Where can one learn which libraries in the US will provide free obituaries - faxed or mailed?

Question

San Francisco, CA. provides a service where one can obtain an obituary once a month - a library in Washington state also provides free obituaries - I'm looking for other libraries which provide this free service. I'm a genealogical researcher.

Answer 1

I just go to the USGenWeb site for whichever county I'm doing research in and see what they say. If it doesn't mention a free service (and VERY few do), then I go to the volunteers page on the county's GenWeb site and find someone willing to pull it and send it to me. The cost for getting it by mail in on 51 cents. Faxes cost them lost-distance charges and unless you're really lucky, most people won't fax on their own dime. And I've been researching for almost 30 years....

Answer 2

> I'm a genealogical researcher.

Most of us are.

I haven't heard of a nation-wide web site that lists libraries who offer the service. Maintaining such would be a nightmare as e-mail addresses, URLs and fax numbers changed.

The library in Preble County, Ohio has a ton of obits scanned and on-line.

I'll look up an obit for you if you post on the Stanislaus County GenForum page. Many other GenForum County pages have people like me. If you ask for an obit, though, you are morally obligated to look one up for someone in your county.

Answer 3

As far as totally free, I don't know of any.  They pay staff to look it up and fax it.  They also pay staff to look it up, copy it, and mail it, in addition to the cost of the copying and the cost of mailing supplies and stamps.  If they have to pay for that, why shouldn't you?  You are the one that wanted it, and to get it for you incurs a cost to them.  It doesn't make sense that they wouldn't at least try to recoup the expenses.