Local & Family History

Research /Copy Service Guidelines and Fees
(Effective January 1, 2007)

Staff is available during regular business hours to assist patrons with the use of our resources and equipment.

Staffing levels prohibit staff from performing patron research or copy services. If you are unable to visit the library in person or unable to conduct your own research, research and copy services are available subject to the guidelines below.  If your request is beyond the scope of our services, you may wish to review our Independent Researcher List.

 REQUEST GUIDELINES:

1. Request service is limited to INDEXED MATERIALS for Hancock County events/people.
2. REQUESTS ARE LIMITED TO 3 SPECIFIC EVENTS OR OBITUARIES per requester, per week (12 per month.)
3. FEE: $3.00 per copy provided.

   • Please do NOT send advance payment.  An invoice will be sent with copies.

4. Requests within the scope of these services are processed as time allows.  Please allow up to 4 weeks for fulfillment. 
5. REQUESTS MUST BE SPECIFIC IN NATURE (see examples below.) 
   1. Examples of acceptable requests (limit of 3 per week):
      1. Please send the obituary for John P. Doe, Republican Courier, May 20, 1931, p. 5. 
      2. Please check marriage indexes for Hancock County Ohio for any burial information on Jane Hancock (maiden name) and John Findlay.  They were married around 1930.  I would like a copy of the index page.

      Please search the Hancock Obituary Index to determine if an obituary is available. You will need the newspaper name and page number to submit a request.

   2. Examples of requests beyond the scope of our services:
      1. What information do you have on the John Doe family in Hancock County, OH around 1910? (Request is too broad)
      2. I need an obituary for Jane Doe who died in Findlay in 1939. (Approximate month of death is required for common surnames.)
      3. I am researching my family name.  What information do you have on John Doe?

      Please see www.findlaylibrary.org/researchers.htm for a list of local fee-based researchers for possible assistance.

6. E-MAIL REQUESTS:
    
   • If your request is specific in nature and you agree to the stated fees and guidelines, you may email requests to AskGenealogy@Hotmail.com. You must include your postal address AND all pertinent information for your request to be considered for fulfillment.
      
   • You will be notified if your request is too general or beyond the scope of our services. 
      
   • All email requests are acknowledged within 7 days of receipt.  If you have not received an acknowledgement within that timeframe, please resend your request.
   
   U.S. POSTAL SERVICE (Mail) REQUESTS:  After reviewing the above guidelines and fees, please mail your specific request* to:

   FHCPL Local & Family History
   Attn: Research Request
   206 Broadway
   Findlay, OH 45840

   *A Microsoft Word Request Form is available for download.

7. TELEPHONE REQUESTS:  Telephone requests are not recommended, but will be addressed as time and staffing allows provided you have a specific question that may be handled quickly. Please call (419) 422-1737.
8. Library staff and volunteers reserve the right to discontinue or disregard requests from:
    
   1. Professional Genealogists,
   2. Researchers who use these services for monetary gain.

   Thank You