| The USAHEC's Military History Institute (MHI) provides researchers with professional direction and assistance identifying and accessing the Center’s resources and services. As an Institute of the U.S. Army, highest priority is given to U.S. Army users, but unofficial visitors and researchers are welcome to utilize the collections. Our on-site and off-site services for patrons are summarized below.
Research the USAHEC Archival Collections
The MHI is here to help researchers. New researchers are given a short briefing on their handling and care of our library and archival holdings, and are registered before materials can be accessed. The USAHEC is a "closed-stack" facility; our staff will retrieve the holdings you would like to use. There are no set "pull times" for requesting holdings; researchers can request additional materials at any time during normal business hours. However, only one cartload of materials per researcher will be allowed on the floor at one time. A member of our staff is on hand at the Reference Desk in the Research Room to advise researchers of relevant holdings available. The Institute also maintains a small but highly specialized reference collection in the Research Room that is readily available for use.
RETURN TO TOP
Research the USAHEC Online Archival Collections
In addition to digitized materials, the MHI has developed extensive online finding aids providing references to our entire collection, including over 8,200 reference bibliographies. To view these bibliographies and to search our online catalog for books, manuscripts, photograph collections, serials, microfilm, digital documents, and more, visit the Army Heritage Collection Online. The bibliographies, databases, and other resources found there will give you a good idea as to whether or not the Institute has research materials relevant to your search.
While physically visiting the USAHEC's collections is required to access most materials, there is a significant volume of historic manuscripts and photographs available online. Please visit the Photographic Holdings page for more information about researching our image collections.
RETURN TO TOP
Official and Unofficial Inquiries
 SUBMIT A RESEARCH INQUIRY ONLINE
or mail an inquiry to:
U.S. Army Military History Institute
Attn: MHI
950 Soldiers Drive
Carlisle, PA 17013
The MHI welcomes inquiries from official and unofficial patrons; however, the USAHEC does not perform in-depth research. We provide reference information about our holdings and can sometimes look in a specific source identified by a requestor, but we are not resourced to do more. We receive and answer tens of thousands of inquiries during the course of a year. Our staff is small and the workload increases with each passing year. Official inquiries take precedence.
If you wish to make an official inquiry (you must be a member of a federal government agency), please call the Military History Institute.
Unofficial patrons may submit an unofficial inquiry or also hire an on-site researcher by contacting the Army Heritage Center Foundation.
You are urged to review the list of Frequently Asked Questions as it may answer many of the questions you have regarding information available at the USAHEC and elsewhere.
RETURN TO TOP
Copies and Reproduction
Please download the FEE FOR SERVICES SCHEDULE.
The MHI offers several methods for reproducing materials on site. Copies of most books, manuscripts, microforms, and photographs in the U.S. Army Military History Institute can be provided for a fee. All reproduction orders placed by the public must be prepaid by check or money order and made payable to the “MHI Fund.” Payment cannot be made with cash, stamps or checks drawn on foreign banks. Payment for foreign patrons must be made using U.S. currency and in a form that will clear through U.S. banks. Patrons who have checks returned for insufficient funds will be charged a $25.00 processing fee in addition to the cost of the original order. |
|
- The USAHEC welcomes official and unofficial patrons
- The research facility is open during Normal Business Hours
- No appointment needed
- No fee to use the collections
- Contact the MHI at 717-245-3949
|
- Please note that staffing is limited on Saturdays and some services may not be available, and on occasion are suspended. Call ahead if you wish to do research on Saturdays. The Institute will be closed on the last two Saturdays of the year.
- The USAHEC is open for limited research opportunities on the following four Federal holidays: Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Veterans Day. Researchers may study previously pulled holdings, but no new material will be pulled on these holidays.
- Patrons may bring a laptop computer and a digital camera into the Research Room. No scanners or flash photography is permitted.
- Reproduction services are available for a fee.
- Camera stands and lights are available on a first-come-first-served basis.
|
Do you have more questions about research?
Check out the FAQ page! |
|
If you need reproductions made, but you cannot travel to the USAHEC collections, please send detailed copy orders to:
U.S. Army Military History Institute
Attn: AWCC-DMH-NAF
950 Soldiers Drive
Carlisle, PA 17013-5021
Normal reproduction copy time is four weeks.
Researchers may use their own digital cameras to record materials they find in the collections. No scanners or flash photography is permitted. To reproduce rare book segments or photographs, please see the MHI staff.
To learn more about reproducing materials found in the online photograph collections, please visit the Photograph Holdings page.
RETURN TO TOP
Interlibrary Loan
The USAMHI participates in the interlibrary loan system. Contact your local library for details and information about the program, and to initiate loan requests.
- Patrons may borrow up to six items.
- Our loan periods are 60 days for printed materials.
- We do not loan periodicals, archive documents and papers, rare books, books published before 1960, or items for which we only have one copy.
- Items are not loaned to patrons overseas.
- As a lender of last resort we do not loan materials that are readily available elsewhere.
- Your local college or university, or state library may also have these materials available.
RETURN TO TOP |
