Archives web page: Research

Address
1441 East Avenue Rochester, NY 14610

Hours
10A - 4P Monday-Friday; other hours by appointment

Email  archives@rochesterregional.org

Phone: 585/922-1847

Fax: 585/922-0018

Please use the following citation for any RRH Archives material cited in your published work:

From the Rochester Regional Health Archives

(Collection Name) Archival Collection

Record Group/Series 

Research Guidelines and Information

The Rochester Regional Health Archives will grant everyone with legitimate research goals, as determined by the Archives Curator, equal access to the collection on a bona fide need-to-know basis. A written research request is required, stating which objects and materials are to be examined, the method of examination and reasons for examination. The Curator may restrict access of the records to examination of the catalog descriptions with the donor, value, and location information removed. Moreover, the Curator may limit access to the object to specified methods of examination and to certain times.

Categories of Restriction

Open Records

Records which may be made available to employees, staff, volunteers, and researchers. Included are records originally intended for public circulation and other material approved for public release.

Restricted Records

Records which, though not open to the public, may be made available for legitimate research purposes.

Closed Records

Records which, for a specified period of time, are available only to the office of origin and the Archives staff. These records include, but are not limited to, the Boards of Directors of the individual hospitals, Rochester Regional Health and its predecessors, the Twig Association and its predecessors, Rochester Regional Health Foundations and its predecessors, and their respective executive committees.

Restrictions also include a 75-year rule on non-public information about staff, schools of nursing graduates and employees. Records may be closed for up to 75 years by the Curator, the donor, or at the discretion of the Archives Council, depending upon whether the records would be of such a nature that their disclosure would constitute an invasion of personal privacy or might reasonably be expected to prove harmful or compromising to Rochester Regional.

Under Federal HIPPA regulations, patient information is considered Protected Health Information and is closed for fifty years. Information regarding HIPPA’s 50-year rule may be obtained from RRH’s Privacy Office.

Fee Schedule

Research

Research requests filled by Archives staff members are free of charge for the first half hour. If necessary, the second half hour is charged at $12.50, and subsequent hours are charged at the full hourly rate of $25.00/hour.

Duplication

• Photocopying; first five pages are free of charge; subsequent pages are $0.25 each.
• Scanning; scanning jobs are charged by time, rather than number of pages. The first half hour of scanning time is free of charge, the second half hour is $12.50; subsequent hours are charged at the full hourly rate of $25.00/hour. Copies of scanned materials are free of charge when forwarded electronically; hard copies are subject to materials and postage charges, as applicable.
• Oral Histories; copies of the interview and transcript are provided free of charge to participants as part of the interview process. Copy requests by those other than the participants are subject to a charge of $25.00/hour for duplication and formatting time as well as materials and postage, if applicable.

Exhibits

• Previously researched and developed exhibits are available for loan within Rochester Regional Health free of charge.
• Previously researched and developed exhibits are available to organizations outside of RRH at a rate of $100 for a six week loan. Borrowers are required to complete an outgoing loan form and return the exhibit at the end of the loan period. Loan period extensions are available upon request.
• Exhibits created upon request are subject to a research development fee of $25.00/hour as well as material charge.

Rights and Reproduction of photographs and archival material:

Images and archival materials reproduced for academic and/or commercial usage are subject to a rights and reproduction fee. Please contact the Curator for more information.

Please note the following:

Archives stacks are closed to researchers. Whenever possible, please submit requests for material prior to your arrival. This allows Archives staff to have material waiting for you and saves you time. Materials may be left on the cart or table and Archives staff will put them away.

• Gloves are not required for handling documents; clean, dry hands are.
• Ink is not to be used around documents and photographs. Notes may be taken using a #2 pencil or laptop/tablet; phone cameras may also be used.
• Archives staff will duplicate (photocopy or scan) documents or photographs as requested; please see the Fee Schedule for more information.
• Food and drink are not to be near materials being used.
• Notify the curator or other Archives staff immediately if materials become damaged in any way.