A Program of the Illinois State Archives

Illinois Regional Archives Depository System

A Program of the Illinois State Archives

Suggestions for Using the Local Governmental Records Listing

With the information contained in the Local Governmental Records Listing a researcher may (1) search for county, township, and municipal records held by the Illinois Regional Archives Depositories; (2) obtain addresses and telephone numbers of the regional depositories; (3) find out how to request a search of specific IRAD records; and (4) discover other possible sources for records or information not available from IRAD.

Using the Bookmarks and Links

The first level bookmarks along the left side of this Adobe Acrobat document may be clicked with the left mouse button to take the reader to one of the nine sections of the Listing. The second level bookmarks under the ninth section, "County Listings," take the reader to one of the 102 county listings of IRAD holdings. The nine sections of the Listing and their functions are as follows:

Title Page:

Opening screen.

Instructions:

Suggestions for using the Listing.

IRAD Region Map:

Map of the seven IRAD regions.

2 Left click with the mouse on a county to go to a list of IRAD holdings for that county.

2 Left click on the three-letter designation for one of the seven IRAD regions to go to the address and telephone number for that regional depository.

IRAD Research Policy:

Guidelines for contacting a depository and submitting an inquiry by mail or telephone.

Depository Addresses:

Addresses and telephone numbers of the regional depositories.

Family Research Tips:

Tips on the types of IRAD records to search for specific kinds of information of value to genealogists.

Additional Records Sources

Suggestions on where to find records or information not available from IRAD.

Courthouse Addresses:

If IRAD does not hold the particular county record for which you are searching, try contacting the appropriate county official.

County Listings:

The "IRAD System Listings" show all of the local governmental records held by IRAD arranged alphabetically by county office and then alphabetically by title. Clicking on this bookmark takes one to the IRAD Region Map. Clicking on the triangle to the left of the bookmark opens and closes the list of secondary bookmarks.

2 Left click with the mouse on the county name to go to the address for that county's courthouse.

2 Click on the name of the university to go to the address and telephone number for that regional depository.

Using Adobe Acrobat's Find Tool

A good way to search the Local Governmental Records Listing for records of a particular type is to use Acrobat's Find tool. To access it, left click the mouse on the binoculars icon or select the Find command under the Tools menu. This opens a dialog box where one enters a term for which to search.

This works best if you enter a term that will appear in the title of the records for which you are searching. For example, entering the term architect in the Find dialog box will locate the first appearance of the word in the Listing. Selecting "Search again" in the Tools menu or pressing Control-G will go to the next occurrence of the word. Using this method, a researcher may quickly find the five records in IRAD which register or license architects to do business in particular counties.

Boone Henderson

JoDaviess Stephenson Winnebago

McHenry Lake

Rock Island Mercer

Warren

Carroll

Ogle

DeKalb Kane

Cook

Whiteside

Lee

Henry

Bureau

DuPage

NIU

Kendall

NEIU

LaSalle

Will

Grundy

Knox

Stark

Putnam Marshall

Peoria

Woodford

Livingston

Kankakee Iroquois

Fulton Hancock McDonough

WIU

Adams

Schuyler

Tazewell

Mason

Logan

McLean

Ford

ISU

Vermilion

Champaign

De Witt

Brown

Cass

Menard

Morgan

Sangamon

Macon Piatt

Douglas

Edgar

Pike

Scott

UIS Christian

Moultrie

EIU Coles

Greene Macoupin

Shelby

Clark

Montgomery

Cumberland

Jersey

Fayette Effingham Jasper

Edwards Calhoun

Madison St. Clair

Bond

Clinton

Marion

Washington Jefferson

Clay

Crawford Richland Lawrence

Wayne

Wabash

Monroe Randolph

Perry

Hamilton White Franklin

Jackson

SIU

Saline Williamson

Gallatin

Union Johnson Pope Hardin

Pulaski Massac

Alexander

ILLINOIS REGIONAL ARCHIVES

Research Policy

Jesse White Secretary of State

The Illinois Regional Archives Depository System (IRAD) encourages use of its collection by researchers interested in family and local history. In-person, mail and telephone research requests will be handled by IRAD staff at the seven regional depositories.

Visiting a Depository

Requesting a Search

Researchers may visit an IRAD depository and examine the records that are available. The seven IRAD depositories are open Monday through Friday. Depositories are closed on Saturdays and Sundays, state holidays, and any weekdays the university libraries are closed. Hours are reduced in June and July. Researchers are urged to call before planning a visit to a depository. Consult the reverse side for individual depository hours.

IRAD welcomes mail and telephone requests from researchers interested in genealogy and local history. In order for depository staff to conduct a search of the IRAD holdings, researchers should provide the following information:

1. The full names of the persons they are researching; 2. The approximate year when these persons are expected to appear the records; 3. The county which created the records; 4. Record titles/types to search.

Include any additional information that may assist in locating the person or information requested (such as township or precinct for searches of tax and election records.)

Researchers are also asked to limit requests to two (2) names at a time and to wait for a response to one request before submitting additional requests. Inquiries should be sent directly to the depository holding the records of the county to be searched.

Obtaining County Listings

Fees

Loan Policy

The types of local government records held by IRAD vary from county to county. Listings of county, township and municipal records held at the regional depositories are available upon request. The listings are arranged by county and sorted by office and record title within each county. Please limit requests to five (5) counties at a time. County listings and additional information about the IRAD System may be obtained from: Illinois Regional Archives, Illinois State Archives, Norton Building?3E, Springfield, IL 62756. Telephone: (217) 782-3645.

The research services of the IRAD System are provided at no charge through the courtesy of the Secretary of State. Therefore, when requesting information by mail, a self-addressed, stamped envelope is not necessary. However, there may be a photocopy fee, for which you will be billed. Unless an expenditure limit is set in advance by the researcher, authorization to produce photocopies will be requested for billings that exceed five (5) dollars.

Because they are irreplaceable, IRAD records do not circulate and must be used in the depository. However, some census and death certificate microfilm may be borrowed from the Western Illinois University depository for use at other IRAD depositories. Microfilm may not be borrowed through the inter-library loan system.

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