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The Illinois State Library was created more than 150 years ago to serve the needs of state government. Since its founding, the Illinois State Library has been housed in several locations. From its creation in the old State Capitol, the Library collection was moved to the present Capitol Building, and later shared a portion of the Michael J. Howlett (formerly the Centennial) Building.

Today, the Illinois State Library, Gwendolyn Brooks Building has become a computer-age doorway to worldwide information, providing patrons with an electronic bridge to the collections of universities, public, and corporate libraries, and new information systems that will continue to develop into the 21st century and beyond.

More than five million items are housed in the library's collection, along with electronic access to a wide spectrum of research databases, journals, and government publications. The State Library is committed to library development in Illinois, and works with a network of 5,000 academic, public, school, and special libraries to address the wide-ranging information needs of their patrons.

Origins, Legends, and Giants

Giants
According to legend, in 1839 the young Secretary of State, Stephen A. Douglas (the “Little Giant"), saw to it that space was reserved next to his new office for a small, fledgling library.

Illinois Poet Laureate Gwendolyn Brooks graced the dedication ceremony of the new library (1990) with a performance of her famous poem “Jane Addams,” a message from giants to a giant-less time.

The First Patron
On December 15, 1842, the Illinois Senate passed Bill One, which named the Illinois Secretary of State as State Librarian, and presented the rules of the State Library. One of the rules let members of the Illinois General Assembly take up to two volumes at a time for a loan period of two weeks. One day later, Abraham Lincoln attempted to check out the first book ("The Revised Laws of New York, Volume One”), but, since he was no longer a member of the Illinois General Assembly, he signed the name of his law partner, Stephen T. Logan, who was serving in the Illinois House.

Lincoln scripts expert, Marion D. Pratt, verified Lincoln's handwriting in May 1958. The page can still be found in the earliest record of the State Library, "The Register of Books Loaned to Members of the Legislature, Officers, and Members of the Illinois State Library.”

The Gwendolyn Brooks Building

The Illinois State Library, Gwendolyn Brooks building was designed by the Chicago architectural firm of Graham, Anderson, Probst, and White to harmonize with the other buildings in Springfield's Capitol Complex. The exterior features Indiana limestone set over a base of granite highlighted by a frieze etched with the names of 35 of Illinois' most distinguished authors. These 35 authors were either born in Illinois or spent a significant portion of their careers in Illinois.

The interior of the 164,000 square-foot State Library is arranged in three distinct sections. The eastern third of the building houses the collection of more than five million books, documents, journals, and other materials on more than 15 miles of electrically-operated, compact shelving. The books stacks are closed to the public, but may be seen through the glass walls on the third, fourth, and fifth floors. The western third of the library houses public service areas and staff offices. Bisecting the center of the building is a five-story atrium capped by a barrel vaulted ceiling and five large chandeliers. The atrium is clad in Italian marble.

ISL Atrium
Illinois Authors' Room
ISL Atrium Bridge

Mission

The Illinois State Library promotes excellence in information access and innovative services for government, libraries, and people. This mission statement is directly related to the State Library Act of 1939, amended, that indicates the purpose(s) of the State Library is to:

Maintain a library for State officials and employees
Operate a Governmental Research Service pertaining to materials for public and governmental affairs
Administer library services for state agencies
Administer the Illinois Library Systems Act
Administer the law relating to Interstate Library Compacts
Promote and develop cooperative library networks for all types of library entities on a regional and statewide basis
Administer grants of federal library funds
Be a supplementary source of library materials, unavailable in local libraries
Assist local libraries in their plans of cooperation and community library service
Develop library service for rural communities and schools without such service
Address questions and problems pertaining to the administration and functions of public and school libraries
Contract with any library or library agency to carry out the purpose of the State Library. A Library Trust Fund has been established for such purposes.
Publish public library and library system statistical information
Support continuing education programs for all levels of library personnel
Coordinate literacy programs for the Secretary of State

Divisions of the Illinois State Library

Administrative Services

Communications: Distributes news releases about State Library activities, programs, and services, and answers media inquiries. The office also distributes a weekly electronic newsletter to more than 6,000 subscribers, and publishes the bi-monthly Insight newsletter. Communications also develops brochures, bookmarks, and other promotional materials, oversees the State Library's Web sites, conducts media training and marketing workshops for Illinois librarians, and coordinates promotional and public information efforts for the library.
Illinois Library Day is held annually for library advocates at the State Library to show solidarity and meet with their local legislators. Nearly 400 members of the Illinois library community attended Illinois Library Day in April 2007, which featured a first-ever breakfast for lawmakers. Among other issues, attendees asked lawmakers to oppose a bill requiring mandatory Internet computer filters and to support Secretary of State Jesse White’s budget, which included an additional $1 million for Public Library Per Capita Grants.

Library Automation and Technology Division
The Library Automation and Technology Division employs technology to facilitate access to information for Illinois citizens. Services include:

Ask?Away is a 24/7 online reference service consisting of public, school, college, and university librarians working together to provide expert assistance through chat and e-mail services.
FirstSearch provides Illinois libraries a rich and varied collection of OCLC reference databases. The State Library subsidizes statewide access to a select list of both citation and full-text databases.
The Illinois Digital Archives (IDA) unites digital images from the State Library and other Illinois libraries, as well as from historical societies, museums, and other institutions across the state. Abraham Lincoln documents and photographs, World War II posters, and oral histories of Illinois communities are a few of the images available on IDA.
Digital Illinois contains digital collections from libraries, historical societies, museums, and other cultural institutions in Illinois. Library’s Illinois Digital Archives are now a part of Digital Illinois, along with collections from Digital Past, developed by the North Suburban Library System and other institutions.
Electronic Documents in Illinois (EDI) The State Library staff trains state agency employees to deposit publications, sends electronic newsletters to trainees, and deposits and maintains quality control over all electronic state publications.
Find-It! Illinois brings Illinois information and the State Library’s online services together at one convenient Web site.
ILLINET/OCLC is the world's largest and most comprehensive electronic database of bibliographic information: a global online catalog of the holdings of more than 70,000 libraries worldwide. The service provides the valuable foundation for core library services, including cataloging, serials holding maintenance, and interlibrary loan.
Statewide Illinois Library Catalog (SILC) provides the maximum use of interlibrary loan and the sharing of library collections.
Illinois Government Information (IGI) captures Web sites from state agencies and provides search functions for the entire State of Illinois Web network.

Library Development Group
The Library Development Group promotes statewide library development and oversees the Literacy Office, which administers grant programs to enable thousands of Illinois citizens to improve their literacy skills.

The Diversity Program promotes library services to minority populations through cultural awareness training, studies of minority demographics in library communities, multicultural programs, resource sharing, and recruitment of minorities to the library profession. One of the most successful initiatives included workshops instructing librarians on providing better services to Spanish-speaking patrons.
Project Next Generation (PNG) is Secretary of State Jesse White’s technology program for junior-high school students. The first of its kind administered through Illinois public libraries, the program provides mentors to help students gain the technical knowledge needed for future educational and professional success while fostering self-confidence and pride.
Awarded Grants include: Library Services and Technology Act Grants, School Library Grants, Training Grants, Disaster Aid Grants, Educate and Automate Grants, Illinois Veterans’ Homes Library Grants, Live and Learn Construction Grants, Public Library Per Capita, and Equalization Aid Grants.
Adult Volunteer Tutoring provides training for volunteers who tutor adults in basic reading, math, writing, and language skills. Grant recipients include libraries, community organizations, schools, community colleges, domestic violence shelters, correctional institutions, and others.
Family Literacy provides instructional services to parents and children to enhance their basic reading, math, writing or language skills. Projects partner with an adult literacy provider agency, a child-at-risk agency, and a library.
The Illinois Center for the Book: A not-for-profit organization affiliated with the Center For the Book in the Library of Congress, promotes books, reading, libraries, and literacy. The Illinois Center for the Book maintains an online database of more than 1,400 Illinois authors. Programs include: Letters About Literature, Illinois Emerging Writers Competition, and the Illinois Authors Wiki.
Penny Severns Summer Family Projects provide instructional services during the summer months to parents and children to enhance their basic reading, math, writing, and language skills.

Operations Division
The Operations Division serves the information needs of state officials and employees as well as the general public.

The Map Department is the second largest state library map collection in the United States, with 186,000 maps and 67,000 aerial photos. The department provides access to its large collection to state officials and employees; professionals such as geologists, construction engineers, architects, and historians; and the general public. The collection also includes microfilm and computer generated resources, with a concentration in Illinois geography.

The Patent and Trademark Depository Library provides access to information regarding patents, trademarks and copyright laws.

Government Document Services are provided to libraries throughout the state. As the regional Federal Document Depository Library for Illinois, all print materials distributed through the U.S. Government Printing Office and new electronic materials are added to the library’s collection. The State Library also provides access to General Assembly-mandated reports via the State Reports Distribution Center.

Reference Department
Circulation/Interlibrary Loan
Cataloging Department
Acquisitions/Serials Unit

Talking Book and Braille Service
The Talking Book and Braille Service (TBBS) in Springfield plays a supporting role for the Illinois Network of Libraries Serving the Blind and Physically Handicapped. The network consists of Talking Book Centers at four library systems throughout the state (Chicago, Geneva, East Peoria, Carterville), which circulate unabridged books in audio format.

TBBS serves as the regional center and provides administrative functions, acts as a liaison with the National Library Service (NLS), and maintains a reserve collection of braille and talking books. With the cooperation of the U.S. Postal Service, books are mailed as “Free Matter for the Blind or Handicapped.”

Secretery of State and State Librarian Jesse White

In 2007, Secretary of State Jesse White received the prestigious Robert R. McClarren Legislative Development Award from the Illinois Library Association for his support of libraries and his development of innovative programs benefiting libraries during nine years as State Librarian. Secretary White received the award during the ILA’s annual conference in Springfield. The award is named for the longtime former director of the North Suburban Library System. During his tenure as State Librarian, Secretary White has worked with the ILA and championed its agenda before the General Assembly, testifying on numerous occasions for and against bills affecting libraries. He has consistently supported the ILA’s efforts to protect [intellectual freedom] and ensure local control of libraries. Secretary White was honored for overseeing development at the Illinois State Library of many innovative new programs benefiting libraries, including:

Development and enhancement of programs providing training opportunities and continuing education for librarians. These efforts include the widely praised revamping of LibraryU, a popular Web-based training initiative, and the recent development of WebJunction Illinois, an online community for librarians.
Creation of Find-it! Illinois, the statewide digital library bringing Illinois information into one convenient web site for Internet users.
Creation of the Statewide Illinois Library Catalog (SILC), a shared catalog combining all library holdings in Illinois into one searchable entity.
Implementation of OCLC group services in Illinois, a pricing system that helps libraries manage budgets more effectively.
Creation of the annual Synergy Library Leadership Institute to develop future library leaders.
Increased pursuit of grants available outside of state government, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Creation of the Illinois Digital Archives to help preserve important documents for future generations.
Consolidation of State Library literacy programs to make them more efficient and effective.
Moving the State Library’s Talking Book and Braille Service into a new facility and increasing membership in the Talking Book program to 27,000. White’s efforts on behalf of TBBS resulted in the Talking Book service being named National Library of the Year in 2006.
Creation of the Project Next Generation program, the first youth mentoring program to be operated by public libraries.
Creation of the AskAway virtual reference program to better serve the reference needs of patrons.

Illinois State Library Press Release, October 11, 2007

Library Director Anne Craig

Anne Craig has served as director of the Illinois State Library since May 2005. Before her appointment, Director Craig held several posts at the State Library, including: Associate Director for Library Automation and Technology, the Coordinator of Public Services, the ILLINET/OCLC Network Coordinator, and Reference Librarian. Prior to joining the State Library she worked at Founders Memorial Library at Northern Illinois University. In 2007, Director Craig was the recipient of the Illinois Library Association's (ILA) Librarian of the Year Award. This award recognizes a librarian's excellence in service and leadership at the local, state, and national levels. “Anne is innovative, personable, hard-working, and proactive, and I am confident she will keep the State Library strong and responsive as Director. One of Anne’s greatest strengths is her knowledge and expertise about technology, and how libraries must use computers, automation, and technology to better serve the needs of patrons." -Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White, May 1, 2005.
Ms. Craig's mission at the Illinois State Library is to develop and promote libraries and to provide librarians with training and continuing education opportunities that allow them to better serve library users. Illinois has a network of more than 5,000 public, school, academic, and special libraries, and she is committed to strengthening that network and maintaining our libraries as the best and most reliable sources of information in the state. Ms. Craig has recently overseen development of a comprehensive strategic plan for the Illinois State Library through the year 2011.

Contact

The Official Illinois State Library Web site: http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/library

Illinois State Library, Gwendolyn Brooks Building | 300 South 2nd Street | Springfield, IL 62701-1796
Phone: (217) 785-5600 | TDD: (888) 261-2709

Illinois State Library, James R. Thompson Center | 100 W Randolph St # 5-400 | Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 814-2262

Bibliography

City of Springfield, Illinois

Dunbar, M., Atkinson, G., Wheeler, A., Wagenaar, D., & Padgett, J. (1995). Portrait of Illinois: Permanent art collection : Illinois State Library. Springfield, Ill: Illinois Art-in-Architecture Program.

Illinois State Library. (1994). A Self-guided tour of the Illinois State Library. Springfield, Ill: George H. Ryan, Secretary of State.

Illinois State Library. (2007). Illinois State Library annual report, FY 2007. [Springfield, Ill.]: Illinois State Library.

Illinois State Library, and Illinois. (2008). Illinois State Library: Strategic plan: 2008-2011. Springfield, IL: Jesse White, Secretary of State & State Librarian.

Illinois State Library Press Release, October 11, 2007
http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/press/2007/october/071011d1.html