Chapters
- Chapter 1 – Overview
- Chapter 2 – The Birth of the Illinois State Library
- Chapter 3 – The Early Years — 1840 to 1850
- The Library Act of 1848
- Early Descriptions of the Library
- AN ACT concerning the State Library.
- AN ACT to amend an act in relation to the State Library.
- Library Growth
- The Library and Abraham Lincoln
- Books Borrowed from the State Library by Robert Todd Lincoln
- A Time of Stagnation
- SAMUEL LOCKWOOD
- SAMUEL TREAT
- THOMPSON CAMPBELL
- HORACE COOLEY
- DAVID GREGG
- JOHN NICOLAY
- ROBERT TODD LINCOLN
- Chapter 4 – A Period of Growth & Transition — 1869-1880
- Chapter 5 – Growth & Expansion — The Turn of the 20th Century
- Chapter 6 – A Look at the Early Librarians
- Chapter 7 – The State Library & Growth of Illinois Public Libraries
- Chapter 8 – The Watershed Years — 1918-1923
- Chapter 9 – Move to the Centennial Building
- Chapter 10 – The State Library & the Great Depression
- Chapter 11 – Beginning a New Century of Service
- Chapter 12 – Years of Transition — The 1950s
- Chapter 13 – Building for the Future — The 1960s
- Library Extension and Cooperative Efforts
- A Policy on Extension
- Renewal of the Library Services Act
- Library Flourishes with Dwindling Space
- The Library Services and Construction Act
- Development of Library Systems
- Implementing the Rohlf Plan
- Addressing the Changes in Librarianship
- Programs of the Library in the Late 1960s
- Staff Losses: Tragedies and Ironies
- Still a Legislative Aid
- de LAFAYETTE REID
- PAUL POWELL
- Chapter 14 – Coming of Age — The 1970s
- Interlibrary Cooperation and Automation
- The Vision of Alphonse Trezza
- Library Structure in the Early 1970s
- Technical Services at the Library
- The Library Development Group
- Goals for Illinois Libraries
- Meeting the Challenge
- Other Declarations in Meeting the Challenge
- The Importance of Interlibrary Cooperation
- Special Libraries and Special-Needs Patrons
- Public Awareness
- The Library Resources Enrichment Program
- New and Traditional Roles for the State Library
- LIBGIS and the Bicentennial
- The Departure of Alphonse Trezza
- Gesterfield Takes Over
- The Development of OCLC
- Other Automated Improvements
- The Expansion of ILLINET
- Cooperative Collection Development
- Developing Goals for OCLC and CLSI
- Public Library Development
- ALAN DIXON
- ALPHONSE TREZZA
- KAY GESTERFIELD
- Chapter 15 – Maturity and Leadership — The 1980s
- Measures of Quality
- The Fight for Literacy
- A Change in Style with Bridget Lamont
- ILLINET Online
- Serials of Illinois Libraries Online
- Funding Levels Off
- Larger Units of Service
- The Issue of Preservation
- A New Home for the State Library
- Illinois Authors on the Library Frieze
- Illinois Authors names on the State Library frieze
- The Move and the Dedication
- JIM EDGAR
- BRIDGET LAMONT
- Chapter 16 – A New Era for the State Library — The 1990s and 2000s
- Growing National Leadership
- An International Presence
- Live & Learn
- Educate & Automate
- Progressive Librarianship
- A Reduction in Library Systems
- Professional Training
- More on Illinois Authors
- The Library Services & Technology Act
- A New State Librarian and Director
- Serving Visually Impaired Patrons
- Honoring Gwendolyn Brooks
- An Explosion in Technology
- A Place to Interpret Illinois History
- LibraryU and Synergy
- Cultural Diversity
- Addressing the Needs of the Unserved
- From Jean Wilkins to Anne Craig
- Secretary White on Youth, Technology, and Literacy
- Advancement of the ILDS
- The State Library Today
- GEORGE H. RYAN
- GWENDOLYN BROOKS
- JESSE WHITE
- JEAN WILKINS
- ANNE CRAIG
- Summary