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Register & request materials

Register as a researcher and request materials online before visiting the Rubenstein Library Reading Room. Most of our materials are stored off-site and we will need to retrieve them, so please plan ahead. Here's what to know before you arrive.

Accessing Restricted Collections: A number of our collections are tagged with physical or technical restrictions due to the fragility of the original media. They are available to view either on the Digital Repository, or via use copies when requested.

We recognize there are times when viewing the original media is warranted for research. In order to request access to the physical media or to inquire about any restrictions on collections in the Archive of Documentary Arts please email Caitlin Margaret Kelly, curator, at caitlin.kelly@duke.edu, or via phone at 919-681-7963, or you may reach out to J. Andrew Armacost, head of collection development for the Rubenstein Library.

Media, subject, & artist guides

The David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library is home to many photographs, film/video, audio, and other materials from 1839 to present. The guides below highlight many of our holdings in the Archive of Documentary Arts but are not comprehensive listings of the entire collection.  Use the catalog search on the Rubenstein Library homepage to search materials in all of our collections.