Responsibility for the safety of the holdings whilst the Study Centre is open rests, in the first instance, with the Volunteer Invigilators, though this does not absolve the Visitors from their own responsibilities and appropriate tools & facilities will be provided. Invigilators have absolute discretion to deny access to a document or object if they have reason to believe that
further handling will result in harm. The movement of any of the holdings out of (and back in to) the store is subject to a paper audit. Nothing will be produced without an “Object Removed” slip being completed, though this is the responsibility of the Invigilator.

The Midland Railway Society library, and the John Allsopp collection of facsimile Midland Railway postcards are available for browsing at Visitors' leisure.

Visitors are encouraged to bring and freely use their own cameras on condition that the flash is disabled. Where photography involves the use of tripods and other bulky accessories, prior arrangement must be made with the Study Centre Coordinator. Alternatively, an A4/A3 photocopier is available to Visitors (excepting unforeseen breakdowns), for which a charge of 10p per A4 copy or 20p per A3 will be levied. If a document is physically larger than A3 or if, in the Invigilators' judgment, a document is too fragile or unsuitable (the spines of books, for example) then photocopying will be denied. Scanning of documents of up to A4 can be undertaken by the Invigilator on behalf of visitors and copied to CD at a charge of £5 per CD. The only means of reproducing items larger than A3 or which are too fragile to photocopy, is by way of photography.

No member of staff or volunteer of the partner organisations which make up the Midland Railway Study Centre are empowered to give advice in respect of Copyright. It is the sole responsibility of an individual Visitor not to act in breach of applicable Copyright laws. Reproduction of any image (including photocopy, scan or photograph) of material in the Study
Centre is subject to separate consent and conditions. Please apply to the Study Centre Coordinator. for details.

Study Centre Conditions (revised MAY 2009).

CONDITIONS FOR VISITORS TO THE MIDLAND RAILWAY STUDY CENTRE
Set out below are the Conditions applying to a visit to the Midland Railway Study Centre, as well as some general guidance which may assist. These conditions are designed to allow the holdings of the Study Centre to be made available to the public whilst ensuring their conservation and safety, not forgetting the health & safety of visitors and others in the building. Attention is particularly drawn to the final paragraph in respect of Copyright. Whilst we are delighted to make the holdings of the Midland Railway Study Centre available to assist Visitors in their research, it must be understood that the safety and security of the archive material is of paramount importance. Consequently access to the Study Centre as a Visitor is subject to these conditions. Before being allowed to access the Study Centre, you will be expected to acknowledge that you have read and agree to these conditions by way of a signature. YOur signed copy of this document will be retained by the Study Centre Coordinator. Invigilators must be satisfied of a Visitor’s identity and address. Access to the Study Centre will be denied if a Visitor's name and current address cannot be confirmed. Use of the Midland Railway Study Centre is strictly appointment only. As Visitors to the Study Centre will be leaving the areas which are normally accessible to the public, they are required to sign in and out of the building at the Museum’s reception. To comply with the Museum’s overall responsibly for evacuation and security procedures for the building, Visitors must follow all reasonable requests by Invigilators and Museum Staff. These articles are prohibited from the Study Centre: Coats & bags. Pens & ink. Sharp objects. Food & drink. Smoking materials (there is strictly no smoking within the whole Museum building). Any other article at the discretion of staff of the Museum or Invigilators which are deemed inappropriate to come into the Study Centre. These should not, wherever possible, be brought into the building at all. If necessary, coats & bags etc. may be left with the Museum Reception. Whilst every care will be taken by the Museum staff, no responsibility can be accepted for Visitors' belongings. These articles are permitted into the Reading Room: Pencils, sharpeners & erasers. Still cameras (with flash disabled). Laptop computers (without bags). Files, folders and notebooks with reader's own reference materials (N.B. An Invigilator may examine closed folders as the Visitor departs). Magnifying glass/sheet Computers are provided in the Reading Room for Visitors to browse the Study Centre catalogue. Items will be produced on request by the Invigilators. Although at the discretion of the Invigilators concerned, as a general rule a Visitor will only be allowed one holding in their possession at a time. No productions can be made from the store whilst only one Invigilator is present. Under no circumstances are Visitors allowed into the storage area. Should a Visitor wish to inspect a three dimensional object which is particularly valuable, heavy or fragile, then advance notice must be given. In such cases Museum staff will access the object and position it within the Study Centre or Museum where the conflicting demands of access and conservation are best served. Should such a request be made without advance notice, compliance with the request is entirely at the discretion of the Curatorial staff within the Museum. Responsibility for the safety of the holdings whilst the Study Centre is open rests, in the first instance, with the Volunteer Invigilators, though this does not absolve the Visitors from their own responsibilities and appropriate tools & facilities will be provided. Invigilators have absolute discretion to deny access to a document or object if they have reason to believe that further handling will result in harm. The movement of any of the holdings out of (and back in to) the store is subject to a paper audit. Nothing will be produced without an “Object Removed” slip being completed, though this is the responsibility of the Invigilator. The Midland Railway Society library, and the John Allsopp collection of facsimile Midland Railway postcards are available for browsing at Visitors' leisure. Visitors are encouraged to bring and freely use their own cameras on condition that the flash is disabled. Where photography involves the use of tripods and other bulky accessories, prior arrangement must be made with the Study Centre Coordinator. Alternatively, an A4/A3 photocopier is available to Visitors (excepting unforeseen breakdowns), for which a charge of 10p per A4 copy or 20p per A3 will be levied. If a document is physically larger than A3 or if, in the Invigilators' judgment, a document is too fragile or unsuitable (the spines of books, for example) then photocopying will be denied. Scanning of documents of up to A4 can be undertaken by the Invigilator on behalf of visitors and copied to CD at a charge of £5 per CD. The only means of reproducing items larger than A3 or which are too fragile to photocopy, is by way of photography. No member of staff or volunteer of the partner organisations which make up the Midland Railway Study Centre are empowered to give advice in respect of Copyright. It is the sole responsibility of an individual Visitor not to act in breach of applicable Copyright laws. Reproduction of any image (including photocopy, scan or photograph) of material in the Study Centre is subject to separate consent and conditions. Please apply to the Study Centre Coordinator. for details. Study Centre Conditions (revised MAY 2009).