Visit

Interested in visiting the library’s archives for your genealogy and local history research? Learn more about our open hours, appointments, and guidelines for using the collections.

Plan your Visit

Hours and Location

The archive is located on the second floor of the Hudson Library. The archive is open by appointment only during regular library hours. Please see the library’s hours and location page for more information on parking and hours.

Appointment requirements

So that we can adequately assist you in finding resources, appointments are required. Depending on the research inquiry and staffing availability, same day appointments may be available. Some evening and weekend hours are available. Please contact us for more information.

Who can use the Hudson Library archive?

The archive is open for research by appointment to anyone using the library’s local history materials or genealogy collection.

Using the Collections

The archive room is for researchers using the library’s local history materials or genealogy collection only. Tours of the reading room must be approved by the reference staff member on duty.

  • All researchers must leave coats and other outerwear in the lockers provided near the entrance of the reading room.
  • All briefcases, book bags, purses and handbags, and other personal belongings must be left in the lockers located near the entrance of the reading room. Laptops (or tablet computers), cell phones, digital cameras, notebooks and paper are permitted in the reading room.
  • Cell phones must be turned off or set to vibrate. Cell phone use is prohibited on the second floor of the library.
  • The Hudson Library & Historical Society reserves the right to inspect any individual’s personal property before leaving the reading room.
  • Researchers using archival collections must surrender a driver’s license or another form of acceptable photo identification (as determined by the reference staff on duty) in order to view materials. The identification will be returned to the researcher once all archival materials have been returned at the end of the visit. Researchers using archival collections for the first time will be required to complete and sign a registration form. Return visitors will be required to review their registration form on file and confirm that the information is up-to-date.
  • Eating, drinking, or gum chewing in the archive room is prohibited.

  • All archival materials must remain in the archives room.
  • To request archival materials in the vault, researchers must complete a Collection Request form and give the form to the staff on duty.
  • Only staff members may retrieve materials from the vault. Visitors are not permitted in the archival work room or vault.
  • Patrons may use no more than 2 boxes or 3 books at one time. The following materials may be restricted for research use: (1) unprocessed materials, (2) materials that are too fragile for use, or (3) materials with restrictions (legal or otherwise)
  • Only pencils and computers will be permitted for note taking. Pens and markers are prohibited. Pencils will be available for researchers at the archives desk.
  • Folders and items within folders must remain in the original order. Only one folder should be removed from a box at a time. Researchers should use the provided “out” cards to mark a folder’s location in the box.
  • Researchers must wear white gloves provided by staff when handling photographs or photographic negatives.
  • Do not mark archival materials or take notes on top of archival materials.
  • Researchers must inform the archives staff when leaving the reading room temporarily.
  • The archives reading room will close 15 minutes before the library closes. All archival materials must be returned to the archives staff 30 minutes before the library closes.

Photocopying and Duplication

  • Only staff may duplicate or photocopy archival material. Please note that staff has the right to restrict photocopying if (1) the materials are fragile and could be damaged by photocopying (2) legal or other restrictions forbid copying, or (3) photocopying would consume a great amount of staff time.
  • Staff can photocopy up to 10 pages on the same day for researchers. Staff can accommodate larger photocopy orders in a reasonable amount of time. Photocopies cost $0.10/page and must be paid in advance.
  • Researchers must abide by all applicable copyright laws and restrictions when requesting duplication of material.

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17 United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement.

Archive staff are available to assist researchers on using and accessing the historical society collections. Due to the high volume of requests and limited staff availability, staff is unable to perform lengthy in-depth research. 

To ask a research question, contact us. We will make every effort to respond to inquiries as quickly as possible, but depending on the nature of the inquiry, some requests may take longer.