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Access and Use

About the Norwegian-American Historical Association

NAHA was organized October 6, 1925, as a national center for the collection and preservation of historical material. The heart of the NAHA archives is its extensive manuscript collection, which includes letters, diaries, journals and ledgers, newspaper clippings, obituaries, congregational records, family and local histories, and other resources related to Norwegians in America. The archival collection also includes photographs illustrating all aspects of Norwegian-American history.

Researchers who are not members of NAHA pay a daily fee of $15 per individual or couple for use of NAHA resources. Research parties of three or more are charged a group rate of $30 per day. Non-members may join NAHA at the time of their first visit. Daily fees are waived for members, undergraduates, and graduate students. Individual fees may be applied toward an annual membership during the three months after they are incurred.

Celebrate your Norwegian-American heritage or love or history with a membership in the Norwegian-American Historical Association. NAHA relies on its dedicated members to help us fulfill our mission to locate, collect, preserve, and interpret the Norwegian-American contribution to American history. Active members receive the following benefits:

  • Complimentary copy of all NAHA publications as they are released;
  • 25% discount on NAHA publications currently in print;
  • Free use of the archives;
  • Currents, our quarterly NAHA newsletter;
  • Invitations to NAHA events and programs, and more!

Reading Room Guidelines
NAHA holds rare, unique, and other special research materials. Our collections are non-circulating, and the stacks are closed to researchers. Visitors must abide by the guidelines below in order to ensure the safety of our collections and maintain a professional environment. All visitors are expected to make appointments in advance. 

We require visitors to provide a current photo identification card. A digital facsimile of your registration form and photo ID will be retained in our offices. We protect or redact personal information in our files. 

Reading Room Use

  • Our materials are non-circulating and must be used in the Reading Room.
  • Food and beverages are not allowed.
  • Use pencil only. No pens, highlighters, etc. are permitted in the Reading Room. 
  • Laptops, tablets, cameras, cell phones, and other digital recording devices may be used. No flash photography and no video recording equipment set-up without prior permission from staff.
  • No coats or bags, including briefcases and purses, may be brought into the reading room. Our staff will make arrangements for securely storing your personal items while you work with our collections. 
  • The appropriate archive must be credited in all citations of archival materials or publication of photographs. 

Materials Handling and Access 

  • Materials must be handled carefully and used flat on the table or cradled, depending on the condition of the item. Almost all of our holdings are original and irreplaceable. 
  • Do not remove items from the archives for any reason.
  • No books, papers, or other objects may be laid upon materials. 
  • Be careful to not bend, fold, make or remove any existing marks, or otherwise damage materials. Do not affix adhesive post-it notes to materials, as they leave permanent residue. If you need to flag materials or use a placeholder, please consult with the Archivist. 
  • Books should not be opened wider than the spine allows to avoid damage to the binding.
  • Do not remove encapsulated photographs or documents from their sleeves. 
  • Use nitrile gloves when handling unprotected photographs.
  • The existing arrangement of collections must be preserved. We recommend that you use only one box or one folder at a time. 
  • For the protection of its collections, NAHA also reserves the right to restrict the use of unprocessed records and fragile materials. 

Duplication and Reproductions 

  • Photocopying and scanning are free, but consult with the archivist first. Depending on the amount being scanned, a fee may apply.
  • The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with laws of libel, privacy, intellectual property and copyright (including fair use) which may be involved in the use of manuscripts, archival collections, and other materials.
  • For high quality reproductions, please consult with the Archivist. 

St. Olaf and the Norwegian-American Historical Association reserve the right to:

  • Inspect all visitors’ research materials and personal articles before they leave the reading room;
  • Limit or prohibit access to any materials;
  • And deny access to researchers who do not comply to our guidelines.