By Telephone
By Letter
By Fax
By E-mail
Inter-library
Loan
Copying
Duplication of Photos/Maps
Professional Researchers

The Reference staff of the Public Services Division receives hundreds of requests each month for general information about its collections and services as well as specific queries for information found in its archival holdings. Requests are answered in the order they are received, regardless of their means of transmission, except for official requests from state and local government offices.

BY TELEPHONE

The primary responsibility of the Reference staff is to supervise the use of materials and to provide assistance to those researchers who have traveled to use the holdings of the ADAH. Requests by telephone should be limited to general reference questions or a search of our finding aids. Reference staff will direct callers to submit a written request for specific information.

  • For general information about our holdings, call (334) 242-4435.

  • For information about interlibrary loan of newpapers on microfilm, call (334) 353-4706.

  • For information about purchasing microfilm, call (334) 353-4680.
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    BY LETTER

    The Reference staff receives hundreds of letters each month, and endeavors to answer them in a timely manner. Some requests are more difficult than others and subsequently take longer to answer. Written requests should be as explicit as possible. Non-Alabama residents should include a non-refundable twenty-five dollar ($25.00) out-of-state research fee per each surname inquiry. This entitles the requester up to twenty pages of photocopies; additional photocopies will be charged at the rate of twenty-five cents (.25) per page. In-state residents should include a non-refundable fifteen dollar ($15.00) research fee. Researchers will be invoiced for the cost of copies at the rate of twenty-five cents (.25) per page.

  • The ADAH mailing address is:

    Alabama Department of Archives and History
    P.O. Box 300100
    Montgomery AL 36130-0100


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    BY FAX

    Faxed requests do not take precedence over mailed requests. Requests are answered in the order they are received, regardless of the means of transmission. The ADAH fax number is (334) 240-3433.

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    BY E-MAIL

    Requests via E-Mail do not take precedence over other requests. Requests are answered in the order they are received, regardless of the means of transmission. Click here for a reference request form.

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    INTERLIBRARY LOANS

    The ADAH will lend microfilmed copies of newspapers on Interlibrary Loan. Microfilmed copies of newspapers are the only records available through Interlibrary Loan from the Archives. Our lending limit is two (2) reels per request. The time limit of a loan is three (3) weeks. Microfilm requested must remain within the borrowing library. The ADAH will lend to any library making a request on a standard ALA form or through OCLC. There is a $15 borrowing fee per reel. All fees must be prepaid.

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    COPYING

    • The ADAH staff will make photocopies of a particular document or newspaper article at the rate of twenty-five (.25) cents per page, provided that the material requested is in a condition that allows it to be photocopied. Some documents are too old, too large, or too fragile to permit them to be safely copied. Bound volumes of newspapers may not be photocopied.

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    Duplication of Photographs, Maps, or Other Visual Images and Permissions to Publish

    Researchers may use visual images from the Archives collections for private, educational and historical purposes. Researchers may use the images in slide presentations, in publications, on websites or CDs, to display in places of business, or for other specific uses.

    Ordering copies

    • To order a copy of a visual image from the Archives collections, check our photo database, and use the photographic service request order form. Orders usually take 2-3 weeks to fill, though rush orders can usually be accommodated for an additional fee. Information on fees and available formats can be found on the order form.

    Permissions

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    PROFESSIONAL RESEARCHERS

    The ADAH Reference staff is unable to conduct lengthy, in-depth research for patrons. This link lists the names of persons one may contact privately for assistance. The ADAH neither endorses the people on the list nor vouches for their work; these individuals merely have agreed to be available to perform research for a fee. Please enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope when you write to one of them.


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    Updated: July 2, 2012
    http://www.archives.alabama.gov/referenc/distant.html
    Alabama Department of Archives & History
    624 Washington Avenue
    Montgomery, Alabama 36130-0100
    Phone: (334) 242-4435
    E-Mail:mark.palmer@archives.alabama.gov