Madeleine Clark Wallace Library
Services Provided
The Marion B. Gebbie Class of 1901 Archives and Special Collections is happy to offer the following services:
Reading Room Service
Researchers must schedule an appointment in order to use the reading room. Walk-in consultations may be accommodated on a case-by-case basis, dependent on the availability of archives staff. We are also happy to provide answers to general inquiries. While we try to respond to all requests within one business day, responses to requests from external researchers may take up to five business days.
Research Assistance
The archives staff will do their best to point researchers towards relevant collections and materials. According to time limits determined by user type (see below), Archives staff will identify relevant collections, or portions of collections, for reading room use.
Archives staff cannot perform research in materials that are available online, such as our digitized publications or objects in the Wheaton College Digital Repository, ArchivesSpace, and Marion B. Gebbie Archives Image Collection. Archives staff also cannot perform research outside the scope of the Archives’ collections.
Archives and Special Collections Course Instruction
Wheaton College faculty may reach out to the College Archivist to schedule archives- or special collections-related instruction sessions, which can include presentations and materials prepared for student use or review. These sessions will be held in the reading room when possible. Tours, group visits, and primary source instruction outside of Wheaton College classes may be performed at the discretion of the College Archivist. For all archives-related instruction inquiries, please email archives@wheatoncollege.edu or call 508-286-3713.
Digitization Services
The archives may provide digital copies of individual images and small portions of documents when possible and within the bounds of US copyright law. Digitization of complete works or collections are beyond our capabilities. Digitization requests will be considered at the discretion of the College Archivist.
Records Management Assistance
All records created or received by administrative and academic offices in the daily course of business, regardless of the format in which the record was created, are the property of Wheaton College. The RIM program is a function of the Archives and Special Collections and is responsible for assisting Wheaton College employees in managing Wheaton College records and educating employees about other related records and information management topics. Everyone is responsible for managing their own records. Please review the records management information available on InsideWheaton for details. Please email archives@wheatoncollege.edu or call 508-286-3713 for further questions about:
- Records consultations
- Starting the records scheduling process
- Scheduling training sessions
- Transferring records to inactive or permanent storage
- Retrieving records from inactive or permanent storage
- All other records and information management questions
Contact your department's Records Liaison(s) for information about:
- Department specific records questions
- Records schedule changes
- Records in inactive storage
Archives Donations
To discuss a potential donation to the Archives, please email archives@wheatoncollege.edu or call 508-286-3713. Material outside of the official Wheaton College records management retention schedule that is in line with the Archives’ collecting policy may be accepted into the Archives at the discretion of the College Archivist. Large collections will not be accepted without accompanying funding to provide for processing and preservation costs outside the scope of normal operations. Please review the library’s Collection Policy for further information and details. Archives staff cannot provide financial appraisals for materials.
Service Levels by Constituency
President's Office, Board of Trustees, & College Officers
Initial Response Time: We will respond to requests from the President’s Office, Trustees and College Officers within one business day.
Total Research Time: Unlimited
Students
Initial Response Time: We will respond to requests from students within two business days. We encourage you to schedule a consultation with the Archivist instead.
Total Research Time: One hour within three weeks after response. Any research that requires more than one hour will be deemed a project subject to prioritization.
Faculty & Staff
Initial Response Time: While we try to respond to all requests within one business day, responses to requests from faculty and staff may take up to five business days.
Total Research Time: Two hours for inquiries for publication within one week after response; one hour for general inquiries within two weeks after response. If additional research time is needed, faculty and staff may arrange for their own student employees to consult with archives staff for supplementary research time. Any research that requires more than three hours and additional students will be deemed a project subject to prioritization.
Alums & External Researchers
Initial Response Time: While we try to respond to all requests within one business day, responses to requests from external researchers may take up to five business days. Any research that requires more than one hour will be deemed a project subject to prioritization.
Total Research Time: Two hours for inquiries for publication; 30 minutes for general inquiries within three weeks after response.