Here is some information on IRAD courtesy Robert Middleton, County Coordinator for Washington County, IL. Note that some counties have less information at IRAD than Logan... >I wrote to the Director of IRAD and asked five questions. >For your information, the following is his reply. > >Robert J. Middleton > >++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > >Dear Mr. Middleton: > > Thanks for the interest in the IRAD system. I’ll be glad to respond to >each of your questions and if anything remains unclear or additional >questions occur, let me know. > >#1. Does IRAD approach the County to ask them if they would like to be part >of the IRAD program, and if they say no, is that the end of it? > > IRAD does approach county and other local government officials about >preserving records of historical and research value. Although Illinois law >requires county officials to keep some records permanently and others for a >specified time and provides for IRAD to receive records no longer needed by >the county for legal purposes, it does not require that they be turned over >to IRAD. As long as they do not destroy the records, they have the option >to transfer them to IRAD or not. Washington County officials have not >chosen to participate in the IRAD program although they have been >approached and encouraged to do so. We do not give up in a case such as >this, we try to monitor their records management activity (i.e., through >the Local Records Commission) and periodically approach officials, >especially when there is a change of officials. > >#2. Does IRAD take the records, or do they film them? > >IRAD acquires records in several ways. (1) If the county no longer needs >the records—i.e., if they are beyond the legal retention period or if they >have been replaced by microfilm—IRAD will transfer original records to a >regional depository once they have been appraised as having sufficient >historical and research value. (2) IRAD will arrange to have records of >extraordinary value microfilmed at the State Archives and then returned to >the county along with a use copy of the microfilm, at no cost to the >county. (3) IRAD will obtain copies of microfilm of county records created >by the counties themselves or filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah. >As the regional depositories become full, we accession more and more >microfilm and reserve our precious space for the oldest and most valuable >original records. > >#3. Is there any cost to the County? > >As mentioned above, there is no cost to the county when IRAD microfilms >their records. There are limitations to how much we can microfilm, however, >and the records must be taken to Springfield to be filmed. An alternative >program is available, though, and records can often be microfilmed in the >courthouse if officials are willing to allow the Genealogical Society of >Utah to microfilm their records of genealogical value. The State Archives >acts as a liaison between county officials and the GSU to arrange for such >microfilming projects. The Archives receives a negative duplicate of all >microfilm made by the GSU as a result of this cooperative project. Use >copies of the film go to the appropriate regional depository, and the >county gets a use copy provided at no charge by the Archives. > >#4. How many Counties are not part of the IRAD program? > >Only one county—Hamilton—has no local governmental records whatsoever in >IRAD. (We expect this situation to change soon, so you might check our >listings again in several months.) IRAD has no significant county holdings >from DuPage County or Washington County and very few records from several >others. Sometimes we will have good coverage of one county office but >nothing from another in the same county. We look for opportunities all the >time, however, and we are continually acquiring records and microfilm. IRAD >has only been in existence since 1976—not long compared to the history of >the Illinois State Archives or the Illinois State Historical Library—but >our holdings and reference use have grown consistently. IRAD is planning to >add more information about county records and county history to the >Archives Web site, and the addition of indexes to specific county records >in the IRAD system is also planned. > >#5. Why are there no records at IRAD for Washington County? > >Officials in Washington County are visited periodically by Records >Management staff to check on their needs, but IRAD has not approached the >county for some time. The last time I spoke with any officials, they >reported that the county had its own microfilming operation and did not see >any need to take advantage of our services. I am aware of reports from >genealogists of the difficulty of getting information out of Washington >County. We will be offering our services to Washington County officials in >the near future and letting them know that we now have a GSU microfilmer >working in the SIU region. If we make any breakthroughs in Washington >County or other southern counties, you will hear about it. > >Again, thanks for your interest, and let me know if you have further >questions. IRAD is dedicated to preserving valuable local governmental >records from all Illinois counties and will continue to expand its holdings >and its services to genealogists and other researchers in every way possible. > > Sincerely, > >Karl R. Moore Cheryl Rothwell clrothwell@mindspring.com