Policies

The public may use materials in the Local History Room only when a member of the Local History Committee or a Library Staff member is present. No member of the public is allowed to be in the room unsupervised.

Patrons asking to see back issues of the Bernardsville News should be encouraged to use the microfilm or digital copies and not the bound copies in the Local History Room due to the fragile nature of the newsprint. No material should be taken or borrowed from the Local History Room without permission of the Chairman of the Local History Committee or the Director of the Library. When any material is approved for borrowing, a card must be filled in with the name of the borrower, list of materials borrowed, date and name of person approving the transaction, and date for the return of the material. This card is then kept on file until the materials are returned. Whenever possible, in-depth research requests should be made in advance to allow a volunteer or staff member to locate the material or to prepare information ahead of time. If advance scheduling is not possible, then the request will be handled as a reference question. In this case, the staff will bring materials, a few at a time, for use at the reference tables outside the room. The room will be kept locked and may be accessed only by a staff member. Any requests by phone, letter or personal visit for research assistance or subsequent use of the Local History Room materials must be acknowledged by the Local Committee Chairman (or, in her absence, her designated alternate) and should be handled by the entire committee, or, in some instances, by the person best qualified to help with that particular research. Copies of all written research and correspondence are kept on file. Visitors are requested to sign in, giving name, address, phone number, date and purpose of inquiry. Names and phone numbers of persons who might be possible sources of information should not be given out without permission from those persons. Publication of photographs and unpublished material may not be undertaken without the written permission of the Chairperson of the Local History Committee or the Library Director. If the publication is approved, then sources must be acknowledged. The credit line should read: "Bernardsville Local History Room Collection." One copy of any publication using Bernardsville Local History Room Collection materials should be given to the Library.