Temporary Pause on Research and Reference Requests
The Disciples of Christ Historical Society has paused new research and reference requests through October 31, 2026. During the pause, we are implementing a new reference ticketing system and bringing on additional staff dedicated exclusively to research and reference services.
We will continue to fulfill requests during this period for:
- researchers affiliated with a college or university
- current paid members of the Historical Society
- general and regional ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
If you are conducting research in one of these capacities, please write directly to our Senior Archivist, Colleen McFarland Rademaker, at [email protected] with your request.
We are grateful for your patience and look forward to serving researchers better in the months ahead.
Join the Historical Society to gain research benefits
Historical Society staff freely provide information about the collection and its availability for research. We share finding aids and inventories that describe the contents of archival collections, and we caution researchers when needed about discrepancies between outdated archival inventories and current holdings.
Limited remote research into the contents of archival collections, books, pamphlets, and periodicals is available. The service costs $50 per hour and includes ten scans or photocopies per hour. Additional scans and photocopies are available for a fee. Please visit our Reproduction Policies and Fees page for more information.
Remote research is a benefit of Historical Society membership. Research time by membership level is as follows:
- Campbell League Members
One hour of remote research per year - Stone Guild Members
Two hours of remote research per year - Unity Circle Members
Three hours of remote research per year
We Invite you to become a member of the Historical Society to receive these and other benefits.
Congregations within the Stone-Campbell movement and ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) may also request remote research for projects relating to their ministries. Historical Society staff will honor these requests as time permits and inform requesting congregations and ministries of the timeline on which the request can be fulfilled. To initiate a conversation with Historical Society staff about your remote research need, please submit a Remote Research Request. We usually process remote research requests in the order they are received. Due to staffing limitations, we reserve the right to limit the amount of time we spend conducting remote research.
Copyright
The Historical Society makes its collection available for research, education, and spiritual formation. Collection materials are subject to federal copyright laws. Researchers and other users of the collection are solely responsible for making legal assessments regarding the use of materials in the collection and obtaining any necessary permissions for reproduction or publication in print or online. Please see Copyright Information for more details.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have additional questions about how to have a successful Remote Research experience? We encourage you to explore our Frequently Asked Questions page.