How to set up an appointment to research the collections:

• Email the archives with what materials you would like us to pull for your visit.
• Usually a researcher can get through 1 to 12 boxes per day.
• When requesting materials, it is important to track the collection title or manuscript number (e.g. Julia Morgan Papers or MS010) to differentiate between collections. 
• When emailing us your request, please format archival collections as Collection Title, Collection Number, Box Number/Flat file Folder, e.g.:
  • Julia Morgan Papers, MS0010, Box 6 
  • Julia Morgan Papers, MS0010, Flat file 52 folder 1
  • Sara Holmes Boutelle Papers, MS0014, Box 12-15
• When requesting cataloged materials, please email the permalink to the item record in the library catalog, as well as the title, author, and/or and call number, e.g.:
  • Sara Holmes Boutelle, Julia Morgan, Architect (1990 edition), NA737.M68 J842 1990 https://csu-calpoly.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01CALS_PSU/1qh1nk7/alma991000931499702920 

Plan for your in-person visit

Plan your in-person research visit by reading our "Plan your visit" and "Reading Room Guidelines"

Setting up an in-person or virtual appointment

Learn more about scheduling an appointment

With the Virtual Reading Room service, you can meet with archives staff to view archives materials over Zoom or get help with your research project. Email us at archives@calpoly.edu to learn more.

Left image: setup of archives zoom appointment. 

Right image: what you see when you meet with us on zoom, a folder of material at a time that we can page through together.