Plan Your Research Visit
Plan Your Research Visit
During Summer 2025, the archives is open weekdays by appointment only.
The archives welcomes anyone to explore our collections, including current faculty, staff, and students in the Penn State community, Penn State Alumni, members of the local community, as well as visitors from around the world. This part of the web portal contains detailed information for visitors, such as hours, address and directions to the archives, parking on campus, as well as Reading Room access policies, guidelines for handling materials, copyright and reproduction policies for all researchers.
Before visiting the repository, it is strongly advised that---at least two weeks in advance---researchers consult with the archivist. Please contact Heidi Abbey Moyer, Archivist and Humanities Reference Librarian and Coordinator of Archives and Special Collections, at hna2@psu.edu for more assistance.
PLEASE NOTE: During Summer 2025 and into the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 Academic Years, there are several construction projects happening across the campus. As a result, several roads are closed to traffic and parking as well as walking on campus is limited. For more information, please consult the Campus Map of Closed Walkways around the Madlyn L. Hanes Library.
Directions and Mailing Address
Archives and Special Collections
Madlyn L. Hanes Library (3rd Floor, Room 303)
Penn State Harrisburg, 351 Olmsted Drive
Middletown, PA 17057 USA
For detailed directions to Penn State Harrisburg and the library, please visit Google Maps.
PLEASE NOTE: During Summer 2025 and into the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 Academic Years, there are considerable construction projects happening across the campus. Please consult the Campus Map of Closed Walkways around the Madlyn L. Hanes Library.
Local Accommodations
There are several nearby hotels within a short (15-minute) driving distance of the campus and library. The closest hotel to the campus is the Comfort Inn & Suites - Harrisburg Airport - Hershey South, located at 1589 West Harrisburg Pike/Route 230, Middletown, PA. The Comfort Inn & Suites offers guests a complimentary shuttle to and from the campus, the Harrisburg International Airport (HIA), and the Middletown Amtrak Train Station.
For more information, please check out the "Places to Stay" list of area hotels and motels: https://harrisburg.psu.edu/visitors/places-stay.
Parking
Please visit Penn State Harrisburg's Campus Map and Parking on Campus webpage for parking details and options. The Library/Student Enrichment Center Parking Lot, located along Olmsted Drive and just past the Swatara Building, offers the shortest walking distance to the library and archives. Due to construction in 2025-2026, however, we do not recommend using this parking lot. Handicap parking is available. Daily use parking permits may be obtained, at the rate of $2/day, from the kiosks located in each of the parking areas.
More information is available on the college's Vehicle Registration and Parking website.
PLEASE NOTE: During Summer 2025 and into the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 Academic Years, there are several construction projects happening across the campus. As a result, several roads are closed to traffic. Please consult the Campus Map of Closed Walkways around the Madlyn L. Hanes Library. For parking, the easiest and most direct access to the library is via the Olmsted Parking Lot. From Route 230/West Harrisburg Pike, turn on to First Avenue, which becomes College Avenue. Continue straight on College Avenue, passing the CUB, EAB, SEC, and the Olmsted Building. Immediately after the Olmsted Building, turn right on to Penn State Way and use the Olmsted Parking Lot. You can then walk through the Olmsted Building and into the center of campus to access the library and archives.
Reading Room Access Policies
Archival collections may be viewed in the Reading Room only and do not circulate. Lockers are available at no charge for short-term storage of personal items. Please be prepared to store the following in a locker as they are not permitted in the Reading Room: bags/purses, coats, large mobile phones, pens, personal notebooks, and folders. Please also silence any mobile phones or other electronic devices before storing them in a locker. Pen, food, and drinks (including water) are not permitted in the Reading Room. Only pencils, notepaper, and a portable device (laptop or a small tablet) necessary for research are allowed in the Reading Room.
Handling Archival Materials
When working with archival materials, please handle them with care and leave them in the same order and condition in which they were provided to you.
Please also adhere to the following specific guidelines:
- Only pencils are permitted for taking notes.
- Do not trace, mark, or draw on materials in any way.
- Do not take notes directly on top of any materials, and do not rest books or other objects on the face or surface of items used.
- Do not use post-it notes or any other adhesive notes on any materials, including photographic prints.
- Keep materials flat on tables at all times. Foam book supports and book weights are available to gently hold open tightly bound books or those in fragile condition.
- Handle loose sheets or book pages by their edges; avoid touching the surface with your hands.
- When handling photographic prints or negatives, or other fragile materials, gloves must be worn at all times. Cotton or latex gloves are provided for free to users.
These guidelines are intended to extend the life of materials and ensure for their access to future researchers. Thank you for assisting us with preserving the materials that are in our care!
Register as a Researcher
Anyone interested in conducting in-person research with the collections in Archives and Special Collections is required to complete and submit a "Patron Registration Form." Please download and complete the form (PDF version) prior to your visit, or when you visit Archives and Special Collections.