The following information provides answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about research at the Clinton Library.
Please contact the library if more detailed information is required.
The Clinton Library is part of the William J. Clinton Center and Park located on the banks of the Arkansas River near downtown Little Rock. The Library is a ten minute drive from Little Rock National Airport and is convenient to shops and restaurants. Visitors should take Interstate 30 to exit 140-A or 140-B. The Clinton Library is clearly visible from the Interstate.
How can I contact President Clinton?
Please send all correspondence to the following address:
Correspondence Director
Office of the Honorable William J. Clinton
55 West 125th Street
New York, New York 10027
The Clinton Library is unable to provide an e-mail address.
RESEARCH INFORMATION
Who may use the library’s research collections? The William J. Clinton Library is open to everyone. Research requests can be made by mail, e-mail, or telephone. Research also may be conducted on-site in the Clinton Library research room. On-site researchers under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult researcher.
When is the Library open for research?
The research room is open year-round, Monday through Friday from 9:00 to 4:30 and is closed on all Federal holidays. The room will close daily for one hour for lunch, noon-1pm. No new material will be pulled for researchers after 3:45 .
How do I find out if records related to my topic are available?
Detailed finding aids for each collection open for research are available on the Clinton Library web page [ ] under the “Research” button in the top tool bar. Finding aids describe the contents of the collection and include folder title lists which enable researchers to request specific boxes of material. Finding aids also are available in the research room.
How do I prepare for research at the Clinton Library?
Although an appointment is not required, researchers are urged to contact the library in advance of any visit to allow the library staff ample time to locate and pull records related to their topics.
What are the research room procedures?
Researchers should report to the Admissions desk in the lobby of the Clinton Presidential Library. An archivist will be sent to escort the researcher to the second floor.
Before research can be begin, all researchers must meet with an archivist in the orientation room adjacent to the research room. Researchers will be asked to produce photo identification (drivers license, passport, student identification card) and complete a brief application form. The archivist will explain research room regulations and services. Once the orientation is complete, a research card valid for 1 year will be issued. Lockers are available in the lounge for the storage of coats, briefcases, backpacks, and other personal items.
The Clinton Library maintains a clean research room. Researchers may not bring paper, pencils, pens or other materials into the research room. All writing materials will be provided by the research room attendant. Each desk is equipped with a power outlet. Laptop computers are allowed, but optical scanners are not permitted. Researchers may bring a small amount of notes into the research room. These notes must be examined by the research room attendant and stamped “Approved by Clinton Library” before research may begin. On-site researchers may make photocopies using the self-service copier available in the research room for a fee of $.20 per page. The Clinton Library accepts most major credit cards, cash, or personal checks as payment for copies. Checks should be made payable to the National Archives Trust Fund.
Can I order reproductions by mail?
Yes. The National Archives sets a standard fee for mail order reproduction services (currently $0.75 per page). Photocopies are sent by regular mail. Advance payment is required for large orders. Alternate shipping arrangements (UPS, FedEx, etc.) can be made at the researcher’s expense. When ordering photocopies by mail, researchers should be as specific as possible with regard to their request. The library staff can neither undertake extensive searches nor segregate items unrelated to a researcher’s topic. The staff will photocopy the entire contents of any folder the researcher cites from a finding aid.
How are records opened for research?
The records of the Clinton Administration must be systematically arranged, preserved, reviewed and described by archivists before they can be made available for use by researchers. Most of the collections opened for research will have information withdrawn from the open files. Restricted information is explained below.
What kind of information is restricted?
Clinton presidential records are administered in accordance with the requirements of the 1978 Presidential Records Act or PRA (44 U.S.C. Chapter 22) and the Freedom of Information Act or FOIA(5 U.S.C., as amended). Records withdrawn under the statutes of the PRA remain closed for a period of twelve years following the end of the former president’s administration. Records withdrawn under the FOIA remain closed for longer and more variable periods of time. Most of the documents closed under the restrictions of the PRA and the FOIA relate to national security information, confidential advice between the President and his advisors or between such advisors, or information regarded as a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. Items removed from a collection are listed on withdrawal sheets placed in the open file. These sheets cite PRA and/or FOIA restrictions applied.
When will the Clinton records become subject to the Freedom of Information Act?
Clinton Records become subject to the Freedom of Information Act on January 20, 2006.
Can I request access to closed or unprocessed records?
Yes. Any individual may request access to unprocessed presidential records by submitting a written and signed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. A FOIA request may be submitted in the form of a letter, fax, or e-mail.
FOIA contact information:
Email : clinton.library@nara.gov
Fax: (501) 244-2881
Mailing address: FOIA Coordinator
Clinton Presidential Library
1200 President Clinton Ave.
Little Rock, AR 72201
Freedom of Information Act Request Form is presented in Adobe Acrobat PDF files. Click here for a free copy of Acrobat Viewer.
Please describe the records you wish to access in as much detail as possible. If a subject is too vague or broad, the FOIA will not be considered a reasonable request and will be rejected unless the researcher narrows or clarifies the topic.
FOIA requests are processed according to the date of receipt. Following the receipt of a FOIA request, a search is conducted for records responsive to the request. The researcher is then advised of the result and the FOIA will be placed in one of several queues, based on the complexity and volume of its subject. When the request reaches the front of the queue, the archival staff will review the responsive records according to the provisions of the Presidential Records Act (PRA) and the Freedom of Information Act. Executive Order 13233 requires notification of the representative of the former President as well as the incumbent President prior to the release of processed records. Once processing and notification have been completed, the Clinton Library will inform the researcher of the availability of requested records.
Can I appeal the closure of records restricted under the PRA and FOIA?
Yes. Original request filers may file an appeal challenging the status of records closed under the provisions of the PRA and/or the FOIA. Forms for filing PRA and FOIA appeals are available on request in the Clinton Library research room, by mail, by fax or by email.
Can I request declassification of national security information?
Yes. All national security documents responsive to a FOIA request will be reviewed. Any records restricted under national security provisions of the PRA and FOIA will be eligible for appeal by the original requestor once submitted for declassification review. Researchers may also file a Mandatory Review request for specific Presidential documents closed under the national security restrictions of the FOIA. Forms for filing a Mandatory Review request are available on request in the Clinton Library research room, by mail, by fax or by email.
How does the copyright law affect research?
The United States Copyright Law (P.L. 94-553) provides statutory protection for the authors or producers of original works. The copyright law gives the author and his or her heirs the sole right of publication for the term of the copyright. The use of copyrighted material requires the permission of the holder of the copyright. Permission to reproduce copyrighted materials contained in the audiovisual or textual holdings of the Clinton Presidential Library must be obtained from the copyright holder.
Under certain circumstances, the copy right law allows “fair use” of copyrighted materials without the permission of the copyright holder. Fair use encompasses scholarship and research, although the extent of such use is bounded by limitations.
Researchers with specific questions about the copyright law should obtain legal advice.
Please note that federal employees are not authorized to provide guidance with regard to copyright laws.
The copyright law does not apply to material in the public domain or material produced by government employees in the course of their official duties.
Can I access information on the Internet?
Yes. At present, the Clinton Library web page provides finding aids for all processed records as well as some official White House photographs from the library’s audiovisual holdings. The web site also features The White House Virtual Library. The Virtual Library provides a searchable archive of Executive Orders, White House press briefings, presidential radio addresses and other publications released between January 20, 1993 and mid- January, 2001.
Are research or travel grants available?
At this time, research and travel grants are not available.
How do I cite material from Clinton presidential records?
There is no universal format for citing materials from this archival depository. However, researchers should include the following information in the citation: the type and date of the document, the document title (if applicable), the sender and recipient, the complete folder title, and the name of the collection. The citation should conclude with reference to the William J. Clinton Presidential Library.
How can I find out about employment opportunities at the Clinton Library?
The Clinton Presidential Library and Museum is a unit of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), an independent federal agency. Use the NARA Quick-link, NARA Careers, Internships & Volunteering, for information on employment opportunities at the Clinton Library. Job listings are also posted at www.usajobs.gov/
