Illinois Archives and Libraries

Many archives and libraries have resources such as maps, gazetteers, and other place-finding aids to help you locate information about Illinois. They may have collections of previous research, such as family and local histories and biographies. Many have record-finding aids such as guides to their own collections or inventories of records housed elsewhere in the state.

Names, addresses, and telephone numbers of many archives, libraries, and genealogical and historical societies are given in:

Directory of Illinois Museums Including Historical, Cultural, and Scientific Agencies. Springfield, Illinois: Illinois Association of Museums and Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, 1996. This source is not available at the Family History Library, but most libraries in Illinois have a copy. An earlier source is:

Reithmaier, Tina M., ed. A Guide to the Cultural Resources in Illinois. Springfield, Illinois: The Office of the Secretary of State, 1988. (FHL book 977.3 C44g).

The following archives, libraries, and societies have collections or services helpful for genealogical research:

National Archives

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)—Great Lakes Region
7358 South Pulaski Road
Chicago, IL 60629
Telephone: 773-581-7816
Internet: www.nara.gov/regional/chicago.html

State Archives, Libraries, and Societies

Illinois State Archives
Margret Cross Norton Building
Springfield, IL 62756
Telephone: 217-782-4682
Fax: 217-524-3930
Internet:  http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/archives.html

Since the Illinois State Archives responds only by mail to inquiries, all fax, telephone, and e-mail inquiries must also contain a mailing address.

A helpful guide to the holdings of the Illinois State Archives is:

Bailey, Robert E., and Elaine Shemoney Evans, eds. Descriptive Inventory of the Archives of the State of Illinois. 2nd ed. Springfield, Illinois: Illinois State Archives, 1997. (FHL book 977.3 J53ir 1997.) This source is also available on compact disc from the state archives.

Illinois State Library
Gwendolyn Brooks Building
300 South Second Street
Springfield, IL 62701
Telephone: 217-785-5600
Internet: http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/library/

Illinois State Historical Library
Old State Capitol
112 North Sixth Street
Springfield, IL 62701-1507
Telephone: 217-558-8844
Fax: 217-785-6250
Internet: www.state.il.us/hpa/lib

Illinois State Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 10195
Springfield, IL 62791
Telephone: 217-789-1968
Internet: http://www.rootsweb.com/~ilsgs/

Other genealogical societies are listed in the Directory of Illinois Museums and the Reithmaier book, both cited at the beginning of this section.

Illinois State Historical Society
Old State Capitol
Springfield, IL 62701
Telephone: 217-524-6258
Internet: www.prairienet.org/ishs

Illinois Regional Archives Depository System

Illinois Regional Archives Depository System (IRAD)
Archives Building
Springfield, IL 62756
Telephone: 217-785-1266
Internet: www.sos.state.il.us/depts/archives/data_loc.html

The IRAD web site contains a catalog to holdings of each participating university.

The IRAD system of archives is collecting and preserving local government records of genealogical and historical value. A listing of local government records in the Illinois Regional Archives Depositories is available at their Internet site or on microfiche that can be ordered from them. Their brochure Using the IRAD County Records Microfiche List tells how to use the Internet and the microfiche to locate records. IRAD welcomes inquiries by mail and telephone. Researchers may also visit the following depositories and examine records:

IRAD—Booth Library
Illinois State University
600 Lincoln Avenue
Charleston, IL 61920
Telephone: 217-581-6093

IRAD—Williams Hall
Illinois State University
Campus Box 5500
Normal, IL 61790-5500
Telephone: 309-452-6027

IRAD—Regional History Center
Swen Parson Hall
Northern Illinois University
DeKalb, IL 60115
Telephone: 815-753-1779

IRAD—LIB-144
University of Illinois at Springfield
Post Office Box 19243
Springfield, IL 62794-9243
Telephone: 217-206-6520

IRAD c/o Special Collections
Morris Library—6632
Southern Illinois University
Carbondale, IL 62901-6632
Telephone: 618-453-3040

IRAD—Ronald Williams Library
Northeastern Illinois University
5500 N. St. Louis Avenue
Chicago, IL 60625-4699
Telephone: 773-794-6279

IRAD—University Library
Western Illinois University
1 University Circle
Macomb, IL 61455-1390
Telephone: 309-298-2716

A useful guide to records in IRAD depositories is:

Bailey, Robert E., et al., eds. A Summary Guide to Local Governmental Records in the Illinois Regional Archives. Springfield, Illinois: Illinois State Archives, 1992. (FHL book 977.356/S1 J53s).

Another Important Library
Newberry Library
60 West Walton Street
Chicago, IL 60610
Telephone: 312-943-9090
Telephone to reference desk: 312-255-3512
Internet: www.newberry.org

This library has research guides on various subjects related to genealogy and library holdings cataloged from 1978.

Major collections at the Newberry Library are described in:

Sinko, Peggy Tuck. Guide to Local and Family History at the Newberry Library. Salt Lake City, Utah: Ancestry, 1987. Ancestry is a trademark of Ancestry, Inc. (FHL book 977.311 A3s.)

A surname index to genealogical periodicals and local history books in the Newberry Library was completed in 1915 and published as:

The Genealogical Index of the Newberry Library, Chicago, Illinois.  Four Volumes. Boston, Massachusetts: G.K. Hall, 1960. (FHL book Q 929 N424g; films 928135–37).

To learn more about the history and record-keeping systems of Illinois counties, use the 33 inventories of the county archives published around 1940 by the Historical Records Survey. The Family History Library has copies of most of these. These inventories can be found in the Family History Library Catalog by using a Place Search under:

ILLINOIS, [COUNTY]- ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES- INVENTORIES, REGISTERS, CATALOGS

Computer Networks and Bulletin Boards

Computers with modems are important tools for obtaining information from selected archives and libraries. Computer networks themselves can serve as a library. The Internet, certain computer bulletin boards, and commercial on-line services help family history researchers:

• Locate other researchers.
• Post queries.
• Send and receive e-mail.
• Search large databases.
• Search computer libraries and on-line catalogs.
• Join in computer chat and lecture sessions.

You can find computerized research tips and information about ancestors from Illinois in a variety of sources at local, state, national, and international levels. Much of the information is available at little or no cost. Addresses on the Internet change frequently. The following sites are important gateways to additional sites:

FamilySearch™ Internet Genealogy Service. [Salt Lake City, Utah]: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 22 March 1999 [cited 7 October 1999]. Available at www.familysearch.org. At this site you can access the Family History Library Catalog, Ancestral File, International Genealogical Index, SourceGuide, lists of Family History Centers, web sites related to family history, and lists of researchers interested in similar genealogical topics. You can also learn about and order Family History Library publications.

Howells, Cyndi. "U.S.- Illinois- IL." In Cyndi’s List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet. Puyallup, Washington: Cyndi Howells, 6 October 1999 [cited 7 October 1999]. Available at www.cyndislist.com/il.htm. This list has more links to other Illinois genealogical sites and describes more resources than any other site on the Internet.

"Illinois USGenWeb." In The USGenWeb Project [Internet site]. N.p., 1999 [cited 7 October 1999]. Available at www.rootsweb.com/~ilgenweb/. This is a cooperative effort by many volunteers to list genealogical databases, libraries, bulletin boards, and other resources available on the Internet, for each county, state, and country.

"United States Resources: Illinois." In RootsWeb. N.p., 28 August 1999 [cited 7 October 1999]. Available at www.rootsweb.com/roots-l/usa/il.html. This list of sites and resources includes a large, regularly updated research coordination list.

"IL GenExchange." In Genealogical Exchange & Surname Registry. N.p., 1996-1999 [cited 7 October 1999]. Available at www.genexchange.com/il/index.cfm. This site brings searchable data to genealogists including databases (church, cemetery, census, land, immigration, naturalization, and vital records), directories, historical accounts, mailing lists, queries, local surname researchers, and look-up volunteers.

For further details about using computer networks, bulletin boards, and news groups for family history research, see the "Archives and Libraries" section of the United States Research Outline.

Some Family History Centers have computers with FamilySearch™. These computers do not have access to online services, networks, or bulletin boards. You can use these services at many public libraries, college libraries, and private locations.

Family History Library (FHL); now called, FamilySearch Library (FSL)

National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C.

International Genealogical Index (FamilySearch) - free