Record Retrieval and Return Procedures

Record requests from the Records Center may be made as follows:

• Email:  The email address for the Records Center's front desk is - genealogy@mcohio.org.
• Telephone:  The phone number for the Records Center's front desk is (937) 225-6366.
• Fax:  The Records Center's fax number is (937) 225-5086.
• Walk In:  The Records Center provides records to walk-in customers on a limited basis.  The Records Center strictly follows the court orders and rules of the originating office for the use of their records.  Original records may not be removed by parties other than the originating office without written or verbal authorization from the originating office.  A signed Reference Request  form is required in all such instances.  Also, the originating office may specify a return date for such records.

When making requests, please give your name and specific office.  Confidential records may be requested by authorized county employees only.  If the record or information is needed immediately, please alert the Records Center staff.  Otherwise, the request will be fulfilled as soon as staff time permits or will be delivered on the next available run.

Deliveries of records are made by courier to county offices in the downtown area.  The Records Center courier only delivers to county offices and their authorized employees.  There is no exception to this rule.  Emergency deliveries are available upon request.  The run may be cancelled if the weather endangers either the records being delivered or the safety of the runner.  Prior to the run being cancelled, the Records Center staff will make every effort to contact offices  to make sure that records are not needed immediately.

All offices located in the Reibold Building must pick up their own records.  Offices outside the downtown area must pick up records from the Records Center.

When receiving a record, the recipient must sign and return a Reference Request form to the courier or the the Records Center staff.  Upon signing the Reference Request form, the recipient assumes the physical custody of and the responsibility for the record.

Records may be returned as follows:

• The Records Center can arrange for Facilities Management to pick up large numbers of returns.
• Authorized employees from the originating office may return records directly to the Records Center.
• Records may be returned through inter-office mail.  The return of confidential records through inter-office mail is discouraged.
• The Records Center courier or a Records Center staff member authorized by the County Records & Information Manager may pick up returns.

Once a record is returned to the physical custody of the Records Center, it will be returned to its original box.  If the record will no longer fit in the original box, a new box will be created to contain the record.

The Records Center will file loose paperwork for records stored in the Records Center.  All filing done by Records Center staff is subject to the approval of the County Records & Information Manager.  Please organize the paperwork prior to sending it to the Records Center in order to help the Records Center staff quickly process and file it.