Starting Your Research
About the Fashion Plate Collection at the ROM's Richard Wernham and Julia West Library & Archives
The fashion plate collection is housed in the ROM’s Richard Wernham and Julia West Library & Archives. The Richard Wernham and Julia West Library & Archives' collections do not circulate to the public, however you are welcome to access our material in the Sackler Reading Room.
The ROM Library & Archives are open to the general public weekdays 10-5, with the exception of statutory holidays. As a reference library, our collections are non-circulating and materials are strictly in-library use only. It is recommended that you contact the library before your visit to ensure the availability of the materials you seek. Limited borrowing privileges are granted to faculty members and graduate students of the University of Toronto. The stacks are closed to the public but you are welcome to access the collection via the Sackler Reading Room.
If you are at the beginning of your research, it is advisable to consult secondary sources which present an overview of your topic, to determine which primary sources may best fit your research. Some secondary sources related to fashion plates are included in this guide, as are contemporary titles that reproduce original fashion plates; please see the appropriate sections.
In many cases, a digitized copy of a fashion plate may be available. The ROM Library & Archives has digitized some fashion plates, which are available on our Flickr Page. The ROM Library & Archives is affiliated with the University of Toronto Libraries (UTL) system. The ROM Library & Archives' holdings can be found through the UTL online catalogue.
Some of the fashion plates in the ROM's collections may be scanned or copied in low resolution for personal or study use, depending on the physical condition of the item (please ask staff for assistance) within these guidelines. All researchers wishing to make scans or copies must abide by copyright provisions outlined in the Canadian Copyright Act. We advise you to review the UTL's guidelines and FAQ related to copyright. Scanning (low resolution) via the use of our Book2Net scanner is free of charge -- we encourage you to bring a USB memory stick. Photocopying in black and white, is self-serve at 15¢ per exposure; both input and output sizes are limited to 8½ by 11. Printing from our computer terminals is 15¢ per page for both letter and legal size. Colour printing is $1.00 per page, available upon request. High Quality Images may be available, depending on the intended use -- please contact us for prices. Providing us with the copyright information along with the title of the publication and/or a call number, will help us to serve you more efficiently.