The library provides a fee-based copying service for obituaries that appeared in selected Birmingham area newspapers. The guidelines below will help you determine if we may be able to assist you.

The library has annual indexes to obituaries that appeared in the following newspapers:

• The Birmingham News - 1977 to present
• Birmingham Post Herald - 1978 to 2001

Please submit name of deceased and date of death through Ask A Librarian. You will be notified of the availability of the obituary as well as instructions for submitting your request and fee.

The library has a cumulative index to obituaries that appeared in the following newspapers:

• Birmingham News - May 1922 to December 1982
• Birmingham World - September 1940 to December 1996
• Methodist Christian Advocate / Alabama Christian Advocate - January 1925 to December 1979
• Shelby County Reporter - January 1932 to December 1979
• Birmingham Times - January 1895 to January 1985
• Birmingham Reporter - January 1918 to June 1982
• Birmingham Post Herald - May 1938 to October 1993

This index is available from the library's website at: http://bpldb.bplonline.org/db/obituaries

Instructions for submitting your request are available from the website.

Although pre-1939 obituaries will eventually be added to the library's online Obituary Index, there are presently no indexes for Birmingham area newspapers during this period. If you have the exact date of death, the library staff will look for obituaries in The Birmingham News within 3-5 days of the date of death. Please submit name of deceased and exact date of death through Ask A Librarian. You will be notified of the availability of the obituary as well as instructions for submitting your request and fee.