It's in the Report

Cataloging of 1838-1897 Legislative Reports Makes Wealth of Information Easier to Access

[January 31, 2008]  SPRINGFIELD -- Does anyone ever read reports made to the Illinois General Assembly? They might if those documents included information about notorious criminals, what to do with fugitive slaves or a report by a young legislator named Abraham Lincoln.

Librarians at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library in Springfield have completed an extensive cataloging project that provides access to 1838-1897 reports to the Illinois General Assembly. The "Illinois Reports" series is an 89-volume set consisting of various reports made by governors, staff of state agencies, state institutions, special commissions and the adjutant general to the Illinois Senate and House of Representatives.

The "Illinois Reports" chronicle the growth and development of Illinois from a primitive prairie state in 1838 to a bustling, industrialized state in 1897. An 1839 report by state Rep. Abraham Lincoln concerning public lands during his service on the Committee on Finance is included. There are also two reports from the Lincoln Homestead trustees, and reports concerning fugitive slaves and abolition

Many of the reports give detailed information and statistics concerning Illinois' early internal improvements and institutions. They include information on banks, railroads, insurance companies and the 1839 building of the state Capitol (now known as the Old State Capitol).

Also included are reports detailing the planning, construction and implementation of schools, colleges and institutions such as mental hospitals and orphanages. For many of these institutions, specific data is included. Medical institution reports include information on illnesses, treatments and demographics. Prison reports give names of prisoners, ages, occupations and crimes committed. There are also smaller reports on census data, elections, county demographics and various individuals whose criminal activities were notorious at the time. Agriculture is another area that was covered extensively.

The "Illinois Reports" began in 1838 and continued through 1897. Prior to 1838, these reports were published with the Illinois Journal of the House of Representatives and the Journal of the Senate. In 1838, the House of Representatives instructed the clerks of the two houses to bind all reports in a separate volume in order to prevent unnecessary printing and journalizing.

Presidential library catalogers Connie Butts and Jane Schmidt created original records on the Online Computer Library Center for each individual report of the 89-volume set, resulting in a total of 1,454 original records. Each record was indexed with numerous applicable subject headings so that the records can be easily accessed on the online catalog. Since the records have appeared on the OCLC, library staff members have received several inquiries about these newly cataloged reports, including one from an Osaka, Japan, researcher who inquired about reports dealing with the Illinois and Michigan Canal.

The reports are an excellent resource for anyone conducting research on the history and growth of Illinois during the years 1838-1897. Although the reports are not currently digitized, they are available at the presidential library for research in-house. Researchers can search the online catalog at www.alplm.org.

[Text from Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum news release received from the Illinois Office of Communication and Information]