Research in the Archives
Hours: The archive office is open by appointment only. office hours of the Catholic Center and Xavier Building are Monday-Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The offices are closed on Fridays. Other research opportunities may be scheduled at the discretion of the archivist.
Collections: Only those collections that have been catalogued are open to research and researchers. Finding aids are available for collections of (arch)bishops' materials for those bishops who have been deceased for at least ten years.
Guide to Bishop Simon Bruté Papers
Guide to Bishops Hailandieré, Bazin, and St. Palais Papers
Guide to Bishop Francis Silas Chatard Papers
Guide to Bishop Joseph Chartrand Papers
Guide to the (Arch)Bishop Joseph Elmer Ritter Papers
Guide to the Archbishop Paul C. Schulte Papers
Guide to the Archbishop George J. Biskup Papers
Guide to the Archbishop Edward T. O'Meara Papers
Media Requests: The policy for the Archdiocese of the Indianapolis for all offices and agencies will be followed—All media requests must be handled through the Director of Communications.
Publication Policy: Publication of research completed in the archives of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis requires the completion and approval of the Permission to Publish form. In addition, authors must adhere to additional guidelines listed below.
- Quotations from and references to materials that fall within the fair use guidelines of the United States Copyright Law do not require written permission from the Archives, but should still be properly cited in the work.
- Researchers wishing to use reproductions of items from the Archdiocese of Indianapolis Archives for commercial or non-profit reproduction and/or publication in either electronic or paper format must receive explicit permissions from the Archives or copyright holder. Separate application through writing or this form must be made to the Archdiocese of Indianapolis Archives in order to obtain permission to publish, reproduce or disseminate publicly any materials owned by the Archives.
- Reproductions include physical or digital copies of materials, including those which may be taken by the researcher using self-service digital photography. Publication or use is defined as dissemination to an audience or the public, including but not limited to print, film, video, slide presentation, television, computer, internet, electronic media and exhibit formats.
- The holder of copyright may be the writer or creator, the writer or creator’s heirs or assigns, the writer or creator’s literary executor or other designated legal representative, or the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. Copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) does not allow the Archives to grant permission to publish materials that we do not own. The researcher assumes full responsibility for identifying the holder of copyright and obtaining permissions.
- When permission to use or publish is granted, the researcher agrees to give proper acknowledgment to the Archdiocese of Indianapolis Archives, as well as the proper citation and location of the material where applicable. Permission is granted, in advance, for one time use only. That is, an initial printing or use of the material. The reuse of the material in another printing, edition, or publication is not granted without the written permission of Archdiocese of Indianapolis Archives. In authorizing publication or use of any material, the Archives does not surrender its own right to publish the same material or to grant others permission to do so.
- In no case does permission to publish imply transfer of copyright or proprietary rights. Any publication of material from the Archives must credit the Archdiocese of Indianapolis Archives. The Archives reserves the right to refuse to grant permission to publishers and individuals who have not complied with these conditions.
- Please consider donating a copy of the publication to the Archdiocese of Indianapolis Archives.
Research Best Practices:
- All written research must be done with pencil or computer—no ball point pens are allowed.
- The papers of all collections must be kept in order as presented to the researcher.
- No food or drink is allowed in the archive office while conducting research.
- All the offices of the Catholic Center and Xavier Building are smoke-free environments.
- PDF copies and high-resolution digital scans can be provided by the archives staff. Researchers may also use self-service digital photography with the permission of the archivist.
- Copies must be used in accordance with the copyright act and archives policies.
- The Archives may set additional restrictions to protect fragile or damaged materials.
- Permission to copy does not convey the right to reproduce or publish the material. A separate “Permission to Publish” form is required.
Sacramental Records Requests: The archives can provide copies of sacramental records originating prior to 1930 in cases where the archives has copies of such records. Sacramental record books are not provided for viewing by researchers; rather, the archivist will make copies of specifically-requested sacramental records. Requests for sacramental records originating after 1930 must be submitted to the parish of origin and are issued at the discretion of the pastor in cases where the requests are made for records that are not the requestor’s personal records. Sacramental records are normally kept at the parish of origin, or at a successor parish, in cases of a closed parish. A list of locations for sacramental records of closed parishes can be found on the archives website.
Visits to the Archives: The archives is open to researchers with an interest in the history of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. Visits to the archives for research are by appointment only. Please complete the archives research request form to describe your research needs. The archivist will contact you to discuss your request and to set an appointment for research, if your request is approved. If you plan to publish information gathered while conducting research in the archives, a separate permission to publish request must be completed.