Services

Visiting the Research Room
The Research Room of The Mary Baker Eddy Library is open for the public to access the Library’s collections of original historical materials related to Mary Baker Eddy and Christian Science. Research Room hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and by appointment on the first Saturday of every month.

The Research Room is located on the 4th floor of the Library. Individuals interested in visiting the Research Room should check in at the Reference Desk in Lending and Reference Services on the 2nd floor to get a badge for access to the 4th floor.

Once on the 4th floor, Research staff will be available to help you get started, providing a copy of the research guidelines and a thorough orientation to the Research Room and the electronic database. Our staff will also discuss your project with you and help locate information. You will also be able to print out documents or request copies of paper documents.  Patrons may print out or request copies of up to 40 pages of material from the computer database each day, per individual or per institution.  Exceptions will be considered upon request.

 Fees

• The fee for computer printouts is 50 cents per page.
• For copies of paper documents the fee is 50 cents per page plus a $5 service fee per 50 pages. 
• Fee schedules for reproductions such as photographs, color copies, and scans are available at the Research Room front desk.

An appointment is not required to visit the Research Room; however, it is recommended that you contact the Research Room in advance if you wish to do in-depth research on a particular topic. This will allow time for staff to locate materials on your subject. Portions of the collections, including some manuscripts, photographs, art, and artifacts have been digitally scanned, and are available and searchable on Library computers. Finding aids are available in the Library for several of these collections. See Holdings for more information about material in our collections.

In order to make our collections available to everyone, while ensuring their preservation for future generations, special procedures are necessary. Personal items such as coats, briefcases, purses, pens and food items are stored in lockers provided by the Library. We also supply paper and pencil. You may bring research notes and a laptop computer if you wish.

Please contact us at 617-450-7218 or at research@mbelibrary.org for further information or questions.

Photocopy Requests
Researchers will fill reasonable requests for photocopies. All copy requests are reviewed by staff on duty in consideration of factors such as quantity, fragility, and compliance with copyright law.  Patrons wishing to use their own cameras, scanners, or other duplicating equipment must obtain permission from the Research Room in advance. The Research Room reserves the right to refuse copy requests.

The fee for copies is 50 cents per page plus a $5 service fee per 50 pages.

Photograph Requests
The library also houses a large collection of historic photographs that relate to Mary Baker Eddy and the Christian Science movement. Researchers may request a copy of photos from the collection for personal use. Depending on the nature of the request, the Library charges a small fee for reproducing images. Please allow 4-6 weeks for photograph requests.

Research Requests
Every month, researchers respond to hundreds of historical questions related to Mary Baker Eddy and Christian Science. Depending on the question, a response may be given immediately; in other instances, additional time may be required. Due to the heavy volume of inquiries, it may take up to 6 weeks to respond to a question. There is no charge for this service beyond copy costs, when applicable.

If you would like to ask a research question, please contact the Research Room:

• e-mail: research@mbelibrary.org
• Phone: 617-450-7218
• Mail: 200 Massachusetts Avenue, P04-10, Boston, MA, 02115
• Online: visit the Ask A Researcher page

Permission to use content from Library archives
Photocopies or reproductions are not to be used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or reasonable research and inquiry. If a patron later uses a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that patron may be liable for copyright infringement. The Mary Baker Eddy Library reserves the right to refuse a copy order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order is unreasonable use of the collection and/or involves violation of copyright law.

To request permissions for publication or distribution of material from the collections, please contact:
PUBLISHING AND PERMISSIONS OFFICE
The Writings of Mary Baker Eddy
210 Massachusetts Avenue, P03-25
Boston, MA  02115
Tel: (617) 450-3400
Email: permissions@marybakereddycollection.org

Reference Questions
If you have general reference questions on related topics such as other works on spirituality and health or women in leadership, general questions about the historical time period of Mary Baker Eddy, or questions about materials in the Library catalog, please refer to Lending and Reference Services.