Visiting Marquette Archives

Location

The Department of Special Collections and University Archives is located on the third floor of the John P. Raynor, S.J., Library, Room R360. A map of Marquette University offers directions to campus and information on parking.

Hours

In order to better serve all researchers seeking assistance from Special Collections and University Archives, our hours for research are by appointment only.

  • Available reading room hours are M - F, 8 AM - 4:30 PM
    • Visitor hours for those outside of the Marquette community are 9 AM - 4:30 PM
    • We are not open evenings or weekends
  • All researchers (local to Marquette or from outside the University) must make an appointment at least 24 hours in advance for all research-related visits to the archives.
    • Please note: if you are interested in making an appointment for a Monday, please contact us no later than noon on the Friday prior to your visit, so that we can have materials ready for you.
    • Only researchers with an appointment will be admitted to the reading room.
  • Feel free to contact an archivist about your research needs online
  • Visitors interested in viewing the J. R. R. Tolkien display are welcome during the library’s visitor hours; visitors can request admittance at the library’s main circulation desk on Raynor Library’s first floor. 
  • All visitors must follow the University's and Library's current COVID protocols. Mask wearing is optional.
  • If you have questions, please feel free to contact the Head of Special Collections and University Archives, Amy Cooper Cary at amy.cary@marquette.edu

Mailing Address

Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Raynor Library
1355 W. Wisconsin Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53233

P.O. Box 3141
Milwaukee, WI 53201-3141

Access

Holdings are available for public use, although patrons from off campus must obtain either a daily limited research pass or annual research pass. For more information please see the Libraries' Visitor Policy.  Some collections may also be subject to restrictions placed by donors or university offices. All researchers sign a registration form that includes an agreement to abide by rules governing use. Access to records is provided through archival descriptive inventories and MARQCAT, the Raynor Library' online catalog.

Interlibrary loan borrowing is available for some materials described in these guidelines.

Reading Room Rules

Use of materials in the Prucha Archives Reading Room is conditional upon the following rules and procedures:

All researchers must have made an appointment with an archivist.  Researchers without an appointment may be asked to contact an archivist and return at a different time.

Registration and Personal Property

Upon arrival, visitors must register with the reading room attendant.

Personal belongings, including coats, briefcases, backpacks, book bags and purses, are not permitted in the reading room. These items may be stored in the lockers near the entry.

Laptop computers are permitted in the reading room provided they are removed from their cases and their use does not disturb other researchers. Permission must be obtained during the registration process in order to use cameras, scanners and other image-reproduction devices.

Cell phone ringers should be set to silent. Calls should not be taken in the reading room.

The archives staff reserves the rights to inspect notes and photocopies during your visit.

Use of Archival Material

Food, beverages and tobacco are forbidden in the reading room.

Materials from Special Collections and Archives do not circulate and may not be removed from the reading room.

Collections are maintained in areas closed to the public. Requests for all items are filled prior to your arrival; any additional paging from our off-site collection storage may require up to 40 minutes. The attendant reserves the right to limit the number of materials requested at a time.

To safeguard the integrity of documents researchers must maintain the original order of materials. If there is any doubt as to the order of documents please notify the room attendant.

Researchers must use one box at a time and examine one folder at a time.

All materials must be handled with care. Do not mark, erase or trace upon any documents. The attendant may supply visitors examining photographic materials with cotton gloves.

Archival materials must remain in clear view of the attending staff at all times.

The use of certain documents may be restricted by law or the office of origin/donor. For the protection of its holdings, the department reserves the right to restrict the use of materials that are not arranged or are in the process of being arranged, materials of exceptional value and fragile materials.