Research Library Services & Fees

Overview

The SEARCH page allows you to research online from the convenience of your own desktop, tablet or smartphone. You may print pages and images directly from our website, but the quality will be suitable for reference and research purposes only, depending on the condition of the original and the quality level of your printer. For a better quality copy print of a collection photograph, please see “Photograph Reproduction” guidelines for more options. 

We are delighted to assist you with your research needs. If you have any questions please contact us at (507) 835-7700. OUT-TOWN VISITORS—Please call ahead as hours may change due to programs and offsite visits or events.

Research Fees

You may visit the WCHS Research Center to conduct research during our regular scheduled hours or by special appointment. Non-members are charged a $5.00 Daily Research Fee. There is no fee for members of the WCHS. If you would like a WCHS staff person to conduct a General Search there is a research fee of $10 per hour ($30 minimum, prepaid). There is a $.25 charge per copy, except for probates, please see probate fees.

Payment Policies

1. Mail your research request with payment to Waseca County Historical Society, P.O. Box 314, Waseca, MN 56093.
2. Include all information requested as it appears in the Search field of the page. This gives us the item location information and saves time in fulfilling your request.
3. Be sure to include your name, address, phone or email address with your correspondence so that we can process your order as quickly as possible.
4. You must PREPAY by check or money order before your order will be processed and shipped. Minnesota residents must pay 7.375% Minnesota Sales Tax on all books ordered. Research is not taxed.

Reproduction of Photographs

Copies of our photographs from the WCHS collection are available by following these instructions:

1. You must PREPAY by check or money order BEFORE your order is processed. All orders are processed in the order they were received. 
2. If you are not sure of the total amount of your order, send request via email to director@historical.waseca.mn.us  with list of photograph accession numbers, location information and size of photograph desired for each photo. The Accession Number is located at the top of the WCHS photograph record. Every item in the WCHS collection has a unique accession number, for example:  86.44.5 or 1.39.546. We will reply with exact amount of your order. NOTE:  Accession numbers preceded with “LU” are not available for high-res reproduction.

Fees for Plain Paper Photographs

Note: Sepia photographs are considered “color” photographs.

Scan Guidelines

jpg scans can be sent via email, prepaid.

NOTE: LU scans are not available for high-res production.

Fees for Commercial Use of Photographs

LDS Microfilm
As of August 31, 2017, FamilySearch Library will no longer be loaning microfilms to any libraries. Members are encouraged to use the Catalog section of the FamilySearch.org website to locate the microfilm they are interested in.  They may view it if there is a camera next to the microfilm description. If there is also a key by the camera, viewing may be done here at this affiliate library. Copies are 25 cents each.

Newspaper Index
$2.50 per ARTICLE REQUEST if location is known, includes microfilm print by staff researcher; OR, you may visit our Research Center and search and print article for $.25 per 8 1/2" x 11" print. If location is not known, it will be considered General Research, explained above. Non-members are charged a $5 daily Research Fee. There may be references to other newspapers from other counties, but WCHS only has Waseca County Newspapers indexed. Please contact other counties for their index.

Death Index
$2.50 per search.
WCHS only has records for books A, C, D and E. (1870-1940). Record book B does not exist.
WCHS does not have any death records beyond 1940.

For books F through Z, you must contact the Waseca County License Bureau, 307 N. State St., Waseca, MN 56093, (507) 835-0625.

Cemetery Index
No charge. Indexed information comes from headstones on graves. All the information for each record is on the web-page which you can print out. Indexing the cemeteries of Waseca County is currently a work in progress.

James Child's History of Waseca County
$2.50 per page OR you may purchase the book in our Museum Gift Shop or on our Museum Shop/Books website page for $25.00.

1879 Waseca County Landowners Record
$2.50 per request/form OR you may purchase the book in our Museum Gift Shop or on our Museum Shop/Books web- page for $10.00

Probate Index File numbers 1 thru 1643
$25 per file (this price includes postage)

Probate Index File numbers over 1643
$8.00 per document
As mandated by the State of Minnesota, two documents are allowed to be copied. (A document may be more than one page long.) The documents with the most information are the “Petition for Administration” and the “Final Distribution”.
PLEASE NOTE: The payment for these records must be made payable to "Waseca County Court Administrator." 

Birth Records
$2.50 per record
WCHS has birth records for the years 1870-1940.
WCHS only has records for books A, C, D and E.

Marriage Index
$2.50 per record
WCHS has marriage records for the years 1857-1920.
WCHS only has records for books A, B, D, E, F, G and H.