McLean County Museum of History
Bloomington Public Library
Normal Public Library
McLean County Museum of History is operated by the McLean County Historical Society. The museum is located in the former McLean County Courthouse in downtown Bloomington. Information regarding the museum can be obtained by visiting the museum web site or by calling 309-827-0428.
The Stevenson-Ives Library and Archives is located on the second floor of the museum. Library materials may be searched online via a link on the museum web site. Library materials are available for in-library use only. Unique collections related to Illinois State University include the following.
Historic photographs are available in two sections: a Subject Photograph Collection and a People Photograph Collection. Photographs are requested by patrons and retrieved from the Archives workroom by library staff. An index to both collections is available in print in the library and online via the museum website. The index is used to determine whether the Archives has materials about a particular subject or person. The index does not include a list of specific items held by the Archives. See the headings "Illinois State University, Normal" and "Schools (Bloomington-Normal)." The library offers photograph reproduction and scanning services. Fees apply to both services. Patrons should allow two weeks for orders to be completed.
The Archives workroom includes boxes of books and pamphlets related to Illinois State as well as folders of clippings and miscellaneous materials in the Archives Vertical File.
The Library has a partial card index to The Pantagraph. Exact dates of coverage of the index are unknown, although the index is known to include issues of the
paper dating to the early 1800s. Because this card index differs from the index at Bloomington Public Library, researchers may need to consult both.
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Bloomington Public Library is located in downtown Bloomington at 201 East Olive Street. Information about the library can be obtained by visiting the library web site or by calling 309-828-6091. The library has several collections related to Illinois State University history.
The Illinois Room includes historical materials related to McLean County, Bloomington, and Illinois State University. The room is located in the southwest corner of the Adult Services area.
The library has complete holdings of The Pantagraph newspaper as well as one of the few historical indexes of the paper. The card index is located behind the Adult Services Reference Desk and is organized by subjects. See "ISU (ISNU)," which is further divided into categories such as alumni, buildings, curriculum, history, and students.
The Local History File is a collection of newspaper clipping and miscellaneous documents about McLean County, Bloomington, and Normal. The file is located adjacent to the Illinois Room. Items are organized into folders by subject. The file includes several folders about Illinois State University. Of particular note is a paper index to Pantagraph articles about Illinois State. The index is organized chronologically and includes entries from 1910, 1921, 1923, and 1925-1985.
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Normal Public Library is located immediately east of the Illinois State University campus at 206 East College Avenue. Information about the library can be obtained by visiting the library web site or by calling 309-452-1757. The library has a collection of local history books located adjacent to the Information/Reference desk. The library also has newspaper clippings related to Illinois State University -- principally from the last decade -- located in the Pamphlet File adjacent to the circulation desk.
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Return to Subject Resources: Illinois State University History
