Dr. Frederick W. Danker’s gifts to the Overton Memorial Library included lexicons— dictionaries of word meanings and usage—from the initial Greek-German volume by Erwin Preuschen to the first Greek-English volume by W.F. Arndt and F.W. Gingrich, to the latest Concise Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament by F.W. Danker with Kathryn Krug. Krug, of Columbia, Kentucky, contributed proof pages from both the third edition of The Greek English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Writings and The Concise Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.

Resources of the Lexicon Museum

Click here for a list of resources contained in the Lexicon Museum.

Research Application

Researchers must complete and sign an application form once each fiscal year.
Click here to download a Research Application.

Rules for Use of Archives and Manuscripts in the Lexicon Museum

The holdings of the Lexicon Museum of Overton Memorial Library are available for reference use from Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., with the exception of Heritage Christian University holidays. While the Library encourages the broadest possible use of its collections, the nature of these materials requires that we consider applicants on an individual basis.

Procedures for Requesting Materials

  1. Researchers must complete and sign an application form once each fiscal year (July 1 – June 30) and must provide acceptable identification (driver’s license or photographic I.D. card).
  2. All manuscripts and archival materials are housed in closed stacks. Readers may request particular items by submitting the appropriate call slips to the Librarian. The librarian will bring the material to the researcher. No material will be pulled for researcher use after 3:45 p.m.
  3. All materials must be consulted in designated areas only and may not be taken to other areas of the Library.
  4. The Library reserves the right to inspect all research materials and personal articles before a patron leaves the building. Handling and Care of Materials
  5. The researcher must accept the responsibility of handling carefully all materials made available. Manuscripts and archival materials are to be maintained in the order in which they are received by the researcher. If any material is discovered out of order, please notify the Librarian. Do not rearrange papers. Manuscripts and books may not be leaned on, written on, folded, traced over or handled in any way that may damage them.
  6. Researchers may be limited in the amount of material received at one time, usually no more than one box of manuscripts.
  7. The use of ink is strictly prohibited.
  8. No food or beverages are allowed while using the materials, and smoking is prohibited.
  9. All materials must be returned to the Librarian by 4:00 p.m. or before the researcher leaves the Library.
  10. Mutilation, destruction and theft of Archives and Manuscripts materials are subject to prosecution.

Reproduction for Research Use

The Overton Memorial Library will consider requests for reproduction of material when such duplication can be done without injury to the material and when duplication does not violate donor agreements or copyright law. Requests for reproduction will be considered on an individual basis. Requests for duplicating certain materials may require the approval of the Librarian. All duplication requests must be made before 3:45 p.m. Permission to reproduce does not constitute permission to publish. For more information, see Obtaining Photocopies of Archives and Manuscript Materials.

Permission to Publish

Researchers should be aware that the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, USC) provides protection for unpublished materials as well as for published works. Permission to publish from or to quote from previously unpublished manuscripts or from published items under copyright must first be obtained from the copyright holder. It is the researcher’s responsibility to secure that permission. For original manuscript materials, the permission of the Overton Memorial Library, as owner of the originals, is also required. In most instances, the Library does not hold the copyright to materials in its holdings.

For more information about copyright, see Copyright Facts for Users of Archives and Manuscript Collections.

Citations

When citing material from manuscript collections in this library, please use the following form: [Identification of the item and the title of the collection], [Identification of the record group or manuscript collection number], Lexicon Museum, Overton Memorial Library, Heritage Christian University.

Reproduction of Special Collections Material

Reproductions are provided by Overton Memorial Library as a service to researchers for their private study and use on a fee for service basis. The library does not sell reproductions. Reproductions provided may not be further reproduced.

In order to ensure the careful handling of Special Collections materials, all reproduction is done by Library staff. The department may set limits on reproductions based on available staff time, copyright, and the fragility of the materials.

Under certain circumstances, researchers are allowed to use personal digital cameras to reproduce images of archival and manuscript materials for research use. For more information, see our Digital Camera Policy.

An application to use Special Collections material must be approved before reproduction is permitted. A duplication request form must also be completed, signed by the requester, and approved by a member of the Library.

Note that permission to obtain photocopies does not constitute permission to publish the photocopied materials. See our Permission to Publish page for information on obtaining permission to publish materials from our archives and manuscript collections.

The patron must assume full responsibility for any infringement on copyright or for any other legal issues, such as libel or invasion of privacy, which may arise from the patron’s use of the copies. Persons using manuscripts should be aware that unpublished materials (including letters, diaries, memoranda, literary manuscripts, photographs, films, audiotapes, and materials in digital formats) are protected by the copyright law (Title 17 U.S. Code) and any use beyond “fair use” may be an infringement. For more information, see our Copyright Guidelines page.

Entire collections will usually not be reproduced, or will be reproduced only with special permission. Extensive sequences from books, manuscript collections, and other materials will usually not be reproduced, or will be reproduced only with special permission. Fragile materials may be reproduced only with special permission. The department reserves the right to refuse reproduction of materials (including books, bound manuscript volumes, or any other materials) which are judged too fragile. Restricted materials may only be reproduced with special written permission. Materials not owned by the Overton Memorial Library may only be reproduced with special written permission.

Please ask a library staff member for instructions as soon as the first material for reproduction has been identified. Do not remove any items for copying until these instructions have been given. A reproduction request form must be completed. Specific instructions will be given upon request.

Reproduction Options

For reproduction of archives, manuscripts, and rare books, contact the librarian at 256-766-6610 or jcox@hcu.edu. For reproduction of audiovisual and other special format materials, contact the librarian at 256-766-6610 or jcox@hcu.edu.

Note: Reproduction of bound volumes is done on an edge photocopier or scanner one page at a time in order to minimize damage to bindings.

Photocopies

Photocopy orders are $0.25 per exposure. Exposures are printed on either 8 ½ x 11 or 8½ x 14 paper. Orders will be subject to an additional labor charge of $10.00 for each 50 exposures. Photocopy orders of 20 exposures or less can usually be completed on a “while-you-wait” basis. Larger orders are completed as staff time allows. A minimum shipping and handling fee of $5.00, up to the total cost of shipment, will be added to all orders sent by mail or shipping service. Prepayment is required for all special collections photocopies.

Low Resolution Digital Scans

Low resolution digital scans refer to images reproduced digitally at 300dpi in either PDF or JPG format. Low resolution digital scans are $1.00 per exposure. Up to 10 exposures can usually be completed on a “while-you-wait” basis. Larger orders are completed as staff time allows. Scans are delivered either through electronic mail or direct download from the Overton Memorial Library web server. Prepayment is required for all special collections low resolution scan orders.

High Resolution Digital Scans

High resolution digital scans refer to images reproduced digitally at 600dpi in TIFF format. High resolution digital scans are $50 for the first image and $25 for each additional image, per order. Requests for images that cannot be scanned due to fragility or format will either be denied at the discretion of the Librarian or reproduced at a photography studio. The user will pay the cost of the studio services plus an additional $25.00 labor charge. Prepayment is required for all special collections high resolution scan orders.

Audio and Video Recordings

Digital to digital format reproductions are $50 per title. Analog to digital format reproduction pricing is determined per each individual order based on labor expenditures. Requests for recordings that cannot be reproduced due to fragility or format will either be denied at the discretion of the Librarian or reproduced at a filmography studio. The user will pay the cost of the studio services plus an additional $25.00 labor charge. Prepayment is required for all special collections audio orders.

Digital Camera Policy

Researchers are, under certain circumstances, allowed to use personal digital cameras in Overton Memorial Library special collections reading area to produce images of archival and manuscript materials for research use. Researchers who wish to use a digital camera in the reading area will need to complete an Application to Reproduce Archives, Manuscript, and Special Collections Materials Using a Personal Digital Camera. The following guidelines apply:

  1. Reproductions made using personal digital cameras are to be used only for the research or private study of the applicant. If applicants desire to publish images from the archives, manuscript, or special collections holdings of Overton Memorial Library, they must complete a written Request for Publication and pay for publication-quality reproductions of images, which will be produced by library staff.
  2. Reproductions made using personal digital cameras may not be made for or donated to other repositories by the applicant without prior written consent of Overton Memorial Library.
  3. In the case of a request to photograph an entire copyrighted publication or unpublished work, the applicant must obtain permission from the copyright owner before a copy can be made. The Overton Memorial Library reserve the right to set limits on the number of digital camera reproductions they will allow.
  4. No part of textual material reproduced with a personal digital camera may be quoted by the applicant in his own work or elsewhere without permission of the copyright owner. Permission to quote from any part of manuscript materials owned by Heritage Christian University must also be secured from the Vice President of Academic Affairs. Clearance of copyright is always the responsibility of the person wishing to publish the materials and is not the responsibility of the staff of the Overton Memorial Library.
  5. Proper acknowledgment shall be given for all materials used. In citing manuscript materials located in this library, the form should be as follows: [Identification of the item], [Title of the collection], [Identification of the Record Group or Manuscript number], Lexicon Museum, Overton Memorial Library, Heritage Christian University.
  6. Flash may not be used in photographing archives, manuscript, or special collections materials.
  7. Library staff reserve the right to prohibit use of digital cameras in the special collections reading area when, in their judgment, such use creates a disturbance for other library patrons. Please set your camera to operate silently, without beeps or other noises.
  8. Applicants must follow the library’s standard rules for care and handling of archives, manuscript, and special collections materials while using digital cameras. Bound volumes may not be flattened in order to obtain better images. Library staff reserve the right to prohibit use of digital cameras in the special collections reading area when, in their judgment, such use poses risk to the physical preservation of library materials.
  9. The applicant agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Heritage Christian University, its officers, employees and agents from and against all suits, claims, actions, and expenses arising out of the use of digital camera images produced by the applicant from the archives, manuscript, and special collections holdings of Overton Memorial Library.

If you have questions about the library’s digital camera policy, please contact the Librarian at 256-766- 6610 or jcox@hcu.edu.

General Guidelines Concerning Publication

The copyright law currently in force is the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act (Title 17, United States Code), which took effect on October 27, 1998.

Copyright Coverage

Current copyright law extends copyright protection to unpublished works formerly protected only under common law. Copyright coverage is not extended to unpublished works already in the public domain or to materials written by employees of the United States Government in the course of their official duties. The coverage of unpublished works by statutory copyright is a major change in the law. These unpublished works include letters, diaries, sermons, lectures, photographs, and other “works” of a nonliterary nature, as well as unpublished literary manuscripts, which are commonly found in manuscript repositories.

Copyright protects the text or exact expression of a work, regardless of its literary merit or historical significance. Ideas and information are not subject to copyright protection. Permission of the copyright owner is not required to cite an unpublished work as a source or to use information from it.

Duration of Copyright in Unpublished Works

Copyright in unpublished works starts at the moment of creation and lasts for the lifetime of the author plus an additional seventy years.

Copyright in unpublished works by anonymous and pseudonymous works, and works made for hire (corporate authorship), starts at the moment of creation and lasts 120 years from the date of creation.

Ownership of Copyright

Copyright in an unpublished work is held by the author or creator, or his heirs or assigns, unless a written transfer of copyright has been made to another party. The “author or creator” may be the writer of a letter or story, a photographer, an interviewer or an interviewee in tape recorded or transcribed interviews, a lecturer or speaker or other “creator” of a “work.”

Ownership of copyright does not automatically accompany ownership of the physical property. Copyright must be specifically transferred in writing. In general, the Lexicon Museum does not hold copyright in the letters, diaries, photographs, tape recordings, and other unpublished materials among its collections. Even though the donor of a collection may have transferred copyright, such transfer can be made only for the works created by the donor or by another person for whom the donor holds copyright. Transfer of copyright cannot be made for incoming letters and diaries written by other persons.

Publication of Unpublished Materials

Persons wishing to publish unpublished materials under copyright must obtain permission of the copyright holder. The museum will provide as much assistance as possible in identifying heirs or others who may hold copyright. Clearance of copyright is always the responsibility of the person wishing to publish the materials and is not the responsibility of the Lexicon Museum.

Permission to publish must also be secured from Overton Memorial Library as the owner of the physical property.

Fair Use

The Copyright Law of 1976 included a specific provision for “fair use” of copyrighted materials with guidelines for interpreting whether a particular use is “fair.” “Fair use” is designed to permit the limited use of copyrighted materials for such purposes as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Generally, brief quotations for such purposes are considered a “fair use” not requiring permission of the copyright owner. It does not appear that the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act changed this definition of “fair use”.

Commercial use of copyrighted materials is not a “fair use” and always requires the consent of the holder of copyright.

Photocopying (or other reproduction) and Copyright

The provisions of the law regarding photocopying (or other facsimile reproduction ) are not altogether clear. Limited photocopying or other reproduction for a specific research or reference use by or at the request of a researcher is generally permitted. Copying of an entire copyrighted work is not permitted.

One of the conditions specified in the law for photocopying or other reproduction by a library is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than the private study, scholarship, or research” of the applicant.

The person requesting the reproduction assumes the liability for any later use exceeding “fair use.”

 

Obtaining Permission to Publish Material from the Lexicon Museum

If you wish to publish or use in facsimile reproduction material in the Overton Memorial Library Lexicon Museum, you must receive written permission from the Librarian. This permission may be obtained by submitting a Request for Permission to Publish or Use Reproductions form to the Librarian. Images published on a web site are also subject to this procedure.

You will be asked to furnish the following information for your request to be considered:

  • Name, address and telephone number Identification of the material you wish to publish (if possible, attach photocopies)
  • Explanation of the intended use of the materials
  • In addition, you must agree to provide the Overton Memorial Library with a gratis copy of the final publication utilizing these reproductions.
  • Each facsimile reproduction must carry the following credit line: Courtesy Overton Memorial Library, Heritage Christian University, Florence, Alabama.

For additional information, contact the Librarian at 256-766-6610 or jcox@hcu.edu.