Access Protocol

Updated: 15 November 2025

This Access Protocol sets out how people can use Queer Ink Publishing, Queer Ink Library and Queer India Archives, balancing openness with privacy, safety, preservation, and community control. It draws on archival and queer community ethics to support safe, equitable access to queer and trans materials in physical and digital environments.

1. Scope and principles

• This policy applies to all Queer Ink spaces and services where users access content: reading rooms, events, digital platforms, online collections, and mediated access (e.g., reference queries, scans, or streaming).

• Access is guided by a presumption of openness for research, education and community use and care, limited only by law, safety, preservation needs, donor/depositor agreements and community protocols.

• Queer Ink centres queer and trans agency, consent and safety; access decisions prioritise minimising harm over maximal exposure, especially for marginalised community members.

2. User eligibility and registration

• Queer Ink welcomes researchers, students, educators, activists, creators, community members, and their families & friends, as well as the general public, regardless of institutional affiliation, subject to this policy.

• For on-site access to non-circulating or special materials, users may be required to:

o register with a valid photo ID and contact details;

o agree in writing to follow handling, copying and privacy rules;

o state a brief research purpose (to help staff support access)

• Queer Ink may limit access for individuals who have previously endangered collections, violated privacy or safety, or repeatedly breached policies, after fair warning.

3. Access levels and restrictions

Queer Ink uses differentiated access levels, which may apply differently to physical and digital items:

• Open access where materials are available without special permissions, subject to basic handling rules and copyright law (e.g. many published books, some digitised items, and public programmes).

• Registered access is available for materials that require user registration and supervised use (e.g., fragile items, unpublished collections, and digital files). It may be accessed on-site or through secure digital logins.

• Restricted or mediated access for materials subject to donor agreements, privacy concerns, cultural protocols, or community safety (e.g., collections naming living individuals, medical or legal records, sensitive photographs, or materials from highly marginalised communities). Access may require staff mediation, redaction, time limits, or written justification.

• Closed or embargoed materials unavailable for a defined period by law, donor agreement, or ethical assessment (e.g., records protected by statutory closure periods, trauma-sensitive materials, or items under active review).

Restrictions are defined as specifically and minimally as possible, recorded in internal documentation and, where safe, noted in public descriptions.

4. On-site use and handling

• Special and archival collections generally do not circulate; they must be consulted in designated spaces under staff supervision.

• Users must follow handling rules designed to preserve materials, which may include:

o no food, drink, or chewing gum;

o using pencils only, no pens or markers;

o leaving bags, coats and bulky items in lockers or a designated area;

o using book supports, cradles and weights as provided;

o viewing one box at a time and maintaining original order within folders.

• Staff may inspect materials and personal items when users enter or leave the reading room, solely to protect collections.

• Queer Ink may limit the quantity of material issued at once to ensure security and staff support (for example, one archival box or a small number of volumes at a time).

5. Digital access and use

• Queer Ink's platforms may make digital collections available through a combination of open, registered, and restricted access, adhering to legal and ethical conditions.

• For some community or sensitive collections, Queer Ink may use "view-only" or non-downloadable interfaces, watermarks, or technical measures to reduce unauthorised copying, scraping, and reuse, especially by hostile actors or exploitative platforms.

• Users must not attempt to bypass access controls, remove watermarks, scrape content at scale, or deploy bots, data mining tools, or AI systems without prior written authorisation (see copyright and AI/TDM policies).

• Online descriptions for restricted items may provide summary information while limiting access to the full content, to balance discovery with privacy and safety.

6. Privacy, consent and community care

• Queer history often contains deeply personal information; Queer Ink recognises the need to protect privacy, confidentiality, and the right not to be exposed or harmed through archival access.

• Access decisions for materials involving living people, medical or legal details, intimate images, or personal narratives will consider:

o consent status and donor/depositor instructions;

o potential risk of outing, harassment, or reputational harm;

o power dynamics (e.g., between institutions and marginalised communities).

• Queer Ink prioritises community agency and may consult affected persons, communities or creators about access levels, redactions or contextual statements, especially for Indigenous, Dalit, Adivasi, trans, intersex and other marginalised groups.

• Where consent is unclear and the risk of harm is high, Queer Ink may limit or deny access or provide mediated, on-site-only access with restrictions on copying and citation.

7. Copying, photography and reuse

• Copying and photography are privileges, not rights, and may be limited by preservation, copyright, donor agreements or ethical considerations.

• Queer Ink may permit personal reference copies (e.g., low-resolution photos or staff-made scans) for private study and research where this is lawful and safe, subject to:

o copyright and licensing terms;

o item condition and conservation guidance;

o absence of restrictions on privacy or community protocols.

• Users must seek explicit permission for any publication, exhibition, public performance, online posting, teaching use beyond fair dealing/fair use, or AI/data-mining use of Queer Ink materials.

• Users remain responsible for respecting copyrights, privacy, and community ethics; permission from Queer Ink does not replace the need to seek creators’ or communities’ consent when appropriate.

8. Requests for access to restricted material

• Researchers or community members who wish to access restricted items may submit a written request explaining:

o the material requested and purpose of access;

o how they will protect privacy and minimise harm;

o any relevant community relationships or approvals.

• Queer Ink will assess such requests using a consistent framework that considers law, donor agreements, community protocols, and potential risks and benefits.

• Conditions of access may include supervised use, no copying, anonymised citation, delayed publication, or co-authorship/consultation with community members.

9. Misuse, safety and sanctions

• Behaviour that endangers collections, violates privacy, harasses staff or other users, or targets queer and trans people (including hate speech, doxxing, or attempts to identify closeted individuals) is not tolerated.

• Depending on severity, Queer Ink may respond by:

o issuing warnings or requiring remedial actions;

o restricting or suspending access to specific collections or spaces;

o barring individuals from Queer Ink premises and services;

o in severe cases, notifying relevant authorities or partner institutions where required by law.

10. Transparency, review and contact

• Queer Ink will document access restrictions, decisions and conditions internally and, where safe, reflect them in public descriptions so users understand why some materials are restricted.

• This Access Protocol will be reviewed periodically in light of community feedback, legal developments, archival standards and queer archival ethics.

• Questions, concerns, or requests for clarification regarding access should be directed to Queer Ink via the contact information published on its official channels.

• For permissions, licensing requests, queries about specific uses, or clarification of this statement, users should contact Queer Ink directly at info@queer-ink.com or message on +91.8850.678.780.