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Research & Image Requests and Research Library Access

The McHenry County Historical Society's Research Library contains an astonishing collection of recordings, periodicals, other print materials, postcards, personal letters, maps, obituary files, images, and more from McHenry County. However, unlike a public library, because of these items' fragile and historic nature, the McHenry County Historical Society's Library is accessible only by appointment after completing a request. We cannot accommodate walk-ins, no matter the circumstances or distance traveled. 

Research Fees:

  • MCHS membership benefits include up to three complimentary research requests per year, but copying and image fees apply**
  • There is a $30 research request fee for submissions made by non-members. Additional copying and image fees apply**

Research fees are considered non-refundable.

**Please see our Research Library Guidelines for additional information, including general guidelines, photocopy restrictions and fees, copyright rules, and digital image purchases**

Submitting a Request:

Requests for research or images must be made by postal mail or by submitting an online request below. We cannot take requests for research over the phone or email. Please allow us at least three weeks to complete your request. 

  • If you request online, you will receive a written report and scans of supporting documents such as maps, newspaper clippings, pages from history books, photos, letters, etc. 
  • If you submit a request by mail, your report and documents will be copied and mailed.

Once your request and associated fees are submitted, we will begin the research. The researcher assigned to your project may contact you for more information or about what they've found and, if needed, schedule an appointment for you to review documents. We charge a research fee to cover the cost of archival materials and the time a researcher spends investigating your request. Thus, research fees are non-refundable, even if we do not locate any information. 

  • Requests Made By Mail: If you wish to complete your request by mail, download the mail-in form. Your form must be complete and include the $30 fee. Please include your contact information, including your name, phone number, email address, the subject of your request, and any references you may have already searched to avoid duplication of effort. For genealogical requests, include family names, birth & death dates, homestead location, and other potentially helpful information. Mail your request, and if you are not a member, send a check for the $30 research fee to McHenry County Historical Society  P.O. Box 434 Union, IL 60180.
  • Requests Made Online: Please complete the required information, the subject of your request, and any references you may have already searched to avoid duplication of effort. For genealogical requests, include family names, birth & death dates, homestead location, and other potentially helpful information. 

Note: If you are NOT a McHenry County Historical Society member, you must make your $30 payment before submitting your research request. Once you have submitted your payment, complete the Research Request Form.

STEP 1 (NON-MEMBERS ONLY): SUBMIT YOUR RESEARCH REQUEST PAYMENT ($30)

Pay Now

 

STEP 2 (MEMBERS & NON-MEMBERS): SUBMIT YOUR RESEARCH PROJECT INFORMATION

Online Research Request Form

Please provide your full address

Research Library FAQs and other helpful information

Library Holdings

The McHenry County Historical Society's Research Library contains an extensive array of Information about McHenry County history, including but not limited to subject files, biography files, obituary files, photograph files, local history books, scrapbooks, diaries, tax records, patentee books, plat maps, yearbooks, telephone directories and much more. 

These lists give an idea of the information available when making a research request.

  • The Researcher's Resource Guide shows the library location of the most used resources.

  • Vertical File Headings List represents our extensive files on subjects and businesses.

  • The Biographical File Headings List is a list of file folders in the Biography vertical file and covers information about the people of McHenry County. If common, the surname may have more than one folder, the second or third one with a geographic location added. You may also find additional information under the "see references" heading.

  • The School File Headings List represents the folders for current high and elementary schools, old one-room country schools, and special institutions. These files may also include class pictures and reunion events.

  • Community File Headings List represents the town and township folders consisting of government activities or events that didn't fit into another subject, such as town history.

  • We also maintain select local organizations' records subject to specific Organization Record Guidelines.

  • Another valuable resource is the Bibliography of McHenry County History Materials.

COPYRIGHT RESTRICTIONS

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17 United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material.

Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish photocopies or other reproductions. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be "used for any other purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research." If a user requests for or later uses a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement.
 
The institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would violate copyright law.

In September 2022, our Library Committee and Staff celebrated the library's 40th Anniversary of service to our constituents. The committee edited and prepared an extensive eight-page commemorative brochure for the event.

Read it here: Commemorative 40th Library History Brochure.