Chicago Collections

Chicago Collections is a membership organization of more than 20 libraries, museums, historical societies, and other cultural heritage organizations collaborating to preserve and promote the history of the Chicago region.

Launched in 2015 after several years of planning among its charter members, Chicago Collections now sponsors a wide range of educational, community engagement, and professional development programs, including exhibitions and public lectures. Chicago Collections also provides information services such as its Cooperative Reference Network, as well as instructional materials available on member web sites. Chicago Collections has established partnerships with other non-profit organizations in the City of Chicago, including National Public Radio, Chicago Metro History Education Center, and the Library of Congress’s Teaching with Primary Sources program, to answer questions about Chicago history from researchers and the general public, and to promote use of member collections and services by teachers and students of all ages.

With funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Chicago Collections has developed EXPLORE Chicago Collections (ECC), a digital portal providing access to more than 104,000 images and 4,300 archival collections from member institutions (as of September 2016). The Center for Research Libraries awarded its 2016 Primary Source Award for Access to Tracy J. Seneca (University of Illinois at Chicago), for her role in leading the development of the ECC portal.

Long, Elisabeth (October 22, 2015). “A Single Portal to Chicago’s History,” The University of Chicago News. Accessed September 17, 2016.

Walter, Scott (February 2016). “It Takes a City: Chicago Collections Brings Collaboration to the Next Level,” ILA Reporter 34 (1). Accessed September 21, 2016

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