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 / ISU IRAD
A high-school literary society: activity beyond the classroom
Literary-society minutes offer a distinctive school-activity lead. A separately cataloged high-school permanent record supplies another route once the institution is identified.
School Literary Society Minutes, High School 1907–1910 · Accession 3/0186/04
School Student Permanent Record, High School 1898–1921 · Accession 3/0186/02
A focused question to ask
Which high school and society do these records represent, and are there indexes or access conditions for the requested period?
Evidence limit: The county catalog does not name the high school. Membership, participation and individual entries require inspection; do not assume every Livingston school is represented.
STOP 02 / ISU IRAD
Teachers: connect certification with professional service
Certificate registers and professional-service records offer separate administrative routes for investigating a teacher’s career.
School Teachers' Certificate Registers 1873–1964 · Accession 3/0139/05
School Teachers' Professional and Service Record 1920–1959 · Accession 3/0139/20
A focused question to ask
Are these records indexed by teacher, and what information and access restrictions apply to the years requested?
Evidence limit: Certification is not proof of employment at a particular school. Compare dates and identities across records before linking a teacher to a district.
STOP 03 / ISU IRAD
Township school districts: recover the local setting
District files and the 1947 survey-committee files can help frame questions about the school organization that surrounded a family.
Township School District Files 1896–1951 · Accession 3/0139/01
School Survey Committee Files 1947 · Accession 3/0139/21
A focused question to ask
Can staff identify the township and district files for my location, and explain what the 1947 survey covers?
Evidence limit: A file date range does not guarantee every township or district survives. The catalog does not establish whether maps or named pupils appear.
IRAD is an Illinois Secretary of State program administered by the Illinois State Archives. Depository location: Illinois State University, Normal. Direct IRAD research requests to the regional depository, not the university’s separate archives or special collections.
Research visits are by appointment only. Call ahead. ISU accepts IRAD research inquiries by telephone or mail, not email. Confirm the mailing address and any copying charges before sending a request or traveling.
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 Livingston County
Record series
Catalog dates
Accession
School Literary Society Minutes, High School
1907–1910
3/0186/04
School Student Permanent Record, High School
1898–1921
3/0186/02
School Teachers' Certificate Registers
1873–1964
3/0139/05
School Teachers' Professional and Service Record
1920–1959
3/0139/20
Township School District Files
1896–1951
3/0139/01
School Survey Committee Files
1947
3/0139/21
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.