FAQ

Where are you located and what are your hours of operation?
What are the rules and policies for utilizing the library?
Is it possible to search your collections online?
Can I get a book in your collection through interlibrary loan?
May I ask research questions without visiting the library?
Is there someone at the Kenan Research Center who can do research for me?
May I bring my laptop into the library?
Do you have any tips to help me get started in my research?
Can I make copies of items in your collection?
Do you allow the use of cameras or scanners in the library?
How do I cite a document or photograph from your collection in my research?
I have some old photographs, documents, or books about Atlanta.  Do you accept donations of this type?
How should I take care of my family’s letters and photographs?
Can you tell me how much my old letters, photographs, or books are worth?
Where can I obtain copies of Georgia vital records such as birth and death certificates and marriage and divorce records?

Where are you located and what are your hours of operation?
The Kenan Research Center is located in McElreath Hall near the Andrews Drive entrance to the Atlanta History Center campus.  We are open Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM. We are closed New Years Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

What are the rules and policies for utilizing the library?
Access to the Kenan Research Center is free and open to the public.  When you visit us for the first time, you will fill out a patron registration form, provide photo identification, and receive a researcher card valid for one year.  No appointment is needed. Our policies for using the library are here.

Is it possible to search your collections online?
There are several ways to search our collections online. Please note that not all of our collections are represented in these catalogs.  Some collections are only accessible through indexes available on-site. 

Can I get a book in your collection through Interlibrary Loan?
The Kenan Research Center does not offer interlibrary loan services.  

May I ask research questions without visiting the library?
You may ask research questions by calling 404.814.4040, faxing to 404.814.4175, or email.  Our staff will gladly conduct a brief search of our collections as time permits and respond within three (3) business days. Please note that extensive research requiring more than thirty minutes of staff time will entail researcher fees.

Is there someone at the Kenan Research Center who can do research for me?
Our staff can conduct research for patrons for a fee of $50.00 per hour, payable in advance.  Please call 404.814.4040 or email for details.

May I bring my laptop into the library?
Yes, laptops and power cords are permitted, and the library offers wireless service.  Laptop sleeves, backpacks, briefcases, purses, and all other containers are not permitted in the library. The library will provide a secure locker for your belongings.

Do you have any tips to help me get started in my research?
Please visit Search the Collection and search our online catalog, Terminus to find information about our holdings, including books, periodicals, and manuscript and visual collections. Researchers may search or browse archival finding aids at the site and also search on specialty databases, including our digital database, Album, Garrett Necrology, and the Architecture Database.

Can I make copies of items in your collection?  
Researchers are permitted to make copies of books from the open shelves. Our reference staff will make photocopies of manuscripts and pages in rare books for you ($0.50 per page for nonmembers, $0.25 per page for students, faculty, and Atlanta History Center members).  Patrons may download images from microfilm readers to a USB flash drive. Flash drives are available for purchase at the reference desk for $10.00. In addition, the Kenan Research Center offers digital reproductions or prints visual materials in the collection. Our reprographics policy provides information and pricing for our visual collection.

Do you allow the use of cameras or scanners in the library?
Scanners are not permitted in the Kenan Research Center. Researchers may use still or video cameras to photograph selected items from the collection provided they apply in advance for permission to do so and agree to the Kenan Research Center’s policies and procedures.  Please review our digital camera policy. 

How do I cite a document or photograph from your collection in my research?
Patrons should use the following notation for citing from the collection:
Item, collection name, MSS or VIS Number, Kenan Research Center, Atlanta History Center.

I have some old photographs, documents, or books about Atlanta.  Do you accept donations of this type?
We welcome the donation of materials that relate to the people, places, and events of the Atlanta Metropolitan Region. For more information, please contact an archivist or librarian.

How should I take care of my family’s letters and photographs?
The National Archives and The Library of Congress offer great advice on taking care of your family documents and photographs. For more information please contact a member of the Kenan Research Center staff.

Can you tell me how much my old letters, photographs, or books are worth?
The Kenan Research Center staff will not appraise your personal possessions, but we can recommend sources of information. Please contact a staff member for more information.

Where can I obtain copies of Georgia vital records such as birth and death certificates and marriage and divorce records?
The Kenan Research Center holds a death certificate index of the State of Georgia from 1919-1993, and marriage licenses from Fulton County from 1854-1921. All other inquiries on vital records should be directed to the Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Public Health.