Materials are accessible to the public through various catalogs and indexes located in the reference area. Trained volunteers, with the support of Library staff, are available to assist patrons in using the collection.

A McHenry County Historical Society (MCHS) staff researcher can investigate and respond to your research request utilizing sources available in our library and archival collections. A Research Request Form is required to start the process. Once received, MCHS staff will contact you with questions and/or to make an appointment to access the information.

Our searches are limited to materials available within the library and archival collections. We will search online resources when available. While we cannot guarantee results, we will make every effort to help you by documenting all sources consulted during our search and providing recommendations for alternative resources or locations.

While an MCHS staff member will get back to you as soon as your research request is received, please know that we receive numerous requests per day and our standard commitment is 6-8 weeks. Requests are processed in the order in which they are received.

Once a staff member contacts you, 15 minutes of complimentary research is provided. If you agree and choose to continue, an additional 45 minutes of research is available for a fee. 

MCHS members receive 3 complimentary hours of research per membership year. Members may choose to submit either three separate research questions or one research question requiring up to three hours of research.

Please take some time to explore our collection via our website to initially gauge whether the MCHS holds materials relevant to your research. Depending on your specific needs, you may find it helpful to consult other local resources first.