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Genealogy Research Policy

The Midwest Genealogy Center will provide limited research, look ups, answer your genealogy-related questions, and provide suggestions to break those brick walls. REQUESTS MUST BE LIMITED TO NO MORE THAN 3 EVENTS OR TASKS. Requests are answered in the order in which they are received.

Our staff does not conduct general research and will consult indexed materials only.

We cannot locate living friends or relatives for you. Records of living persons are not easily accessible due to privacy laws.

Please ensure that your requests follow these guidelines:

  1. Requests should be specific in nature. General requests may be returned without action. Family group sheets or other appropriate identifying information; i.e. date and place of birth, a spouse, children, location, etc., should be included with the request as appropriate.
    1. Examples of acceptable requests:
      1. Please locate John BASSETT b. 1883, KS in the 1910, 1920 and 1930 census. He lived in Bates County Missouri. Wife, Loretta; Children James, Sylvia and John.
      2. Please check for burial information for John SNOW and his wife Adele in Rice County KS cemetery records. They were in the 1910 census but not the 1920.
      3. Can you locate an obituary for Fred JOHNSON who d. 15 Jan1923 in Kansas City? (Obituary requests should be limited to the greater Kansas City Area and contain at least an approximate date)
    2. Examples of unacceptable requests:
      1. Will you check your records for any information on the Joseph Smith Family of Kansas City, Missouri?
      2. Can you locate the parents of Sarah JAMES b. ca. 1838 Smith Co., TN? (Parental searches other than in indexed census data (post 1850) often fall into the "General Research" category)
      3. My grandmother died in Overland Park, Kansas but I don't know when. Can you find her obituary?
  2. FEES:   Photocopies are ten cents per page. A donation to our Programming or Endowment Fund is encouraged in recognizing staff time dedicated to answering your request (generally 30-60 minutes per request).
  3. E-MAIL REQUESTS: Submit to ge@mymcpl.org.  Please include your postal mailing address so that copies may be mailed to you as appropriate.
  4. US POSTAL (MAIL) REQUESTS: Please submit to: Midwest Genealogy Center, 3440 S. Lee's Summit Road, Independence, MO 64055 Attn: Research Request
  5. TELEPHONE REQUESTS: Please call (816) 252-7228. Telephone requests are not recommended but may be answered as time and staffing allow. Individuals inquiring by phone may be asked to submit the request by mail or e-mail.
  6. The library reserves the right to discontinue or disregard requests from professional genealogists, fee researchers or other individuals who attempt to use our reference services for monetary gain or from patrons who utilize these services excessively.