RESEARCH CENTER
Genealogy Research Services and Fees
While we wish we could assist all out-of-town genealogy researchers free of charge, we are a small organization with limited resources and rely upon volunteers for most of our genealogy searches. In an attempt to meet the needs of as many people as possible without overwhelming ourselves, we have instituted the following policy.
In Our Own Archive
We will research material, photocopy, and mail it to you or email if more appropriate. This service is free for HLH members. We will charge you only the amount needed to cover our costs:
Fees:
Members
Research: no fee
10 cents per page for copies plus postage costs
Non-members
Research: $7.50 per hour
10 cents per page for copies plus postage costs
In Other Local Archives
Sometimes information is not in our files, but we feel we could find it in other local archives- for instance on microfilm at the Williams College or North Adams Libraries, at the Registry of Deeds in Adams, or at Probate Court or the Local History Collection of the Berkshire Athenaeum in Pittsfield. Traveling to other archives takes a good deal of volunteer time as well as incurring costs for gas and car wear and tear. In order for this to be feasible for us, we must charge. Since these requests are handled by volunteers, the length of time to complete the research will depend on volunteer availability, and there may be times when we are unable to provide this service at all.
Fees:
Members and non-members alike
Research: $15 per hour
Copies: Rate of the archive in question for any copies made there, plus postage
Our experienced volunteers will be able to estimate for you the likelihood of finding information in any other archive they might visit, but there are no guarantees. The fee for research time/mileage will be charged whether or not any information is found, although clearly if there is no information there would be no copying or mailing fee.
If we find that requests are exceeding our capacity to fill, we may need to put a limit on the amount of time we can spend on any particular request. Alternatively, we can offer you the names and contact information for local genealogists.
Above and Beyond
While the fees attempt to cover basic costs, they are intentionally kept low so that no one who needs assistance fails to receive it for financial reasons. Research is not a money-making service for us at these rates. If you are able we would appreciate an additional donation of whatever amount you feel you can afford to help support our small organization and the services we provide.
