Important Information for Genealogists
The below information has been compiled so that our genealogy and local history patrons can be better served. Below are listed the policies and frequently asked questions that are most relevant for those doing family and local history. Please contact the Archives & Rare Books Library if you have any questions or require further information.
Note: The records of Highland County Ohio have been returned to that county. Inquiries regarding those records should be directed to Highland County Government Offices - http://www.highland-co.com/ or to the Ohio Historical Society - http://www.ohiohistory.org/
Patrons must sign in for the day on the register at the reference desk. By signing the register you indicate an understanding of the library rules and a willingness to abide by them. A photo I.D. is required, and will be held while research is being conducted. Coats, briefcases and other belongings, other than papers, pencils and reference material are not allowed in the reading room. Personal belongings may be kept in lockers provided for that purpose.
All cell phones and pagers MUST be turned off while in the Archives & Rare Books Library.
UCLID printouts or call slips are to be presented for materials to be retrieved. Call slips can be obtained from the reference desk.
Materials in the library do not circulate and are to be used in the reading room or reference area.
Smoking, eating and drinking are prohibited.
Materials must be handled with particular care. Many of them are old, rare, valuable, unique, and are easily damaged. Lay books flat on the table. Books must be supported as evenly as possible to prevent strain on the bindings. Never rest books against the edge of a table, prop them against a pile of other books, hold them up off the table by the corners of the boards, or place them in your lap. Do not keep a book open with other objects or rest your hand or arm on the pages. Acid from skin can be damaging to the paper. Heavy weight on a binding can place undue stress on the spine. Never lay open books face down on the table or piled up on top of one another. Turn pages slowly and carefully.
If you find uncut pages, please take the item to the reference desk. Never try to cut them yourself. In some instances the uncut state is bibliographically significant and an alternate copy of the item may have to be supplied.
Clean, acid-neutral strips of paper to be used as markers are available at the service desk. Never use ordinary paper for a marker or an insert; the acid in it can migrate to the pages of the book.
Only pencils may be used in the reading room and will be provided if needed. Never mark pages or write on paper laid on top of a book or other library materials. Tracing of maps or illustrations is not allowed. Laptop computers may be used but are not supplied. Wireless network is available.
It is important that manuscript and archival materials are maintained in their processed order. Please do not rearrange or remove items from a collection, and report any materials which are out of order.
Photocopying services may be requested. Some materials may not be copied because they are fragile or because of legal or contractual reasons. Requests may be made up until 4:30 p.m. Requests made after that will either be mailed or can be picked up the following day.
We would be grateful if you would bring any damaged material to our attention so that we can arrange for repairs.
When you finish with your materials, please return them to the reference desk.
Retrievals and photocopies will not be made after 4 p.m. and are always contingent on staffing levels. For this reason, it is advisable to call in advance of your visit.
Q: How can I contact the Library?
A: You may contact the library via email, regular mail service, phone, or fax, for a variety of general reference questions. However, we do not answer genealogical questions by email, phone, or fax. You must still send genealogical requests to the library using regular mail service. For a standard request form, see below.
Email: Archives@ucmail.uc.edu
Mail: Archives & Rare Books Library
University of Cincinnati
PO Box 210113
Cincinnati, OH 45221-0113
Phone: 513/556-1959; Fax: 513/556-2113
Q: Do I need to make an appointment to use the library's collections?
A: Yes. Because of staffing and renovation projects, appointments are required, particularly if you are traveling a distance or intend to conduct extensive research. Please call 513/556-1959 to schedule an appointment. The staff can prepare materials in advance, and some materials are located in remote storage centers, requiring several days to retrieve.
Q: Is the library closed during the lunch hour?
A: No, the library remains open from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Q: Is genealogical research service available?
A: No. We welcome research visits to the library and you may search the wealth of indexes at your leisure during regular hours. If you cannot visit, we recommend that patrons contact the Ohio Genealogical Society, 713 S. Main St., Mansfield, Ohio 44907-1644 [Telephone: (419)756-7294], for a list of professional researchers.
We will search the indexes we have prepared of public records important for genealogical research. However, we are unable to conduct general genealogical research. Please note that it is especially helpful for genealogical research if you call or write the library in advance. For ease of service, you may download this genealogical research request form , print and mail it to the address listed on the form. We do NOT accept genealogical requests via email, phone, or fax, though you can contact us in those ways to find out how to make a request.
Q: Do you have birth and/or death records?
A: Yes. We have birth records for the City of Cincinnati covering 1874-1909 (with some as early as 1865) and death records for the City of Cincinnati covering 1865-1909. Additionally, we have published indexes to Hamilton County birth records for the years 1874-1875 and Hamilton County death records from 1865-1877. For the city records, you must be prepared to ask for specific names, not whole surname groups.
For births and deaths inside the City of Cincinnati corporation limit, birth and death records after 1909 may be obtained by contacting the Cincinnati Health Department:
Vital Statistics Office
1525 Elm Street, 4th Floor, West
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Phone: (513) 352-3120
Fax: (513) 352-1420
For births and deaths after 1909 in Hamilton County you should contact the Ohio Department of Health:
Ohio Dept. of Health, Vital Statistics
35 E. Chestnut St.
P.O. Box 15098
Columbus, Ohio
43215-0098
Phone: (614) 466-2531
http://www.odh.ohio.gov/vitalstatistics/vitalstats.aspx
Q: What do those "cause of death" terms mean on the late 19th and early 20th century death certificates?
A: Genealogy volunteers created this list of medical terms explaining what the late 19th century medical terms mean and how these translate into modern language usage.
Q: Do you have marriage records?
A: No. You should contact the Hamilton County Probate Court Records office, which has microfilm of all marriage records. Phone: (513) 946-3551
Q: How do I obtain a copy of a record?
A: Remit a check for $10.00, payable to the University of Cincinnati, and send to the address at the bottom of this page as much information as you have on the individual(s) you are researching. Response time is typically 2-4 weeks. The $10.00 fee is the minimum amount we assess and will cover 1-40 pages of photocopies. For more than 40 pages, you will be billed for the additional amount when we send your documents. You may also visit the department in person and obtain copies for 25 cents/page.
Q: Will you answer genealogical requests by telephone?
A: No. We require written requests.
