Research

The goal of Reference Services at OSA Archivum is to encourage and support scholarly research on our archival, library, and audio-visual collections. Research at OSA Archivum can be conducted both on site and remotely. We recommend that all potential researchers familiarize themselves with the structure and composition of our holdings (see: Collections) before visiting. We provide remote reference services via the Internet and e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Reference services staff is ready to respond to general inquiries on the collections and to facilitate online requests for materials and reproduction services.

On-site access to our collections is provided through the Research Room. The research room is freely accessible to the public, offering a friendly environment for quiet study; no preliminary appointment is needed. Reference services staff are available to consult on particular collections, to guide researchers in the use of our online catalogs, and to provide historical context specific to certain topics. For more in-depth consultation with a staff archivist, an appointment can be made through the reference services desk.

Researchers wishing to consult our holdings need to register and obtain a Research Card. This can be obtained either on site or online. Once registered, our collections can be explored through various online catalogs and guides:

• Archival Finding Aids: online guides to our processed archival fonds and collections. Includes textual and audio visual holdings. Unprocessed collections are also listed separately; requests to consult them are considered on a case by case basis.
• Library Catalog: online catalog of our book and periodical holdings. The book collection is also represented in the CEU Library Catalog.
• Film Library Catalog: online catalog dedicated to our growing film library.

All catalogs are included into the collections integrated search. We also offer thematic finding aids listing all relevant material on certain topics.

The majority of our holdings are stored in house, though a portion of our library collections is kept at an off-site repository. All in-house materials are delivered to the research room within 15 minutes; requests must be made two days in advance for materials stored off site. The OSA Archivum archival and library materials must remain on site. We offer digital reproduction services for a majority of our collections. In addition, a number of thematic digital collections related to our holdings are presented online for individual viewing, downloading, and commenting.

The research room displays a limited selection of periodicals and printed works (reference books, etc.) on its shelves for consultation. Technical facilities for viewing our microfilm collections and our extensive audio visual collections are likewise provided. In addition, we offer a dedicated work station where researchers can sift through the over one million digitized pages of the Electronic Archives of the Communist International (COMINTERN). Digital reproduction facilities, including a flatbed scanner and digital cameras, are available on request; researchers are encouraged to bring their own digital cameras to make copies. All digital copies made in the reading room will be uploaded and stored on the Parallel Archive: www.parallelarchive.org. The OSA Archivum also offers free wi-fi Internet connectivity throughout its premises.

For further information, please refer to the general research room rules and procedures.