Illinois
Libraries

Vol. 66 No. 4     Springfield, Illinois    APRIL 1994 Contents joyce c. horney special guest editor Lincoln Park Zoo Library: An Introduction to the Library and Its Special Collections Joyce M. Shaw 164 The Poll and Survey Report Collection of the NORC Library, University of Chicago Patrick Bova 166 Specialized Library Collections: Mortuary Science Judith Ann Harwood 169 Swedish Roots: Collections of Swedish-Americana and the Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center at Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois Kermit B Westerberg 171 Regional and Music Research Collections at Lovejoy Library, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville John C. Abbott and John Neal Hoover 174 The Olcott Library and Research Center Bringing Together the Spiritual Traditions of the East and West Mary Jo Schneider 178 The Frank Lloyd Wright Collection at the Oak Park Public Library William Jerousek 180 A Natural Resource the Collection of the Illinois State Water Survey Library Marcia E. Nelson 183 The Virginius H. Chase Special Collections Center Charles J. Frey 185 The Vietnamese Collection at Southern Illinois University at CarbondaIe. Thomas L. Kilpatrick 188 IIllinois State Geological Survey Library Mary Krick 190 The Billy Graham Center: Special Collections for Public Use Ferne Lauraine Weimer 191 Over 125 Years of Service, the Illinois Natural History Survey Library. Carla G. Heister 194 Artists' Books: Books or Art? Nadene Byrne 195 Altlernative Energy Sources with Emphasis on Gasohol Rue E. Olson 197 Freedom of Expression Collections at the University of Illinois at Urbana — Champaign Patricia F. Stenstrom 199 Illinois State Library's Collection on Women Margaret L. Groninger 200 East Central Network/Illinois Vocational Curriculum Center Susie Shackleton 202 Illinois Libraries is published by the Illinois State Library, Springfield, Illinois 62756, and is issued monthly except in July and August. Opinions expressed in signed articles are not necessarily those of the editors or the Illinois State Library. jim edgar, secretary of state and state librarian mrs. bridget l. lamont, director, Illinois state library mrs. irma bostian, editor mrs. nancy krah, assistant editor Illinois State Library Advisory Committee 1994 Name Area Specialization Term Expires Richard E. Thompson Wilmette Public Library Public Libraries 1987 William McCully, Jr. Park Ridge Public Library Public Libraries 1984 Richard E. Thompson Wilmette Public Library Public Libraries 1984 Alice McKinley, Director DuPage Library System Library System 1986 Lester Stoffel, Director Suburban Library System Library System 1984 Travis Tyer, Director Great River Library System Library System 1987 Donald Adcock Glen Ellyn School District School Libraries 1983 Dawn Heller Riverside-Brookfield High School School Libraries 1987 Charles Hale, Library Director Millikin University Academic Libraries 1987 Glenn Scharfenorth, Director of Libraries DePaul University Library Academic Libraries 1987 W. Boyd Rayward, Dean University of Chicago Graduate School Library Library Education 1981 Joanne Crispen, Director Lutheran General Hospital Institution Libraries 1984 David E. King Standard Education Corp. Special Libraries 1984   Mary Mills Dunea Walton Books Citizen-Representative 1984 Evelyn Yurdin Springfield, IL Citizen-Representative 1987   Mort Bennett Lebanon,IL Citizen-Trustee 1985 Susan Laiming Gridley, IL Citizen-Trustee 1987   Virginia Maulding Centralia, IL Citizen-Trustee 1985 Vacant Citizen-Trustee Ex-Officio Members Valerie J. Wilford, President Illinois Library Association Marie Rose Sivak, Illinois State Board of Education Springfield, IL Amanda S. Rudd, Chicago Public Chicago, IL Library Noni C. Dodge Winnetka, IL Robert Wallhaus, Board of Higher Education Springfield, IL preface A patron of Swedish descent is looking for clues to his family history. A farmer wonders what happened to gasohol. A reporter is writing a background story for an upcoming religious revival meeting in his community. A landowner is considering drilling for oil on his property. These are but a few of the situations in which Illinois library users have found their information needs met by special collections in Illinois libraries. The term "special collections" is loosely and variously defined in library literature, but it usually implies a group of materials with a common subject or theme that is an identifiable part of a larger collection or library. Some definitions also include whole libraries devoted to one type of material. Still others include the many whole libraries devoted to one topic. In planning this issue we were less concerned with defining the term than we were with identifying some lesser known Illinois resources, particularly those outside the fabulously resource-rich area of Chicago. The task of identifying Illinois' special collections is not difficult. At least two standard reference tools, Illinois Libraries and Information Centers (Chicago, Illinois Regional Library Council, 1981) and the American Library Directory, augmented the many personal suggestions we received. In selecting the collections to be included in this issue we bypassed many excellent and well-known holdings, such as the genealogy materials at Shawnee Library System, the auto repair manuals at Kaskaskia, and the Illinois newspapers at the Illinois State Historical Library, in favor of the music collection at Lovejoy Library in Edwardsville, mortuary science and Vietnamese literature at SIU-Carbondate, and the Illinois scientific materials in the three survey libraries in Champaign. Authors of the articles included in this issue were asked to give a brief history or background for their collections; to describe them in sufficient detail that prospective users will know what kinds of information to expect; to note both routine clientele and any remarkable uses or users they have encountered; and to discuss how the collection is controlled and how its information may be accessed by Illinois library users. They were also invited to elaborate on any special activities, marketing techniques, or other interesting features connected with the collection. Use statistics and descriptions of physical facilities housing the collection were to be confined to the minimum required to meet the other guidelines. They were encouraged to write in informal rather than academic style and were assured that scholarly footnotes and long lists of references were not expected. I think readers will agree that our authors followed these guidelines with some very interesting, entertaining, and informative results. The work of identifying and describing special collections in Illinois, especially in the downstate areas, is only begun. Already, we are aware of small holdings which lack the breadth and depth to be included in directories of research resources but nonetheless would be interesting and useful to hobbyists, feature writers, young students, and public library patrons pursuing casual and personal interests. Perhaps sufficient interest will be generated by this issue to warrant an update or a directory of small and unusual collections. When I volunteered to be guest editor for this issue of Illinois Libraries I was assured that I would have plenty of help. This has certainly been the case. Members of the Specialized Library Services Section have been most liberal in sharing ideas and suggestions. The members of my committee, Rosann Meagher of Foote, Cone, and Belding and Amy Kellerstrass of the Illinois State Library, have helped plan, write letters, make phone calls, and read manuscripts. Irma Bostian and her staff at the Illinois Libraries editorial office have removed all the drudgery, leaving me with only the joy and pleasure of communicating with the interesting people who authored these pieces. As is the custom, I stand responsible for the sins, mostly of omission; and, as is the truth, our authors are responsible for the good things in this issue. Joyce C. Homey Special Guest Editor 163