Archives Facility and Research Rules

Welcome to Multnomah County Archives

Multnomah County Archives is committed to providing safe and welcoming environments for all individuals visiting one of our locations to perform research. The following rules protect the rights and safety of researchers and staff members, and preserve and protect the archives’ materials, facilities and property.

Definitions and scope

These rules apply to all spaces maintained by the Multnomah County Archives or used by it for operations and to all persons occupying those spaces.

Listed below are the archives’ rules. Archives personnel will determine whether a particular behavior is prohibited by the rules. People who violate the rules may be asked to leave the premises and excluded from all archives premises for the period of time listed below, by authority of Multnomah County Executive Rule No. 252.

Archives rules

Any person who violates one or more of rules 1 through 3 while in any Multnomah County Archives space will be asked to leave immediately and excluded from all those spaces without first being given a warning.

Any person so excluded shall lose all onsite archives access for a period of up to three years, and the incident may be reported to the appropriate law enforcement agency.

1. Committing or attempting to commit any activity that would constitute a violation of any federal, state or local criminal statute or ordinance.
2. Directing a specific threat of physical harm against an individual, group of individuals or property. Violation of this rule will result in a minimum exclusion of one year.
3. Entering or remaining upon archives premises with an unauthorized weapon.

Any person who violates one or more of rules 4 through 12 while in any archives space will be given up to one warning at the discretion of archives staff. Thereafter, if another rule violation is observed, the person will be asked to leave the premises for the day. If the violation involves threatening behavior or behavior that is significantly disruptive, then the person may be excluded for a longer period.

Subsequent offenses by that person will result in that person being asked to leave archives premises and excluded from all Multnomah County Archives spaces. Any person so excluded shall lose all onsite archives’ privileges for a period of up to one year.

4. Engaging in conduct that disrupts or interferes with the normal operation of the archives, or disturbs archives staff or patrons, including, but not limited to, conduct that involves the use of abusive or threatening language or gestures, conduct that creates unreasonable noise, or conduct that consists of loud or boisterous physical behavior or talking.
5. Using archival records, equipment, furniture, fixtures or buildings in a manner inconsistent with the customary use thereof; or in a destructive, abusive or potentially damaging manner; or in a manner likely to cause personal injury to the actor or others. Specific rules related to archival records include:

• Only use pencils for note-taking while using archival records. If you need a pencil, we’ll supply one.
• Don’t mark, alter, mutilate, or deface archival records in any way.
• Maintain the existing order of the archival records used.
• Do not remove archival records from the research area.
• Taking pictures of archival records without using a flash is fine. Archives staff will make copies or scans of records.
• Handling some archival records requires the use of gloves. Please follow archives staff instructions regarding their use. When required, archives staff will provide gloves to researchers.

6. Not following the reasonable direction of an archives staff member.
7. Using personal belongings in a manner that interferes with the operation of archives facilities.
8. Parking vehicles on the Yeon Complex premises for purposes other than county business. Vehicles parked in violation of this rule may be towed at the owner's expense.
9. No food or drink of any kind is allowed while researching archives. A breakroom is available with refrigeration and a microwave.
10. Bringing animals inside archives research spaces (with the exception of service animals recognized by the Americans with Disabilities Act) or leaving an animal tethered and unattended on archives premises in violation of Multnomah County Code §13.305.
11. Violating the archives’ rules for acceptable use of the internet and archives public computers, which are posted at every public computer table.
12. Refusing to comply with existing health and safety regulations for the Yeon Complex.

Repeat and multiple offenses

People who violate any archives rule after having been excluded for one or more archives rule violations may face a longer exclusion than indicated in this document.

Patrons need not violate the same rule to be subject to stricter enforcement and may not be warned that their behavior is inappropriate before being excluded.