Guarantee your research time and space with an appointment

Research Tables or Computers
Accessing physical collection materials and using computers (Ancestry.com, Newspapers.com, etc.)

Microfilm Stations
Using machines to view newspapers, death certificates, and other microfilmed materials 

If you don't know which type of appointment would work best for you: Please call us at 651-259-3300 at least a day in advance of your planned visit.

Other Benefits:

• Use the link in your confirmation email to request up to 6 items in advance.
• Save wait time on your next visit by holding materials for a future date/time.
• Reserve a specific type of microfilm machine (scanner, printer) or a dedicated computer-only station
• Receive direct email communication in cases of unplanned issues like winter weather closures.  
• Specify if you have particular needs for your workstation (near an electrical outlet, accessible table, number of chairs at your table)--we’ll do our best to accommodate
• Help with library preparation by indicating if you will be working with oversized materials, photographic negatives, institutional records, legislative research, etc.  
• If you do not have an appointment prior to visiting, our staff will help you find the next available time slot. Same day research appointments are subject to availability.  

About Appointments

• Morning (10am to 1pm) and afternoon (1pm to 4pm) appointments are offered on Thursdays, Friday's, and Saturdays. 
  • Researchers with morning appointments are welcome to stay into the afternoon *if there is room available.* Please communicate with Library staff.      
  • Appointments open on a rolling basis, several weeks in advance.
• Researchers should arrive within the first 30 minutes of their appointment time or contact us to say that they will be late.  
  • Similar to a restaurant reservation, if you are more than 30 minutes late and haven’t contacted us, we will open your table/station to same-day researchers
  • If you are not able to make your appointment, please cancel using the link in your confirmation email or call us.  
• Offered as individual appointments or appointments for 2 or 3 people 
  • Note: Each appointment is for one station/table, and all researchers on the appointment will be looking at the exact same materials.  If you plan to work separately, please make separate appointments with different email addresses.  
• Researchers are currently limited to 12 half-day appointment slots per month.  
  • If you need more appointment times to meet your needs, please talk with us at the Reference Desk or email reference@mnhs.org.
• Appointments are specific to one type of research (Microfilm, Research Table, or Computer-Only)
  • You cannot make simultaneous appointments across types of research because you cannot be actively working in two spaces at the same time  
  • If you complete work on one type of station and would like to use another, please ask staff to see if there are available stations!
• Researchers can come and go during their appointment time (for breaks, etc.).

We are open to in-person research all day Thursday through Saturday (10am to 4pm), and appointments are 3 hours long. 

If you would like a full-day appointment, just sign up for two consecutive appointments!   

Thursday 10am to 4pm

Friday      10am to 4pm 

Saturday 10am to 4pm