Research
IMPORTANT UPDATE
Starting October 7th, the KRAMER Family Research Room will not be wheelchair accessible due to important renovations to the Watkins Museum elevator. Accessibility accommodations can be made with proper notice given to Research Staff to ensure there is an accessible space available. There may also be excessive noise during appointments due to elevator work happening under the Research Room. Elevator renovations are expected to be done by mid-November.
The Kramer Family Research Room
The Watkins Museum’s archive has thousands of photographs and documents about the history of Douglas County, Kansas and its residents. These materials cover themes including businesses, schools, churches, personal correspondence, and changing Lawrence city governance. While the core research materials outlined below are on hand through our research facility, materials in the museum’s archival collections can be made available through research requests.
The renovation to the Watkins Museum’s research room was possible thanks to a generous $100,000 donation from Carol J. Koenig, in memory of her mother, Daisy Viola Kramer Koenig, who grew up in Douglas County, Kansas. The renovated research room is designated the Kramer Family Research Room, in recognition of this gift.
Research Requests
While the Watkins Museum of History is open for normal hours, research staff are not on-site everyday. Please submit all research requests via email to Curator of Collections and Research Kate Grasse at [email protected] or call (785) 841-4109 for more information. In your email, provide a summary of your research objective, question(s), and any background information relevant to the research request.
On-Site Research
- The Kramer Family Research Room is available by appointment only Tuesday through Friday, 10am – 2pm. Appointments may be available for other days but must be requested at least 3 business days in advance of the desired date.
- Researchers should email the research team at [email protected] with details of their research topic prior to visiting Watkins. All research requests are handled in the order in which they are received.
- The research staff will review each request to determine whether relevant materials are available and will contact the researcher to schedule an appointment
Policy & Fees
Digital Reproduction Policy and Fees: Researchers must submit a completed Reproduction Request Form for all digital reproductions. An estimate of research fees will be provided to researchers. Photos must be requested at least 5 business days in advance of the desired date.
Rush Fee: If required in less than 5 business days, rush fee of $50 applies. Available dependent on staff availability.
Imaging Fees: These fees are associated with the most commonly used research services.
| Image Type | Reproduction Fee |
|---|---|
| Black and White Photocopy (PDF scan or printout) | $1.00 per page |
| Photo reproduction for personal research only (PDF scan or printout) | $5.00 |
| Unlimited Photo Fee (photos taken with personal phone only) | $10.00 |
| Oversized Black and White Photocopy (larger than 11 x 17) | $5.00 per page |
Reproduction Fees: These fees are associated with photo reproductions that are going to be publicly displayed or used for commercial purposes. Reproductions can be given in JPEG or TIFF. These fees are separate from the publication fee.
| Reproduction Type | Organization Type | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Regular Size Image, under 600 dpi | Commercial | $25.00 |
| Regular Size Image, over 600 dpi | Commercial | $35.00 |
| Oversized Image, under 600 dpi | Commercial | $40.00 |
| Oversized Image, over 600 dpi | Commercial | $60.00 |
| Regular Size Image, under 600 dpi | Non – profit | $20.00 |
| Regular Size Image, over 600 dpi | Non – profit | $30.00 |
| Oversized Image, under 600 dpi | Non – profit | $30.00 |
| Oversized Image, over 600 dpi | Non – profit | $50.00 |
Publication/Use Fee: In addition to the Reproduction Fee, if the digital reproduction is going to be published in either print or online form, this fee must be paid.
| Organization Type | Price |
|---|---|
| Non – profit Rate | N/A |
| Commercial Rate | $25.00 |
Reference & Research Resources
- Archival collections
- Audiovisual & oral histories
- Genealogical Guide
- General history files
- Local history index
- Maps & atlases
- Monographs
- Newspaper clippings
- Obituary/Mortuary records
- Research guides
- Teacher & student resources
- Vertical files
- Photographs & postcards
- Yearbooks & school newspapers
Additional Online Resource
To access digital resources already available online see Douglas County On-line Resources. Please check back frequently as the listing will be updated by Watkins staff. To access digitized newspapers, visit the Newspaper Search Guide.
Other area institutions:
Watkins Genealogy Classes
Since 2016, the Watkins Genealogy Group has held engaging classes aimed at informing a wide range of family historians from novice to experienced. These classes are taught by genealogy expert Alisa Branham. Click on the link above for more information about Watkins genealogy resources.