Serving as a public library since 1903, we play a critical role in archiving and supporting local history. Librarians are dedicated to Special Collections, and we regularly partner with community organizations who are also preserving the past.
Genealogy
Support your local history and genealogy research, whether you’re a beginner or advanced. A sampling of popular tools is listed on this page.
- African American Heritage
- Ancestry Library Edition (in-library use only)
- FamilySearch
- HeritageQuest Online
- NewspaperARCHIVE
Steiner Index
Research your Oak Park home’s history, as well as that of more buildings in Oak Park and River Forest. See the Steiner Index »
Community organizations
- Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest
- Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park
- Frank Lloyd Wright Trust
- Historic Preservation Commission, Village of Oak Park
- Illinois State Genealogical Society
- Legends Of Our Time videos, a library-sponsored oral history focusing on the history of racial diversity in Oak Park
- A Challenge to Oak Park: A Suburban Community Faces Racial Change, by Roberta Raymond