Archives Access Request Form

Access to archival materials is available on a limited basis to nonmember researchs as staff and other resources permit. Requests are evaluated by the APA archivist in consultation with an advisory committee comprised of member psychiatrists with expertise in the history of psychiatry.

Please provide the following information via email message (library@psych.org):

  1. Your name
  2. APA membership status
  3. Position title and/or academic status
  4. Organizational/academic affiliation
  5. Phone
  6. Mailing address
  7. Brief statement on the subject and scope of your research
  8. Describe the publication and/or other work product for which you propose to use APA materials
  9. Acknowledge that you have read and agree to the Terms & Conditions and Rules & Regulations stated below.

Terms & Conditions for Access to the Archives

  • I request permission to examine materials in the Archives of the American Psychiatric Association. If permission is granted, I agree to comply with the Archives’ regulations for the use of materials.
  • I understand that permission to examine materials does not include permission to publish contents in whole or in part unless such publication is specifically authorized by the Archivist.
  • I understand further that the Archives may not own the copyright or literary property rights in any unpublished document, and that permission to publish must be obtained from the owner of the copyright.

Rules & Regulations for the Use of the Archives

  1. Staff will retrieve materials, stacks are closed to the public.
  2. Smoking and eating are not permitted while using materials from the Archives.
  3. Materials must be handled carefully:
    1. Do not rearrange materials in boxes or folders. If a record appears to be out of place, please notify Archives’ staff.
    2. Only lead pencils may be used, all pens are prohibited.
    3. Do not mark, fold, press, or trace items or handle in a way that might damage materials.
  4. Staff will do all photocopying. Requests are processed as time allows. Plan for a ten day turnaround time. If conditions dictate a longer processing time, the researcher will be informed.
  5. The researcher assumes all responsibility for conforming with the laws of copyright, libel and literary property rights.
  6. The Archives may not own the copyright or literary property rights in any unpublished document and, therefore, the researcher must obtain permission to publish from the owner of the copyright.
  7. Permission to examine materials does NOT include authorization to publish contents in whole or in part. Separate written permission to publish the contents of any document, in whole or in part, must be granted by the Archivist. If permission to publish is granted, the researcher is required to properly acknowledge the Archives of the American Psychiatric Association in the publication. A free copy of all publications which rely on the Archives’ holdings should be presented to the Archives as soon as the work is published.

The Archivist reserves the right to deny or restrict the use of materials.

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