Chicago Collections

In addition to the state of California suing to stop the closure of NARA in San Francisco, the California Indian Legal Services has filed a lawsuit as well. We have to pay attention to the restriction and erasure of history! nativenewsonline.net/currents/cal...

Chicago's Regional NARA facility is on the chopping block, too! Here's looking to you @ilattygeneral.bsky.social @kwameraoul.bsky.social to help stop the closure of the Great Lakes Region NARA Facility in Chicago! CAA will be out on Federal Plaza to help raise awareness.

CA Attorney General sues to block closure of National Archives in San Francisco. Illinois, STEP UP! oag.ca.gov/news/press-r...

"Tribal leaders said many of them only learned of the planned National Archives closures through media reports. Federal archivists have now scheduled two virtual meetings with tribal nations this week following public outcry."

Call to action this week!

Here in IL, @chicagoarchivists.bsky.social have responded to the National Archives dismissal of concerns about closure. Don't mess with archivists! #nara #nationalarchive chicagoarchivists.org/news/13734906

While IL lawmakers have been trying to save the National Archives in Chicago, CA lawmakers have been working to save those in San Bruno. Here's the National Archives response #nara #nationalarchives kevinmullin.house.gov/2026/10/07/n...

How it feels coming back from ILA in Peoria

Thrilled to be at the Illinois Library Association conference in Peoria today with members @chipublib.bsky.social & Oak Park PL site.pheedloop.com/event/ILAAC2...

In the Senate, @durbin.senate.gov and @duckworth.senate.gov introduce the National Archives Protection Act #nara #nationalarchives www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/pre...

"Ill-conceived" is the mildest way to put this. A closure would be punitive and disastrous.

Thank you @chuygarcia.house.gov and your fellow members of the House and Senate for speaking up against the proposed closure of the National Archives in Chicago #nara #nationalarchives chuygarcia.house.gov/media/press-...

Does your congregation, community organization, or activist group have boxes of photos, newsletters, meeting minutes, flyers, or other records tucked away? Those materials may hold stories worth preserving! Join us for a free training: www.newberry.org/calendar/bey... @chicollections.bsky.social

Happy to be celebrating member Gerber/Hart’s 45th anniversary tonight!

Are you curious about how archives could take your research to the next level? Learn the fundamentals of using archives, what kinds of materials you can expect to find, and develop confidence in research strategies. Taught by our Manuscripts and Archive Librarian! @chicollections.bsky.social

A WFH day to use car insurance so I don’t get kicked off it (that’s how this works now, right?) means sharing space with a coworker

A statement from @legaldefensefund.bsky.social on the planned closures of the regional National Archives. They know what's at stake and what's being silenced. www.naacpldf.org/press-releas...

We had the best time last night with host @chipublib.bsky.social and Society of Midland Authors, hearing from LEGENDS Dick Simpson and David Orr with thoughtful questions from Paul Durica as we listened to clips from the City Council Audio Archives explore.chicagocollections.org/marcxml/city...

Listen to the original City Council meeting in December 2008 over the sale of the parking meters courtesy of member Office of the City Clerk: archive.org/details/chic...

See this update for what you can do to prevent the closure of NARA in Chicago, San Francisco, and Seattle #nationalarchives #nara c.org/mqQdmvjg8B

What's at stake for tribal access to materials at NARA nativenewsonline.net/opinion/the-...

Ready for Labor Day weekend? Americans a century ago had postcards for that. These ca. 1910 Labor Day cards celebrate workers with eagles, anvils, cornucopias, flags—and some truly strenuous typography. Happy Labor Day weekend from the Newberry! collections.newberry.org/C.aspx?VP3=D...

The National Archives and Records Administration holds the receipts of the federal government. The planned Chicago and San Francisco regional closures will scatter the records, impacting historians, genealogists, veterans, researchers, and community members. https://ow.ly/swpZ50ZH30J.

This is a must watch, laying out what's at stake. And we call bullshit on this statement "These closures address the growing volume of underutilized space resulting from the federal government's transition to electronic recordkeeping." A fraction of the materials are digitized.

Amid a wave of cultural organizing in Chicago, the contract comes after the National Labor Relations Board found the museum’s previous leadership retaliated against staff for unionizing.

'Making American history unavailable': Genealogists lament plan to move National Archives from Chicago

There’s always that one coworker. . .

Nothing like being on a NB train that just left Wilson and hearing that Belmont is the next stop. We all have WTF faces.

Listen to every single word about the gutting of the National Archives #nara #nationalarchives

If you're calling your reps to protest the closure of the National Archives, reference this excellent article! I did!

The Bud Billiken parade was last Saturday, a signal that summer's over and it's back to school. We love this image from member UIC with Truman, Sengstacke (Defender publisher, sponsor of the parade) and RJD. 70 years ago!

Why we need to save our regional National Archives from @formidablegen.bsky.social #nara #nationalarchives youtube.com/playlist?lis...

Excellent calls to action from @formidablegen.bsky.social including a shoutout to the actions @chicagoarchivists.bsky.social have compiled #nara #nationalarchives

A powerful statement asking all the important questions from the United International Indigenous Nations. Thanks @formidablegen.bsky.social!

Start following @formidablegen.bsky.social for her series on what's at stake if National Archives locations close. This is one of many ⬇️

This is an excellent read which emphasizes not only the material in the National Archives at Chicago but the archivists who help researchers navigate them.

I oppose the closing of the National Archives facility in Chicago. The lack of transparency surrounding this decision has only deepened the loss it would represent for researchers, historians, dedicated employees, and our community. I urge the National Archives to reconsider this decision.

More response on the proposed closing of our regional NARA facilities: nagara.org/NewsroomArch...

So 6 years after COVID a party that is allergic to and seeks to suppress history is grilling Dr. Fauci. Do not let them close the National Archives in Chicago and remove the records to a less accessible location. See what action @chicagoarchivists.bsky.social's are taking: www.chicagoarchivists.org

As always @robertloerzel.bsky.social understands the implications of loss of access to historical materials. Thanks, Robert!