Research Services

The Gale Family Library offers a wide variety of research services.

We charge a fee for all research performed by staff. Please note that we have substantially discounted the rates for most of our research services. Prices are listed in the online store.

See research self-help for answers to the most commonly asked questions. For more information on specific services and how to order research services, please contact the library.

In honor of Veterans Day the Minnesota Historical Society Gale Family Library is proud to offer 25% off our research services devoted to the records of veterans. This includes the following services:

• World War I Military Questionnaires
• World War I Bonus and Disallowed Bonus files
• World War II Bonus records requests
• Veterans’ Grave Registration requests

The discount will be automatically applied and will continue throughout the month of November.

New Services!

• Copy Request (microfilm)
• World War II Bonus Request 
• Railroad Employees Index Search

Search online yourself

Use the Minnesota People records search to find and order copies of specific records online. Visit about the records/help for more information and search tips.

• Birth records delivered via email — Currently available
• Death records delivered via email — Currently available
• State census records view and print records for free — Currently available
• World War I Gold Star Rolls view and download/print records for free — Currently available
• Veterans’ grave registration records delivered via email — Currently available
• Veterans’ grave registration records delivered via US Mail — Temporarily unavailable

Copy requests

Please see distance copy requests for more information about this service.

Basic research requests

Currently available

• 1918 alien registration record research request
• City directory search request
• Court records searches:
  • District/County Court Case File Research Request
  • Supreme/Appeals Court Case File Research Request
• Death records: 1900–1904
• Death and Birth Records, Early (pre-1904)
• Death Records: 1904–2001, see Minnesota People records search
• Institutional Record Requests
  • Owatonna State Public School Index Search
  • Owatonna State Public School Records Request
  • State Correctional Institution (Prison) Index Search
  • State Correctional Institution (Prison) Records Request
  • State Hospital Index Search 
  • State Hospital Records Request
• Legislative Document Search Request
• Marriage record request
• Military records requests 
  • World War II Bonus Request
• Naturalization record request
• Newspaper Searches:
  • Newspaper article request (non-obituary)
  • Obituary request
  • “On This Day" newspaper request
• Railroad Employees Index Search
• Will book record request
• World War I bonus and disallowed bonus records request
• World War I service questionnaire request
• Yearbook Research Service

Temporarily unavailable

• Civil War pension research request
• Student records from Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf (MSAD) request

Discontinued research services

• Land survey field notes
  These records are available for free through the Bureau of Land Management’s Land Survey Field Notes search.

Interlibrary loan (ILL)

Interlibrary loan services are currently available. MNHS makes items available for interlibrary loan (ILL) on a limited basis. Items available include most of our newspaper and microfilmed manuscript collections, Minnesota state archives records, city directories, and county atlases.

If you are interested in borrowing MNHS materials through interlibrary loan, please contact your local public or university library for assistance. They will serve as the borrower on your behalf and can help you with their procedures. Please see our interlibrary loan section for more information on our ILL policies.

Independent researchers

Patrons needing additional help with complex or broad-based research can consult the list of independent researchers who are familiar with our collections. Any service agreements are solely between the patron and the hired researcher.