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Terms and conditions

This is the list of the terms and conditions for use of the ScotlandsPeople Centre. Click on each heading to reveal the conditions.

1. Access to the Centre

1.1 We reserve the right to refuse access to customers.

1.2 Any person appearing to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs will be refused access.

1.3 Any personal possessions left anywhere in the Centre are left at customer's own risk.

1.4 We do not accept responsibility for any personal possessions that are stolen, lost or damaged.

1.5 No items to be stored overnight - lockers will be emptied each night.

1.6 Generally only one seat will be available at each computer terminal for customers, except where a customer has a disability and requires a helper. In these circumstances both the customer and helper will be given access to a single terminal and a second seat will be provided for the helper.

1.7 Where visitors request chairs that are not standard to the Centre, their request will be accommodated when possible.

1.8 Noise from headphones should not be audible to adjacent customers.

1.9 Search rooms are not deemed to be silent areas.

1.10 Mobile phones must be switched off at all times in the buildings.

1.11 Customers with impaired mobility who pay the entrance fee and have pre-booked will be given access to the two adapted tables in the Reid room that can be raised or lowered.

1.12 Customers are not allowed to eat or drink in the search rooms.

1.13 Requests for library books will require to be authenticated by a supervisor to check contact details.

1.14 Customers in the Reid, Matheson & Dundas search rooms will be allowed to plug laptop computers into the sockets (at own risk) provided on their desks, but they must be silent in operation.

1.15 All bags to be stored under desks and must not protrude into the circulation space. All bags that cannot fit under the desk to be stored in the locker area or stored off site.

1.16 Disabled persons to access the Centre via the Matheson Dome, the west entrance in General Register House or the Dundas room.

1.17 Customers logging in are required to provide a user name, password and an address as a minimum to verify who they are.

1.18 Introductory taster sessions are intended for new and inexperienced users to familiarise themselves with the Centre and software and as such visitors are only entitled to one free search session each.

1.19 Customers must not at any time remove any book, catalogue, map, item of equipment, microfiche and microfilm from search room areas.

1.20 Digital cameras are not allowed in the Centre.

1.21 ScotlandsPeople reserve the right to request a proof of identity from a customer.

1.22 Orders for official extracts must be verified and authorised by a supervisor.

1.23 Microfiche will be available for viewing in both the Reid room, Matheson Dome and Dundas room but will only be available for customers who have paid the daily charge, and if a question arises about the quality or non-availability of a digital image.

1.24 Library books will not generally be allowed to leave New Register House and therefore must be accessed in the Dundas room. Library books will only be made available to customers who have paid the daily charge.

2. Searching in the search rooms

2.1 Children under the age of 12 are not allowed to accompany customers searching in the Reid, Matheson Dome or Dundas search rooms.

2.2 Children under the age of 12 are only allowed to accompany customers in the Adam Dome if they do not disturb other customers.

2.3 Children of 12 or 13 will only be allowed access to carry out a search in the Reid, Matheson Dome or Dundas search rooms when accompanied by their parent or legal guardian.

2.4 Unaccompanied children of age 14 or 15 will be allowed to carry out a search in the search rooms only if they can show written consent from their parent or legal guardian and can provide a contact number for the parent or legal guardian.

2.5 Proof of age may be requested for customers appearing to be underage to carry out a search of the records.

2.6 Customers are only allowed a maximum of 3 fiche per day for the adopted children's register records.

3. Refunds

3.1 Refunds will be provided for goods returned in original condition within 28 days. This does not affect your legal rights.

3.2 Where the ScotlandsPeople Centre network is unavailable for a period exceeding one hour, the following refunds shall apply:

Refunds on one-day general search charges
Full refund if notice given prior to the date booked. See also refunds given for IT system failure which prevents access to the statutory indexes.

Refunds on quarterly general search charges
Charge £10.00/day for usage of the Centre with the balance refunded up to maximum of £440.00. See also refunds given for IT system failure which prevents access to the statutory indexes.

Refunds on annual general search charges
Charge £10.00/day for usage of the Centre with the balance refunded up to maximum of £1,250.00. See also refunds given for IT system failure which prevents access to the statutory indexes.

Refunds on assisted searches
- Full refund of cost of original ticket if notice given prior to the date booked or if there is an IT system failure which prevents access to the statutory indexes.
- Full refund of cost of original ticket if no results possible within first 10 minutes of session.

Refunds for IT system failure which prevents access to the statutory indexes for a period of one-hour prior to 13:00 on day of failure
£10.00/day where the visitor has paid a day rate for accessing the Centre, £7.40/day where the visitor has a quarterly season ticket, £5.00/day where the visitor has an annual season ticket. The refund must not exceed the cost of the original ticket.

Refunds for IT system failure which prevents access to the statutory indexes for a period of one-hour after 13:00 and before 16:00 on day of failure
£5.00/day where the visitor has paid a day rate for accessing the Centre, £3.70/day where the visitor has a quarterly season ticket, £2.50/day where the visitor has an annual season ticket. The refund must not exceed the cost of the original ticket.

4. Season tickets

4.1 A maximum of five named people are allowed to be included on one season ticket. No additional persons are allowed to use the seat. If there is a requirement to change a person then five working day's notice is required.

Full payment of the season ticket must be received prior to the season ticket being issued. Where payments are made by cheque, the cheque must be cleared in advance of the season ticket being issued.

5. Permitted use

5.1 Birth, Death, Marriage and Census records/Wills and Testaments/Logo. Visitors to this website are granted permission to access this material, to download and copy such material on to electronic, magnetic, optical or similar storage media and to make printed copies of any such downloaded material, provided that such activities and copies are for non-commercial private study and research only. For the avoidance of doubt, no permission is given for the transfer of any of this material to an open internet site without permission from ScotlandsPeople.

6. Copyright

6.1 Birth, Death, Marriage and Census records
6.1.1 General Register Office for Scotland indexes and digital images are Crown copyright value-added data and are reproduced with the permission of the Queen's Printer for Scotland.

6.2 Wills and Testaments
6.2.1 You may not (a) store or print out copies of them (or any part of them) other than for the permitted use purposes set out above; or (b) reproduce, copy or transmit them (or any part of them) in any other way for any purpose or in any other medium, without prior written permission from the Scottish Archive Network :

Scottish Archive Network
Thomas Thomson House
99 Bankhead Crossway North
Edinburgh
EH11 4DX
United Kingdom Email: enquiries@scan.org.uk

6.3 Coats of Arms
6.3.1 Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland: Indices and digital images are Crown Copyright, and permission to reproduce, copy or transmit them for any purpose, or in any medium, must be sought from the Court of the Lord Lyon.

6.4 Logo
6.4.1 As a registered trademark, the ScotlandsPeople logo and strap line may not be used in any context other than the permitted uses mentioned above without the prior written permission of

ScotlandsPeople,
General Register House,
2 Princes Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3YY
(refer to the Contact page for details of how to send us messages).