Research By Mail

For a pre-paid fee, a skilled staff researcher can investigate and respond to your research request utilizing sources available in our library and archival collections.

While we cannot guarantee results, we will make every effort to help you by documenting all sources consulted during our research. Frequently, our researchers will indicate if additional research time would be worthwhile, and note potential resources and facilities that may further your research endeavor.

See below for the types of research assistance offered, how to structure your query, how to submit a request, and a list of our current fees.

Have a research question that can be answered in less than ten minutes? Please contact ReadyReference@hsp.org or 215-732-6200 ext. 209.

Need high quality digital copies of documents or images? Click here or contact our Rights and Reproductions team at rnr@hsp.org or 215-732-6200 ext. 333.

Types of Research Assistance

By the Hour Research
All hourly research requests must be submitted in writing and include payment. We recommend starting with an initial research period of 1-2 hours. The research fee includes the cost of up to 20 photocopied pages of supporting documents, if appropriate.

Please refer to the fee schedule below for pricing.

Exact Citation Photocopying
With an exact citation, HSP can provide photocopies or a low-resolution black-and-white PDF to be used for research purposes only. Photocopies/PDFs are available for a pre-paid fee (see fee schedule below) by the page and for each manuscript collection or published item requested. An additional shipping fee may apply.  

To qualify as an exact citation, manuscripts and other original document citations must include author, correspondents, date and collection references. Published material citations require title, author, publication date, and page number(s). Unless otherwise indicated, manuscript letters are estimated to contain three pages each.

Note that due to a high volume of requests, photocopy requests are limited to no more than 100 pages or copies at a time.

HSP Research by Mail Fees

Fees subject to change. Photocopy orders may require additional shipping fee.

HSP will not deposit your check or charge your credit card until research services are completed.

Structuring Your Research Query

In order to maximize the potential results of your request, please keep the following suggestions in mind as you prepare your query.

Research Objectives
It is important that you explicitly state your intended research objectives. Essentially, what do you know and what do you want to find out?

Directed Research
Be sure to clearly define the scope of your query. For example, for family history requests, please provide specific names, dates, locations, religious backgrounds, etc. (when known). To learn more about HSP’s collections, click here.

Prior Sources
To allow us to be most efficient with your research time, please be sure to indicate which sources you have already consulted during the course of your previous research (Ancestry.com, published resources, etc.).

Submitting Research by Mail Requests

To initiate research, please  visit the online shop.  Or, you can download and mail or fax this form.

We aim to complete research requests within approximately 8 weeks of receiving payment. Rush requests will be completed within approximately 2 weeks.

If you have additional questions about HSP’s Research by Mail services, please contact our research team at researchbymail@hsp.org or 215-732-6200 ext. 222