• Title: Photographer in the Paul Engstrom studio at Cannon Falls. 1910. Paul Engstrom. MNHS locator: N2.1 r13. Description: A photographer stands with an early 1900s camera. He's holding the wired control for the camera. Behind him is a painted backdrop of a garden or fancy sitting room.
  • A group watches firefighters battle a smoky fire in a city building as hoses and a truck are visible. Smoke fills the scene with onlookers nearby. From MNHS collections. Order Image and Use via the MNHS Staff Image and Use Order Form.
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Image and Use Order Form for MNHS Staff

Image and Use Order Form for MNHS Staff










If you have not physically flagged this item for a photo order, library staff will undertake a brief search to see if materials are easily identifiable and will flag them for you.

To help with this, please add as much information as you can to the Title, Box Location / Call number, and Title / Description of Item fields.

If we cannot determine which item you want reproduced, staff will reach out to you for more information or to ask you to come to the library to help. This may significantly delay your order.








Digital files are delivered via email. Images are reproduced in their original color.

File Size Options:

Standard - Internet publishing, reports, emails, student work, presentations, some printing (at original size or smaller only). Available in JPEG only. Approximately 1500 pixels on the long side of the original, ~300 ppi (pixels per inch), and 2 to 15 MB file size

Large - Most uses, including publishing and printing up to 16x20 inches (unless original is very small). Available in TIFF or JPEG. Approximately 3000-6000 pixels on the long side of the original, ~300-600 ppi (pixels per inch), and 20 to 60 MB file size.

Oversized - Must be selected for requesting scans of maps, posters, technical drawings, blueprints, or any other item that is larger than 24 X 36 inches. Image quality will depend on the size and legibility of the original item. Files are faithful digital reproductions and are digitized at an appropriate resolution to display details. Because each item is different we cannot give exact file sizes. Available in TIFF or JPEG.

Extra-Large (Exhibit Quality) - Very large printing, fine publishing, etc. Not every item can be ordered at this size (none of the 3-D collections, for example). Available in TIFF only. Approximately 6000+ pixels on the long side of the original, 300-600+ ppi (pixels per inch), and 20 to 100+ MB file size.

IF YOU WANT TO ORDER A COPY OF THE IMAGE, please select Digital File under image version.

If you continue with this ordering process you will be ordering licensing/use permissions ONLY and NOT a copy of the image.

Oversized items--maps, blueprints, posters, and any item larger than 24 X 36 inches--can only be ordered in the "Oversized" file size as they require special handling and equipment.

Your order may be canceled and refunded if you did not select Oversized and your item is larger format. If you aren't sure about your item, please ask library staff or call the library at 651-259-3300.









Non-public Use - For work-related, non-public use by MNHS staff.  This includes: research copies and gifts (i.e. as a thank you to a donor, or for a colleague's retirement).

Nonprofit Use - For use in an official, public MNHS project. This includes: social media and other online uses, print publications, advertising, public events, etc.  Also includes partnership projects where MNHS is an active partner.  (Due to legal and ethical considerations, MNHS staff cannot order images on behalf of outside organizations.)























For more information about the use type options, please see the Photographs: Use Permissions and Licensing guide.

To simplify the ordering process

For a project with multiple images/use requests, please enter the project information only for the first item. For each additional, select the same user and use types, and then type "Same" in the project information boxes.

If you are ordering more than five images: be sure to chunk your orders into sets of five, and add the project information for the first item in each order.

By completing this order you are agreeing to abide by the standard MNHS Conditions of Use.

About this service
High-quality digital images of materials in the MNHS collections can be ordered by MNHS staff using this service. This includes photos that appear in Collections Online, as well as maps, posters, documents, blueprints, and photo-negatives.

To use this service you will need to complete this form completely including Collection/Record Title/Identifier and Document Title.  Requests without full image identification will not be processed. If you need help placing an order with this service, please talk to library staff if in-person or email the library at reference@mnhs.org.

This form is ONLY for ordering for MNHS official uses, either research or public uses. 

DO NOT use this order form for your own personal use or to order on behalf of non-MNHS staff.  

To order images for official MNHS use, free of charge, you must:

  • Have received a discount code at or after attending a Photo Training with Library staff
    • Discount codes are assigned to specific MNHS email addresses.  Use your MNHS email address in the contact info. 
To speed your order:
  • When ordering multiple images, order in chunks of 5.  
  • When ordering images with mixed sources, enter Collections Online and non-Collections Online materials in separate orders.  

Order Completion Schedule: 

  • We aim to complete and deliver all staff image requests within 2 weeks of processing the order.
  • New orders are typically processed Tuesday through Friday.
  • If your deadline for receiving the images is sooner than 2 to 3 weeks out, please put your deadline in the Additional Information box.  We will do our best to meet that deadline.    
  • For orders with 20+ images, please contact us for an estimated completion date.
For More Information:


For general information or to get help with this service, please contact the library:
E-mail: library.permissions@mnhs.org
Visit the Library in person Thursday through Saturday (10am to 4pm)

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