Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library

More than 350,000 photographs dominate the Library's Audiovisual collection, which also includes 4,000 broadsides, 2,500 films and videotapes, and more than 1200 oral history transcripts and 3,800 tapes. The topics range from Civil War soldiers and battles to the Illinois State Fair, cities and towns, business and labor, governors and other elected officials, and World War I and II. Collections of television news film are recent additions to the holdings. Most of the photographs can be copied for a fee by the Library staff after selection by the patron.

Appointments are required to use the Audiovisual collection. Phone (217) 785-7955. Audiovisual material is not available on interlibrary loan.

Military Materials
The Audiovisual department is home to extensive collections from the Civil War, World War I, and World War II.  These collections include photos of soldiers, Forts, and training exercises.  The audiovisual department is home to a large collection of broadsides from WW I and WW II.  Well known broadsides such as Seagram's Loose Lips Sink Ships and James M. Flagg's Uncle Sam series are among the collection.   Portions of this collection focus on the homefront activities including the role of Illinois businesses in war-time production.

The John A. Logan Collection contains over thirteen boxes of material.  This material features photos of soldiers, especially the lower ranks, U.S. troops in Cuba and the Spanish - American War as well as photos of Logan's famiy and political life.

Political Materials
The library is home to the collections of many political figures and governors including Stevenson, Stratton, Kerner, Ogilvie, Thompson, and Edgar.

The unique Federal Writers Project and Federal Music Project Collections, both funded by the Works Progress Administration during the New Deal and Roosevelt era are housed at the ISHL.

Family and Studio Materials
Family collections such as the Jannotta-Skiff Collection, and the Barber-Greene Collections highlight the family materials housed in the ISHL.  These collections not only contain family photos but also photos from the various business enterprises of each family. 

The Herbert Georg Studio Collection focuses on Springfield from the 1920s to the 1940s.  Material related to government and many Springfield figures as well as unique shots of Franklin D. Roosevelt are among the highlights of this collection.

The aftermath of the Springfield Race Riots of 1908.

Photographic Service Order

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