Note: Researchers are advised to write or call prior to visiting these libraries to verify hours and availability of books and records.





Jacksonville Area Genealogical and Historical Society
416 S. Main St.
Jacksonville, IL 62650-2904
[email protected]
Phone: (217) 245-5911 or (217) 245-9623
10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. Saturdays by appointment
Extensive genealogical library. Obtaining list of references for this library.


Jacksonville Public Library
201 West College Ave.
Jacksonville, Illinois 62650
Phone: 217-243-5435
Fax: 217-243-2182
HOURS:
Monday - Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Friday 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Special Collections/Local History Room
All times are conditional if staff is limited.
Monday - Friday 10:00 a.m. - 12 Noon 2:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Saturday 10:00 - 12 Noon 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m

M-C River Valley Public Library District
304 Main Street
PO Box 259
Meredosia, IL 62665
Phone: (217) 584-1571
Fax: (217) 584-1571


Waverly Public Library
291 North Pearl Street
Waverly, IL 62692
Phone: (217) 435-2051
FAX: (217) 435-2051
E-Mail: [email protected]
Hours: M, T, Th, F -- 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. W -- 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. St -- 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Illinois State Historical Library
The library houses 170,000 books and pamphlets, 3,000 maps and 1200 periodical series. Major collections relate to individuals, cities and towns, agriculture, industry, religion and transportation. They house many Illinois County Histories as well as books covering many other States. DAR books are available for research here. There are many family genealogies and a variety of materials on the Civil War (both Union and Confederate) , the Northwest Territory, overland journeys, and Midwestern settlement. The earliest maps in the Library collection date from the mid-1700s. Of particular note are pre-statehood maps of the the Great Lakes, Northwest and Louisiana territories, and the US east of the Mississippi River. They house over 5,000 manuscript collections containing letters, business ledgers, diaries, and organizational record, major holdings relate to frontier travel and settlement, agriculture, the Civil War, medical care, women's studies and labor and social history.

The Library's Lincoln Collection is the most complete holding of Abraham Lincoln's pre-presidential materials. Newspaper Micofilm and second copies of books may be borrowed on Inter-Library Loan from your local library. Photographs, films, manuscripts and Lincol materials are not loaned.

Newspapers On Microfilm- The library house newspapers statewide for Illinois and will search for obits.  The charges are more for out-of-state researchers. One does need an exact death date, not just a year.

Library Hours:
8:30 am to 5:00 pm - Monday through Friday
8:30 am to 4:30 pm Saturdays (Reference and Newspaper departments only)
Closed on State holidays, holiday weekends and the last two Saturday in December.

Illinois State Library
Jean E. Wilkins, Director
300 South Second Street
Springfield, IL 62701-1796
217-785-5600 / 800-665-5576 (within Illinois only)
TDD: 217-524-1137 (circulation desk)
Hours: M-F 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m
(Located across the Street from IL State Capitol Building)

The State Library collects the official publications of state and federal government. It holds microform copies of many State Archives records, which may be used onsite or borrowed on interlibrary loan. Collections of genealogical interest include; manuscript Census reels for Illinois through 1920, 19th and 20th century Illinois county plat books, Illinois county histories, Sanborn atlases, and Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Warrants microfilm. An extensive Map collection is part of their holdings.


Lincoln Library
326 S. 7th Street
Springfield, IL 62701 217.753.4900
Hours: Mon-Th 9-9, Friday 9-6, Saturday 9-5

Holds Sangamon Valley Collection
The primary purpose of the collection is to provide in-depth resources for the study of Sangamon and the surrounding counties. Obituaries in the Illinois State Journal are indexed for the years 1861-1934 and 1959 to the present. This is ongoing and the years could have been updated! The IL State Journal-Register publications include surrounding County obits, if reported. They will search for two obituaries from their index and provide a print-out of the microfilm copy. Cost of copies were 25 cents each at last report. All Springfield City Directories are available.




Links:
Morgan County Newspapers on microfilm list.
The Illinois State Historical Library has old IL newspapers on microfilm; also has area history books

Other library type links:
Library of Congress
   Search the Library of Congress Hours 4:35AM - 9:30PM Mon-Fri,
   8AM - 5PM Sat, 8AM - 4:30PM Sun
National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections - A free-of-charge cooperative cataloging program operated by the Library of Congress.
The National Archives
   Search the National Archives Form
   Post Office Records - Microfilm descriptions







County main page