RESOURCE GUIDE TO CHICAGO AREA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS AND INSTITUTIONS
INTRODUCTION TO USING THE RESOURCE GUIDE
The Chicago Metro History Education Center Resource Guide to Chicago Historical Collections & Institutions is intended to help guide student researchers to the many resources available in the Chicago area.
Wondering which Special Collections or Archival Repositories have holdings (primary sources) related to YOUR topic of interest? These resources might give you that exciting, untold story – or they might just help you deepen your analysis and understanding of your historical question and thesis.
The Chicago Area Archivists group provides a directory that is extremely useful to the History Fair student. It allows the researcher to find out quickly which archives might contain sources on your selected topic. For example, interested in religion or labor? Simply use the search engine and it will up any area collection that holds a significant amount of material. Try the Chicago Area Archivists Repository Guide.
We recommend that students always start their research at their school library or the Chicago Public Library. Special collections and other institutions should be used once they do their basic research and have a focused historical question. The more informed a student is by the time she/he seeks these resources, the more helpful librarians and representatives of these organizations can be.
When available, first go to the WEBSITES listed in the Resource Guide before calling or going to the organizations. Their websites, especially for the Special Collections, will give you a lot of vital information: the strengths of their collection (topics, people, events), finding aids, hours open and accessibility (if students are allowed to use the facility and under what circumstances). Most importantly, many institutions are making PRIMARY SOURCES available on the internet so that students can download photographs, maps, and other first-hand documents. [Remember, if students use an internet site as either a secondary source or to download primary sources, they must make a citation in their bibliography.]
The phone numbers, addresses, and websites are as up-to-date as possible, but we advise students to first call before going to any of these institutions and organizations. (Additionally, many research centers will be able by appointment only or have specific hours for student researchers.)
The Chicago Metro History Education Center Resource Guide to Historical Collections & Institutions is made possible by a generous grant from the Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelly Foundation.
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