Frequently Asked Questions

Can I visit the Pattern Archive?
Yes, we are open to researchers by appointment Monday through Friday from 9a.m.-4:30 p.m. The Commercial Pattern Archive is located in Special Collections in the University of Rhode Island Library. To schedule an appointment, please contact Joy Emery by e-mail at jemery@uri.edu or by telephone at (401) 874-2713. For directions and parking information, please visit the University Web Site.

Can I use this on a MAC?
No, not at this time.

Do you take pattern donations?
At this time, we can only accept donations of patterns prior to 1960. If you have questions about a specific collection, please contact Joy Emery.

Is the database available online?
No, the database is only available on CD ROM. A brief sample is available as an introduction CoPA.

Are the patterns available for loan or exhibit?
Arrangements can be made for pattern loans for exhibitions. Patterns in the Archive are not available for other loans; however they are available to researchers in the Archive.

Do the CDs have the full patterns or the design and the back image of the pattern pieces?
The images on the CDs include the front of the pattern envelope and the pattern layout, when available. The Report feature provides the garment design and pattern layout that can be enlarged or draped to recreate the garment.

After installing the Software, I am getting an error message instructing me to put the CD in the drive-- but the CD is already in the drive.
This will happen if you have more than one CD or DVD ROM drive on your computer. Simply insert the CD into the the other drive and try running the application again.

After installing the Software, I get the following message: "MDAC 2.8 RTM is incompatible with this version of Windows. All of its features are currently part of Windows."

This is a problem occurring because of the latest Windows XP Service Pack. For steps to resolve the issue see: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/899861

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©copa archive
Last updated: June 23, 2004
Created June 23, 2004