Research Information
Guidelines for researchers making inquiries via email, phone, or letter
- Please be as specific as possible about the information you are seeking and what local history sources you may have already consulted
- For genealogical research, please let us know, if possible, birth and death
dates, and where and how long your ancestors lived in Bureau County. We may also refer you to the Bureau County Genealogical Society
- We have simple forms that we can email or mail you to help you (and us) focus your query into our historical, genealogical, or photo collections
Research Fees
- Staff will respond to simple queries (taking less than 15 minutes of research) at no charge, except for the cost of photocopies and postage
- Beyond simple queries, the fee for staff to conduct genealogical or historical research in our sources is $15 per hour. Unless waived by staff, a $15 prepayment is required for any research to proceed.
- We will notify you of results and mail them after payment for any more costs incurred (e.g., more research time, copies@0.25/pg). Please indicate at the outset if you wish us to spend more than an hour doing research.
- For searches of our H.W. Immke Photo Archives database, there is a $2 search fee payable in advance for each different last name. This fee includes the cost of the search print-out. We can email the search results or, if you would like it mailed to you, please include a self-addressed stamped envelope with your check. There will also be a $5 charge payable in advance for each glass plate that is scanned. We will email you a digital copy of each plate we scan. You can find the Immke re-order form here and the name search form here.
As a non-profit organization devoted to the rich history of Bureau County, we receive no tax support. We depend on tours, research fees and the generosity of many individuals to sustain our collections and services. Thank you for your support.