Research

Get Started

Explore: 3900+ items from our collection have been digitized and can be viewed on the Illinois Digital Archives.

View: Online exhibits including “Brides of Yester-year” and “Growing Up In Libertyville in the Thirties and Forties”

Learn: About Milwaukee Avenue buildings through the "Libertyville's Historic Milwaukee Avenue" tour at http://www.theclio.com/tour/1501

Watch: Previous History Matters programs on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCspWYIBbYTyAJSPAlAZu0pw

Browse & Search: Telephone books, local newspapers, an obituary index, online exhibits and more are available through the Cook Memorial Public Library Local History page.

Read: The Past is Present blog from the Cook Memorial Public Library.

Visit: The Cook Memorial Public Library also has a collection of local history books, clippings files, and newspapers on microfilm.

Contact: Cook Memorial Library Local history librarian, Jenny Barry, 847-362-2330 x1132 or jbarry@cooklib.org for assistance.

Our Archives

The Libertyville Historical Society archives, housed in the Ansel B. Cook Home, contains thousands of original photographs, postcards, documents, and objects.  Finding aids are available for the following select collections:

Ansel B. Cook Collection
Libertyville Lions Club Collection
Mole House Photo Collection
Rademacher Collection (The Frank G. Hough Co.)
Nautilus (Libertyville High School yearbook) 1918-2005, 2007, 2009-2011

Please contact us at info@libertyvillehistory.org or 224.514.7426 with your research question. Our archivist will determine if there are relevant materials and schedule an appointment for you to review the items.

Image Requests

The Libertyville Historical Society requests a donation for use of images from its collection. The funds we collect cover the Society’s costs for the long-term care of the original historical materials and for operation of the Society.

To request high resolution digital images:

  1. Review the Conditions Governing Use of Images from the Libertyville Historical Society and the fee schedule.

  2. Browse the photographs in the Libertyville History Collection of the Illinois Digital Archives. (Need recommendations or looking for something specific? Contact the Society at info@libertyvillehistory.org or (224) 513-7426).

  3. Complete the Conditions form and email it to info@libertyvillehistory.org along with the web address of each image you would like and the required resolution. Images are generally available at either 300dpi or 600dpi.

  4. Pay online (select Image Use from drop-down box) or mail payment to:

    Libertyville Historical Society
    Attn: Jenny Barry
    413 N. Milwaukee Avenue
    Libertyville, IL 60048

Payment can also be dropped off for Jenny Barry at the Cook Memorial Library reference desk.

The Historical Society is not able to provide printed image reproductions. The digital files provided may be printed by an online photo service or local photo counter/kiosk.