Sources checked October 29, 2026. Holdings checked against official catalogs and repository descriptions. Staff-confirmed details are identified below; other holdings are based on published sources. No name-level search; dates do not guarantee complete coverage or online images.
STOP 01 / NIU IRAD
Libertyville Township: weeds and wandering animals
Small administrative records can suggest a land or neighborhood question that a census search misses. Start with a known place and a narrow date.
Libertyville Twp: Thistle Cutting Record 1943–1953 · Accession 1/0260/08
Libertyville Twp: Estray Record 1861–1897 · Accession 1/0260/07
A focused question to ask
Are these volumes indexed by person or property, and what information does a typical entry contain?
Evidence limit: These are different record series from different periods. A catalog title alone does not establish an owner, resident or family relationship.
STOP 02 / NIU IRAD
Libertyville village: the paperwork behind a park
The WPA park-project file is a distinctive route into a particular public project. Its catalog span extends beyond the WPA period, so ask how the file is organized.
Libertyville: Park Project Files, WPA 1934–1961 · Accession 1/0261/01
A focused question to ask
Which park and project are represented, and do the files include plans, correspondence or personnel information?
Evidence limit: The catalog does not specify the park, contents or named workers. The date span is not evidence that a WPA project operated throughout those years.
STOP 03 / NIU IRAD
School trustees: decisions before later school registers
Early trustee minutes can help frame questions about school governance, property and the institution serving a locality.
School Trustees' Minutes 1841–1866 · Accession 1/0260/10
A focused question to ask
Which school township or district does this volume represent, and is there an index or related district map?
Evidence limit: The county-level catalog heading does not establish coverage of every Lake County school. Minutes are not a pupil-attendance list.
IRAD is an Illinois Secretary of State program administered by the Illinois State Archives. Depository location: Northern Illinois University, DeKalb. Direct IRAD research requests to the regional depository, not the university’s separate archives or special collections.
Call to ask a question or schedule an appointment. The IRAD office is in Founders Memorial Library, Room 265, on the second floor. For a remote request, follow the statewide telephone/mail policy and confirm the current mailing address with staff.
Start with no more than two names, approximate dates, the county and the record type. Include the township or school where known and the accession number above. Ask whether an index exists, which volumes survive and what copying will cost. For an unindexed series, agree on a manageable search before requesting a long period. The statewide policy directs research requests to telephone or mail rather than email; wait for a response before sending another request. See the statewide research policy ↗.
Request template: I am researching [person or place] in [locality] around [years]. Your catalog lists [title], accession [number]. Which volume covers that period, is it indexed, and how can I consult or obtain the relevant pages? Please let me know any gaps, restrictions and copying charges.
Collection dates at a glance
The table lists IRAD series with verified date spans. Community collections above may have different or unspecified coverage and separate access rules. Catalog spans are starting points, not guarantees of every year, locality or individual. Use the Research Planner to compare your years with these cataloged series.
Selected cataloged series for Lake County
Record series
Catalog dates
Accession
Libertyville Twp: Thistle Cutting Record
1943–1953
1/0260/08
Libertyville Twp: Estray Record
1861–1897
1/0260/07
Libertyville: Park Project Files, WPA
1934–1961
1/0261/01
School Trustees' Minutes
1841–1866
1/0260/10
Keep the record and your interpretation separate.
Save the depository, collection, accession number, volume, page, dates and any copy correspondence. Record uncertain names as uncertain. A shared road, school or signature can suggest an association; it does not establish a family relationship.
Suggest a correction, an overlooked collection or an updated access detail. An official link or source helps us check it before making a change. Please leave out private family documents and sensitive personal information.