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LIBRARY CATALOG
LIBRARY CATALOG: Search for materials in the COD library or in libraries worldwide.
List of Guidebooks on Chicago at the COD Library
Outline of the Library of Congress Classification System (what COD uses to arrange its books)
I-SHARE (formerly Illinet Online): Get books from over 80 Illinois academic libraries
Interlibrary Loan, to get books and journal articles from other libraries around the country.
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REFERENCE BOOKS
Why Reference Sources?
Is your research topic too big to cover in a short paper? Is your topic so specific that sources will be hard to find?
Before you even begin your research, start the process with reference sources-- in the Library's Reference Section or online in our databases. Reference books, like subject encyclopedias, can give you a head start and make your research easier in the long run. Use reference sources to:
- find a topic
- narrow your topic
- find keywords
- get background information on your topic
America's Changing Neighborhoods : An Exploration of Diversity through Places.
Chicago: A Chronological & Documentary History, 1784-1970. General F 548.3 .F 87 1974
Chicago History Timeline. Online.
Chicagoland 6-County Atlas. Ready Reference G1049 .C5 A6
Comparative Guide to American Suburbs. Reference HT 123 .C616
The Encyclopedia of Chicago. Online and Reference F 548.3 .E53 2004
Encyclopedia of Urban America: The Cities and Suburbs. Online and Reference HT 123 .E5 1998
The Directory of Chicago Area Ethnic Organizations and Media. Reference F 548.9 .A 1 D 57 2012
Encyclopedia of the Chicago Literary Renaissance. Reference PS 285 .C 47 P 56 2004
Encyclopedia of Urban Cultures. Reference HD 108.5 .E 53 2002
The Ethnic Handbook: A Guide to the Cultures and Traditions of Chicago's Diverse Communities. Reference F 548.9 .A1 E 87 1996
The Geography of Illinois. (Douglas Clay Ridgely, University of Chicago Press,1921)
Illinois Biographical Dictionary. Reference CT 232 .I 448 2008
Illinois Encyclopedia. Reference F 539 .I 45 2008
Municipal Codes. Click on the city name to find the municipal code.
Place Names of Illinois. Reference F 539 .C 35 2009
Pronunciation Guide for Illinois Place Names. (Donald E. Brown, University of Illinois, 1957)
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DATABASES
You must have a valid College of DuPage library card to access the electronic indexes and databases from off-campus.
Academic OneFile. An index to over 2500 magazines and journals covering a variety of topic areas including Chicago. This database provides references, abstracts, and many times the full-text of articles. A COD library card is required for off-campus use.
Academic Search Complete. Abstracts from nearly 3000 journals and full text for 1250 journals including general reference, political science, education, social sciences, humanities, general science, multi-cultural studies, library and information science. Try searching for a Chicago neighborhood (e.g. Wicker Park Chicago, or Pilsen Chicago).
Business Decision. Search for demographic data by address, zip code, and metropolitan area. Create customized neighborhood searches.
Chicago Tribune Newspaper. Full text of articles from 1989-present.
Chicago Tribune Historical Database. Digital images of every issue of the Chicago Tribune from 1849-1989.
Google Scholar. This provides access to many free full-text articles, as well as citations to many other articles.
National Newspapers (ProQuest). This includes the Chicago Tribune, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post.
Sanborn Digital Insurance Maps. These large-scale fire insurance maps, covering 1867-1970, can be used to study trends in the development of cities and neighborhoods in Illinois.
SocIndex with Full-Text (1974-present). References & abstracts for journals for articles on diversity and trends in city demographics.
More COD Library journal and newspaper article databases.
Explanation of Scholarly Journals
Explanation of the Difference Between Magazines and Journals
How to Read a Research Article
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CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOODS
Chicago is a huge and ethnically diverse city that has long been divided into many diverse neighborhoods, which are officially known as Chicago Community Areas (CCA's). The Community Areas all have numbers assigned to them by the city government, although these numbers are usually not mentioned in journal or news articles. You need to know the number of the community area in order to do effective research in many databases and reference publications. Click on this link to see a map of the Chicago Community Areas.
Chicago Community Areas
What is a Neighborhood?
What is an Ethnic Neighborhood?
REFERENCE BOOKS
America's Changing Neighborhoods : An Exploration of Diversity through Places.
Chicago Neighborhoods and Suburbs: A Historical Guide. Reference F 548.18 .K 43 2008
The Chicago 77: A Community Area Handbook. Reference F 548.6 .Z 36 2014
Chicagoland 6-County Atlas. Ready Reference G1049 .C 5 A6
The Directory of Chicago Area Ethnic Organizations and Media. Reference F 548.9 .A 1 D 57 2012
The Encyclopedia of Chicago. Online and Reference F 548.3 .E5 3 2004
The Ethnic Handbook: A Guide to the Cultures and Traditions of Chicago's Diverse Communities. Reference F 548.9 .A1 E 87 1996
DATABASES
Business Decision. Search for demographic data by address, zip code, and metropolitan area. Create customized neighborhood searches.
Chicago Tribune Newspaper. Full text of articles from 1989-present.
Chicago Tribune Historical Database. Digital images of every issue of the Chicago Tribune from 1849-1989.
Sanborn Digital Insurance Maps. These large-scale fire insurance maps, covering 1867-1970, can be used to study trends in the development of cities and neighborhoods in Illinois.
WEBSITES
Business Loans in the Chicago Region: Access to Credit. Fact sheet from the Woodstock Institute listing business loans by race and area.
Catalog of Administrative Data Sources for Neighborhood Indicators. A guide to using data from a variety of sources to create neighborhood profiles. Urban Institute 2007.
Census 2010: Chicago. Data from the U. S. Census includes links to the American Community Survey as well as demographic, social, economic, and housing characteristics.
Chicago Community Area 2000 Census Profiles. Maps as well as data on racial demographics, income, and educational level for the 77 community areas.
Chicago Community Areas. Map of the 77 Chicago Community Areas.
Chicago Police Crime Statistics. Search for weekly as well as historical statistics by District Number.
City of Chicago Police Districts and Community Areas.This map shows the 77 Chicago Community Areas overlaid with an outline of the police districts.
Illinois Congressional District Demographic Profiles. Search by Congressional District Number to get data on sex, age, race, and ancestry for that district.
Metro Chicago Immigration Fact Book. 2003 Roosevelt University Institute for Metropolitan Affairs publication.
The Newberry Library Chicago Neighborhood Guide. A bibliography covering books, articles, maps and websites for the Chicago neighborhoods.
Radical Cartography: Chicago Boundaries. Dot mapping technique shows the racial transition in Chicago from 2000 to 2009, with an overlay of the CCA boundaries.
Young Children in Chicago. Statistical data on children, ages 0-5, in the 77 Chicago neighborhoods.
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CHICAGO AREA GOVERNMENT WEB SITES AND INFORMATION
Chicago Area Congressional Districts. Enter your address to find your U.S. senator and representative.
Chicago Council on Global Affairs (CCGA)
Chicago Landmarks. Search for Chicago landmarks by district or building name on this City of Chicago website.
Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP). Data and reports on livability, mobility and the economy.
Chicago Urban League
City of Chicago Website
Cook County Website
DuPage County Website
Illinois and U.S. Representatives. Search by address to find your representatives.
Lake County, Illinois QuickFacts from the U.S. Census
State and Local Government on the Net. Search thousands of state agencies as well as city and county governments.
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CHICAGO AREA MAPS AND ATLASES
An Atlas of Biodiversity : Chicago Wilderness, A Regional Nature Reserve. Reference QH 105 .I 3 S 95 1997
Chicago Community Areas. Map of the 77 Chicago Community Areas.
Chicago: Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Interactive and downloadable maps for the city of Chicago.
Chicago, Illinois, and Regional Demographics and Maps. This Governors State University Library website has links to detailed information on Chicago geography, census reports, and demographics.
Chicago in Map: 1612 - 2002.. General F 548.3 .H 96 2005
Chicago Transit Authority. Online route maps for buses, METRA, and the "EL."
Chicagoland 6-County Atlas. Ready Reference G 1049 .C 5 .A 6 2003
City of Chicago Police Districts and Community Areas.This map shows the 77 Chicago Community Areas overlaid with an outline of the police districts.
Cook County, Illinois: Maps and Gazeteers. Extensive collection of historical maps for Cook County.
Illinois Digital Map Library. Digitized county maps, mostly from the 1800's, sponsored by the U.S. Genealogy Web Project.
Illinois Historic Maps. From the University of Texas map collection.
Old Maps Online: Chicago Area. Digitized historical maps of the Chicago area from the late 1800's to the early 1900's.
Radical Cartography: Chicago Boundaries. Dot mapping technique shows the racial transition in Chicago from 2000 to 2009, with an overlay of the CCA boundaries.
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CHICAGO AREA STATISTICS
Business Loans in the Chicago Region: Access to Credit. Fact sheet from the Woodstock Institute listing business loans by race and area.
Catalog of Administrative Data Sources for Neighborhood Indicators. A guide to using data from a variety of sources to create neighborhood profiles. Urban Institute 2007.
Census 2010: Chicago. Data from the U. S. Census includes links to the American Community Survey as well as demographic, social, economic, and housing characteristics.
Center for Disease Control SNAPS. County data from the Center for Disease Control, including number of immigrants, ethnicity, country of origin for immigrants, languages spoken, heating fuel, and disability statistics. Pick the state and then the county.
Chicago and Cook County, Illinois - Digital Atlas
Chicago Community Area 2000 Census Profiles. Maps as well as data on racial demographics, income, and educational level for the 77 community areas.
Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP). Click on the DATA tab for demographic, land use, and transportation data.
Chicago Police Crime Statistics. Search for weekly as well as historical statistics by District Number.
City of Chicago Data Portal. Browse or search historical as well as current data on the city of Chicago, including current employee names and salaries, building permits, and crimes.
Cities Ranked and Rated.Reference HT 123 .C585
CityData.com. Statistics by city, including housing, income, and racial distribution.
Cook County QuickFacts from the U.S. Census
Cook County Statistical Abstract
Demographia. Wide range of Chicago data including commuter information, growth rate, and population density. Compiled by Wendell Cox Consultancy.
DuPage County QuickFacts from the U.S. Census
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Statistics and information for Chicago and other midwest cities.
Illinois Congressional District Demographic Profiles. Search by Congressional District Number to get data on sex, age, race, and ancestry for that district.
Local Community Fact Book: Chicago Metropolitan Area: Based on the 1970 and 1980 Censuses. Reference and General HA 730 .C5 L63 1984
Metro Chicago Immigration Fact Book. 2003 Roosevelt University Institute for Metropolitan Affairs publication.
SAGE STATS database
Statistical Abstract of the United States. Ready Reference and General HA 202 .U5 S93
Young Children in Chicago. Statistical data on children, ages 0-5, in the 77 Chicago neighborhoods.
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DUPAGE COUNTY INFORMATION
The general call number for books about DuPage County is F 547 .D9.
DuPage County Cultural and Historical Sites Inventory. Reference F 547 .D 9 D 87 1996
DuPage County Historical Museum. This library, located in Wheaton, has a large collection of DuPage County history books as well as plats of survey for the county.
DuPage County QuickFacts from the U.S. Census
DuPage County Website
DuPage Roots. A history of DuPage County. Online and Reference F 547 .D 9 T 49x 1985
Family Maps of DuPage County, Illinois: With Homesteads, Roads, Waterways, Towns, Cemeteries, Railroads, and More. Reference F 547 .D 9 B 69 2007
History of DuPage County, Illinois. (1874) by Rufus Blanchard
A History of the County of DuPage, Illinois. (1857) by C.W. Richmond. Reference F 547.D 9 H 578 2010
Inventory of Historical Landmarks in DuPage County: Interim Report. Reference F 547 .D 9 I 5 1974
The Phoenix Land: The Natural History of DuPage County. General QH 105 .I 3 L 3 1995
Wheaton Public Library. The Wheaton Public Library has a large collection of local history resources.
Other local libraries in the county may have information on their towns. A list of public libraries in DuPage County can be found here: DuPage County Libraries
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OTHER RESEARCH GUIDES
Anthropology (with a section of resources on Ethnic and Culture groups)
Criminal Justice
Economics
Food and Culture
Geography
History
Political Science
Race and Racism
Social Problems
Statistics for Demographics and Business/Economics
Urban Studies