The research center is scheduling limited on-site research visits, by appointment only. Researchers must contact us in advance. While some materials remain restricted, portions of the HMWF Collection are now available.
We always appreciate learning what your research interests are, as this helps us in making processing and collection development decisions. Please contact us at info@heartmountain.org with a list of topics of interest and selection of dates for a research visit.
For non-research, general visitation, the Interpretive Center is open year-round and we welcome you to visit during normal operating hours.
With few exceptions (see Digital Resources) our collection material is not digitized. If/when a collection becomes digitally available, this will be reflected in the finding aid and will also be listed here and on the Digital Resources page.
Please assume an in-person visit is required to use our resources. While we are always happy to help with reference questions and with making referrals, we do not have the resources to conduct research on your behalf.
On-site research appointments can be made year-round but MUST BE SCHEDULED IN ADVANCE. View or download the Researcher Registration Form (including Research Room Terms of Use).
If you are new to archives research or would like a refresher, we suggest reading “Using Archives: A Guide To Effective Research” by Laura Schmidt before you develop your research plan. This guide is available for free to download here, courtesy of the Society of American Archivists.
The collections are available for on-site research only.
Note: The collections are not being digitized at this time, therefore, they are not available online. Dependent on funding, staffing, and permissions of copyright holders, select portions of the collections may become available online at some point in the future.
All materials are subject to administrative review prior to being served for research due to privacy or preservation (condition) concerns. Some materials may be restricted upon assessment. We can not guarantee same day availability for items requiring redaction or reformatting. We highly recommend researchers review the finding aid and schedule a phone consultation with the registrar before planning a research trip. Research appointments must be made in advance, please consult the registrar.
As allowable by law, the HMWF may provide copies of materials for private study, scholarship, or research. The HMWF reserves the right to deny or limit reproductions.
Producing or allowing reproduction as permitted by law for libraries and archives, or possession of reproductions by a user does not imply rights ownership. Some materials in our collection are within the public domain or may be used under “fair use”, as defined by law. We kindly request proper citation for any material used from the HMWF Collection.
The user is solely responsible for copyright compliance and if use exceeds “fair use”, the user may be subject to copyright infringement.
Service and/or licensing fees may apply for reproduction and permissions for other use.
PPI policy courtesy of and adapted from the Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Art:
Manuscript collections that include twentieth and twenty-first century archival materials may contain sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state “right to privacy” laws. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals without the consent of those individuals may have legal cause for action if facts concerning an individual’s private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person.
The HMWF staff have taken care to identify Personally Identifiable Information found within its archival collections when undertaking archival processing work. Some collections are flagged for secondary review upon receipt of a research request and may be redacted or deemed restricted at that time. However, privacy protected information may still be discovered during use of the archival collections, particularly in those collections that are unprocessed or have been minimally processed.
Researchers agree to make no notes or other recordation of privacy protected information if found within the archival collections, and further agree not to publish, publicize, or disclose such information to any other party for any purpose if found within the archival collections.
Researchers agree to indemnify and hold harmless the HMWF and its officers, employees, and agents from and against all suits, claims, actions, and expenses arising out of use of archival collections held by the HMWF.
Please be advised: most of our collection materials are still subject to copyright by the original creator, assignees, or legal heirs, although in some cases copyright has been transferred to the HMWF. A select portion of materials in our collection are within the public domain.
Disclaimer: While the current HMWF administration makes a concerted effort to determine the current rights holder, identifying the right status is often a complex and ambiguous matter, especially in regards to our early accessions.
For material the HMWF does not own rights to, we do not guarantee the accuracy of rights status appearing in our documentation. The user is responsible for identifying and obtaining permissions from the copyright holder.
When the intellectual property rights are held by the HMWF, use of this work beyond “Fair Use” requires the written permission of an authorized HMWF representative and fees may apply. Inquiries can be made with the registrar.
Please allow ample time to conduct your on-site research. If your research is dependent on the ability to obtain reproductions for off-site reference, please let the registrar know before you begin reviewing materials as we may not be able to fulfill all of your reproduction expectations. Also note: all reproduction requests will be processed after your visit and sent electronically.
Note: §108(i) expressly prohibits us from making or distributing reproductions of MUSICAL WORKS, PICTORIAL, GRAPHIC, SCULPTURAL WORK, OR MOTION PICTURES of materials for which we do not own the Intellectual Property rights and one of the allowable exceptions does not exist. This includes photographic material.
“Pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works” include two-dimensional and three dimensional works of fine, graphic, and applied art, photographs, prints and art reproductions, maps, globes, charts, diagrams, models, and technical drawings, including architectural plans. – – U.S. Copyright Law, Section 101
In the event we are unable to reproduce material in our collection due to these legal limits, you still have the option of seeking out the copyright holder and obtaining the necessary permissions. When presented with verifiable written authorization from the legitimate copyright holder, the HMWF can produce a reproduction.