Policies & Procedures
Reference Questions
On-site patrons receive first priority, although the Center’s staff is happy to provide reference assistance through mail, telephone, e-mail, and fax. In all reference requests, please include your name and complete contact information as well as your specific question. However, due to staffing constraints, the Center’s staff is not able to provide in-depth research services as part of its reference function. Questions are addressed in the order in which they were received, and response time will vary. Only simpler reference queries can be addressed via correspondence and telephone.
Public Computer Use
The computer stations available in the Information Area are for use with research conducted at the Center for American History and using CAH resources. General internet searching or e-mail is not available at the Center. Computer sessions are limited to 15 minutes when other patrons are waiting. There is one computer station dedicated to the University Libraries’ catalog; the others provide access to additional online databases and reference information but require a UT Electronic Identification Number (UT EID). Researchers who do not have a UT EID can obtain one on the University of Texas Information Technology Services Web page "UT EID Self-Service Tools". Once a researcher has a UT EID, they will need to obtain authorization from the Center’s Information Desk staff. This authorization is only for use of computers on-site; no remote use is possible.
Ask a reference question
Due to staffing constraints, the Center for American History's staff can answer only the simplest of reference questions via correspondence. We are unable to perform in-depth research as part of our reference services, and you may be invited to the Center to research on your own or to hire a proxy researcher.
Reading Room patrons necessarily receive first priority. E-mailed or other requests are dealt with in the order in which they were received. The time between receiving a request and addressing it can vary significantly due to staffing constraints. Please do not resubmit your request if you do not receive an immediate answer.
The Texas Public Information Act, with a few exceptions, gives you the right to be informed about the information that the University of Texas at Austin collects about you. It also gives you the right to request a copy of that information; and to have the University correct any of that information that is wrong. You may request to receive and review any of that information, or request corrections to it, by contacting the University's Public Information Officer, Office of Financial Affairs, PO Box 8179, Austin TX, 78713.