I can't travel to Albion. Can you do the research for me?
We can do the research for you. We do a 30-minute initial search, during which time if we find what you need, we will provide it to you free of charge.

If the search requires time beyond the first 30 minutes, we charge $20 per hour, which does not include fees associated with photo or document reproduction or mailing.

To request that research be conducted for you, fill out the Reference Request Form with as much information as you can, and the Archivist will contact you as soon as possible. Please note the turn-around time for these requests as listed below the form.
 

How do I go about making a donation to Special Collections?
Special Collections makes an active effort to collect historical materials that document both Albion College and the West Michigan Conference of the United Methodist Church. If you have materials that you believe are important to this effort, please contact the Archivist. You will need to fill out a Deed of Gift form in order to transfer the custody of the materials to Albion College. Please be aware of our policy on gifts.

If you are interested in making a monetary donation, please contact the Library Director.
 

Did my relative attend Albion College?
There are several ways in which we can ascertain this. We have an extensive collection of Alumni Files. You can use the View/Find feature of your browser to search for a specific name in the indexed list. Remember that there can be inconsistencies in how names are spelled and that women can be listed under either their married or maiden names. If you are looking for information on a specific graduate or attendee, an alumni file is the best source of that information. If a file is listed in the index, contact the Archivist to see what information is available and what else might be compiled through resources not indexed on the Web.

We also have a List of Graduates for each year. You can search this the same way you would the alumni files.

If your relative's name does not show up in either of these searches, you can contact the Archivist directly for research into materials that are not available on the Web.

If you are not completely certain that your relative attended Albion, be aware that Albion seems to be often confused with Adrian and Alma Colleges when it comes to family histories.
 

Do you have the photograph I need?
Our collection of Historical Photographs and Alumni Photographs are both indexed on the Web. Some alumni photographs are still located in the historical photographs collection, so be sure to check both places for the image you need. If you find your relative's name in the index, please contact the Archivist for additional information on how to obtain a copy of the image. Please see our policy on reproductions.
 

When was a particular building constructed on campus?
Information on and photographs of campus buildings and landmarks are available via Special Collections' Virtual Historical Tour.
 

Do you have historical information on a particular program at Albion?
Our vertical files, which contain historical information on programs, professors, speakers, events, etc., are indexed here. Please contact the Archivist for information concerning what is included in the file and how to obtain copies. Please see our policy on reproductions.


Do you have a particular book that I need for my research?
There are books located in the College Archives, Methodist Archives and Rare Books collections. Please search the online library catalog to see if we have the book you need. If we do, contact the Archivist to schedule an appointment to view the book. If we do not, make sure you also search MeLCat, the Michigan eLibrary that is available 24/7 for Michigan residents. MeLCat is linked to from the Albion College Library catalog. If neither the Albion College Library or any of the libraries in MeLCat have the book, you can most likely place an interlibrary loan request with your local library. Albion College faculty, students, and staff can place an interlibrary loan request here.


Do you have information on my pastor?
If your pastor was a member of the Michigan or West Michigan Conferences of the United Methodist Church, we may be able to locate information on him or her. Please note that our collections contain very few records about individual pastors, but you can view our list of Holdings, to see if there is a collection that may contain information relevant to your search. If you see nothing there, please contact the Archivist for research into resources not available on the Web.

If you have access to the Minutes of the Michigan Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, be aware that this publication prints a memorial for pastors after they have died that may be useful to your research. Copies of the Minutes are available from the Albion College Library through interlibrary loan. Contact your local library for information on how to obtain them. Albion College faculty, students, and staff can place an interlibrary loan request here.

If your pastor was a member of the Detroit Conference, please contact the Archivist at Adrian College.
 

Do you have a list of pastors for my church?
In rare instances (usually when the church has provided us with such information), we will have a list of pastors for a church. Please contact the Archivist for this information.

If we do not have this information already compiled, and you have access to the Minutes of the Michigan Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, be aware that this is the best source for compiling this information on your own. Copies of the Minutes are available from the Albion College Library through interlibrary loan. Contact your local library for information on how to obtain them. Albion College faculty, students, and staff can place an interlibrary loan request here.

If you do not have access to copies of the Minutes, fill out the Reference Request Form to ask that the research be conducted for you. Please read the policy statement located under the form so that you are aware of the fees associated with such a request.
 

Do you have a baptism record for my relative?
Generally, we do not have the baptism, marriage, membership, or funerary records of individual churches. To check on whether or not this is true for your search, you can view our list of Holdings to see if the type of record you need is available for a specific church.