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Subjects: Government Information; Regulatory Compliance; Gender & Sexuality Studies
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Evanston, IL 60208
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Key Resources
A History of Chicago
Pierce, Bessie Louise, A history of Chicago (Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 1937-1957)
Call number: 977.3 P615 1975
The Governments of Chicago (1958)
By Harvey Karlen. A must-read book if you are looking for historical documents of the Chicago governments. This book provides with historical background of government entities and a broader understanding of what it is that the city governments do, and how they are organized to do it.
Call number: 352.0773 K18g
The Government of the City of Chicago (1960, 64, 66, 69, 73, 78, 82 & 83)
By Chicago Municipal Reference Library. Sort of a follow-up series of "The Governments of Chicago" by Harvey Karlen (above.) The library has 1960, 64, 66, 69, 73, 78, 82 & 83.
Call number: varies
Chicago Government : A Reference Book on Local Governmental Units and Agencies in Chicago (1954)
Prepared by League of Women Voters of Chicago and published by Citizen Information Service of Metropoitan Chicago.
Call number: 352.07731 L434c
Key to Chicago Government (1954)
Prepared by League of Women Voters of Chicago and published by Citizen Information Service of Metropoitan Chicago.
Call number: 352.0773 L434k
Key to Government in Chicago and Suburban Cook County (1966, 72 & 1989, title varies)
First published in 1966 and in 1972 ("The Key to Our Local Government") and in 78 & 89, this book is also a good guide to the structure of local government in Cook County, Chicago, and municipalities and special service ares within the County.
Call number: varies
Blueprint of Chicago government, 1989
Similar to the two books above, this book is intended to provide reference materials on the operations of Chicago government.
Call number: L 352.00731 B658 1989
Chicago and Cook County : a guide to research
A genealogical research book by Ancestry. Though this book is meant for genealogists, some information might be useful for Chicago historians.
Call number: 016.9291 S998c 1996
A History of Chicago by Call Number: request from Oak Grove Library Center, using NUSearch (follow link)Publication Date: 1976In 3 volumes:
v. 1. The beginning of a city, 1673-1848.
v. 2. From town to city, 1848-1871.
v. 3. The rise of a modern city, 1871-1893.
2007 reprint edition available @ Prtizker Legal Research Center (request through NUSearch)- The Governments of Chicago byCall Number: Government Information - Lower Level Room B190 352.0773 K18gPublication Date: 1958EBook edition available in HathiTrust
A must-read book if you are looking for historical documents of the Chicago governments. This book provides with historical background of government entities and a broader understanding of what it is that the city governments do, and how they are organized to do it. - The Government of the city of Chicago (various editions) byCall Number: variesSort of a follow-up series of "The Governments of Chicago" by Harvey Karlen (above.)
1976 edition
1978 edition
1983 edition - Chicago government; a reference book on local governmental units and agencies in Chicago. byPublication Date: multiple editions
- Blueprint of Chicago government : a study for Mayor Harold Washington by the Agency Review Unit of the Transition Team. byCall Number: Law Library Stacks MON JS710 .B58 1983Publication Date: 1983Request through Nusearch using link provided
Intended to provide reference materials on the operations of Chicago government. 
Chicago and Cook County : a guide to research by Call Number: Main Library Stacks 016.9291 S998c 1996Publication Date: 1996This friendly guide to the vital records of Chicago and Cook County is just waiting to help you find your ancestors!
Copy also available in Main Library Reference 1 East 016.9291 S998c 1996
Beyond Northwestern
The Chicago Public Library's central library (Harold Washington Library), Municipal Documents Collection is the official depository for the Chicago governments documents. If we don't have what you need, make sure to check their collection.
Chicago History Museum: Online Search Tools
Online Search tools provided by the Chicago History Museum.
Search Google Books for reports published by the Chicago government prior to 1925 (when material under copyright is now in the public domain and freely available). The image below illustrates helpful search options.
Internet Archive: Text Archive
Download free books and texts. The Internet Archive Text Archive contains quite a few digitized books of Chicago & Chicago government publications.
Internet Archive: Wayback Machine
This web archive website provides you with old, archived, web pages. All you need is a URL of a home page you want to go back and see!