Illinois Historical Records Advisory Board

Illinois Historical Records Advisory Board
Name	Illinois Historical Records Advisory Board
Formation	1970s
Type	Advisory board
Headquarters	Springfield, Illinois
Region served	Illinois
Parent organization	National Historical Publications and Records Commission

Contents

History

The board originated in the wake of initiatives by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, the National Archives and Records Administration, and advocacy from the Society of American Archivists during the 1970s, influenced by preservation movements linked to events such as the Freedom of Information Act debates, the National Historic Preservation Act, and state archival reforms paralleling efforts at the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian Institution. Early collaborations involved the Illinois State Archives, regional repositories in Cook County, Sangamon County, and partnerships with academic archives at University of Chicago, Illinois Wesleyan University, and DePaul University. Over subsequent decades the board coordinated projects responding to disasters like floods affecting collections in Mississippi River communities and preservation demands similar to programs run by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

The board's mission aligns with priorities set by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission and the National Archives and Records Administration to identify, preserve, and increase access to historic records held by entities such as the Illinois State Archives, county courthouses in Cook County, municipal offices in Chicago, and cultural institutions including the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. It advises state bodies like the Illinois Secretary of State and collaborates with scholarly organizations including the American Library Association, the Association of Research Libraries, and the Council of State Archivists to develop policies, surveys, and standards consistent with guidelines from the Society of American Archivists and federal programs from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Composition typically includes representatives nominated by entities such as the Illinois State Historical Society, the Illinois State Archives, academic archives from University of Illinois Chicago, and cultural organizations like the Chicago History Museum. Membership draws professionals from the Society of American Archivists, legal representatives acquainted with the Freedom of Information Act, historians affiliated with Northern Illinois University, Eastern Illinois University, and community archivists from institutions like the Harold Washington Library Center and local historical societies in Peoria, Rock Island, and Springfield, Illinois. The board convenes with liaisons from federal agencies including the National Archives and Records Administration and funders such as the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The board administers and promotes grant programs modeled after the National Historical Publications and Records Commission grants, supports disaster preparedness initiatives akin to those led by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and encourages digitization projects similar to collaborations between the Library of Congress and the Digital Public Library of America. It sponsors surveys of archival holdings across institutions like the Illinois State Archives, county courthouses, university special collections at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, and community repositories in Chicago, Evanston, and Decatur, Illinois. Initiatives include training workshops in partnership with the Society of American Archivists, metadata projects following standards endorsed by the Association of Research Libraries, and outreach programs coordinated with the American Historical Association and the Illinois Association of Museums.

Primary funding streams have included subgrants from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, cooperative agreements with the National Archives and Records Administration, and support from philanthropic entities such as the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Partnerships extend to academic institutions like University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign, Northwestern University, and Illinois State University, cultural institutions including the Chicago History Museum and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, and statewide networks such as the Illinois State Historical Society and the Illinois Association of Museums. Cooperative work also involves state offices like the Illinois Secretary of State and federal grant programs administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

The board has facilitated preservation of collections connected to figures and events archived at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, records from industrial archives in Chicago, and municipal records for Springfield, Illinois and Cook County. Notable projects include survey and digitization efforts that paralleled initiatives by the Digital Public Library of America and the Library of Congress Chronicling America program, collaborative disaster recovery assistance following regional flooding in the Mississippi River basin, and capacity-building workshops delivered with the Society of American Archivists and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Through grants aligned with the National Historical Publications and Records Commission and partnerships with institutions such as University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign and the Chicago History Museum, the board has increased access to manuscript collections, government records, and community archives from locales including Peoria, Illinois, Rockford, Illinois, and Quincy, Illinois.