Information for Out-of-Town Researchers

Welcome to Denver! We hope this information about the Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library will prove useful.

The Reading Room of the Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library is located on the second level at 2401 Welton Street in the Five Points neighborhood of downtown Denver. Due to severe budget cuts, the Reading Room is open to the public by special appointment and during the following hours only:

The Library has free parking. The entrance is on 24th and Welton. More geographic information.

For lodging, check out Citysearch Denver or Hotel Hotline - Denver. The library is located at the corner of 24th and Welton. You can walk to the library from downtown hotels. In addition, a light rail train stops one block from the Blair-Caldwell Library – visit rtd-denver.com for more information. Due to the urban nature of the downtown area, food, lodging, and entertainment are very easy to locate. mapquest.com will plot hotels/restaurants on a map for you. For free brochures, guides, maps and visitor information, contact the Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau at
1-800-2DENVER.

Eighty percent of the manuscript collections are open for research and contain no restrictions. In most cases, these materials are available on the day of your arrival. However, it is recommended to schedule an appointment. During the initial interview, expect to complete an application and present a form of photo identification. Researchers are not required to have a letter of introduction. With advance notice of your arrival, the Archivist can set materials aside for your use; otherwise, retrieval time for boxes may require up to one hour.

Planning Your Research

Although not imperative, it is wise to contact the Archivist before making your first visit. Contacting the Archivist will save you time in the long run and will give you an opportunity to find out if the archive can realistically help your research or give you an estimate of how long your research will take.

To inquire about our services or to make a request, contact the Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library by email or telephone. When you write, please state your request succinctly – include names, dates, places, and specific documents.

To contact us, please email blairstaff@denverlibrary.org or call 720-865-2401.

Registration

Upon entering the Reading Room, you will be asked to present a picture ID and fill out an application that will ask for your name and address, and the title of the collection desired. This document ensures that researchers are familiar with the Department's policies on copyright, restrictions, and photocopying.

Photocopying

After completing a written form, the Blair-Caldwell staff will photocopy all requests. If the paper is in poor condition or restrictions govern the collection, the material may not be photocopied. Copying large segments of a collection or an entire collection is not permitted.

We look forward to your visit.

Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library
2401 Welton Street
Denver, Colorado 80205
http://aarl.denverlibrary.org
720-865-2401

back to top