Illinois Archives and Libraries: Difference between revisions

:This is the second-largest genealogy collection in the United States<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_County_Public_Library Allen County Public Library] in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'' (accessed 28 April 2010).</ref> and the largest genealogy collection in a public library. Its holdings include more than 350,000 printed volumes and 513,000 items on microfilm and microfiche.<ref name="ACPLGC">[http://www.acpl.lib.in.us/genealogy/ Genealogy Center] in ''Allen County Public Library'' (accessed 28 April 2010).</ref> It has a premier genealogical periodical collection, local histories, genealogies, databases, military, censuses, directories, passenger lists, ethnic sources, and Canadians. They have a great Illinois collection.<ref>[http://www.genealogycenter.org/docs/default-source/resources/aboutusbrochure.pdf?sfvrsn=2 Genealogy Center Collections] in ''Genealogy Center'' (accessed 27 February 2015).</ref> <br><br>

:Includes federal censuses 1790–1930; selected military service indexes, pension indexes, passenger lists, and naturalizations. Free computers for Ancestry, Heritage Quest, or Fold3. Federal agency, civil, and criminal court records of Illinois and surrounding states.<ref>[http://www.archives.gov/chicago/archives/genealogy.html Genealogy] in ''National Archives at Chicago'' (accessed 27 February 2014).</ref> <br><br>

:Nearly 20,000 volumes about the Swedish-American immigrant experience in North America, Swedish genealogy, and Swedish local history.<ref>[http://www.augustana.edu/general-information/swenson-center-/library Swenson Center Library] in ''Augustana College'' (accessed 20 March 2015).</ref>

=== Statewide  ===

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

:*''Descriptive Inventory of the Archives of the State of Illinois'' <ref>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. {{Worldcat|678163486}}  {{FHL|641970|item|disp=FHL book 977.3 J53ir}}</ref> This source is also available on compact disc from the state archives. [http://www.archive.org/details/guidetoculturalr1988illi Internet Archives ]has a free copy avialable online.

:The Illinois State Library collects official publications of the state and federal governments. This includes federal censuses to 1920, plat books, Illinois county histories, Sanborn fire insurance maps, and Revolutionary War pensions and bounty land warrants.<ref name="DB41" /><br><br>

=== Regional  ===

:Holdings include: family genealogies; oral histories; county histories; cemetery inscriptions; atlases and plat books; indexes and transcriptions of census, vital records, and naturalization records for many counties. Records of the [[Union Veterans' and Lineage Society Records|Grand Army of the Republic ]], the Civil War Union veteran's society, are also included.&nbsp;The online collection has a statewide [http://www.illinoishistory.gov/lib/obit_finder.htm obituary search] for newspapers held at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library.<ref>[http://www.illinois.gov/alplm/library/collections/printedmaterials/Pages/default.aspx Printed Materials] in ''Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum'' (accessed 7 April 2015).</ref><br><br>

:The local history and genealogy collection here is huge. They have printed genealogies, manuscripts, periodicals, newspapers, special aids, surname folders and a great overall genealogy collection.<ref name="DB39" /><br><br>

:Formerly known as the '''Chicago Historical Society''', their archives hold more than 20 million manuscripts such as letters, account books, certificates, diaries, genealogical charts, journals, licenses, log books, membership lists, memoirs, minutes, muster rolls, research notes, scrapbooks, sermons, speeches, subscription lists, and telegrams. They are strong in U.S. history through the American Civil War, especially in early Chicago history and social conditions.<ref name="DB39" /><br><br>

:For a fee they will search property records '''prior''' to the Chicago fire.<ref name="DB39" /><br><br>