Welcome to the subject guide for Chicago!

 

This page offers information about the various resources available at the Richard J. Daley Library such as article databases, reference materials, ebooks, and websites. 

 

In addition, the Richard J. Daley Library offers individual and group instruction on how to use library resources in this subject area. Speak with one of our reference librarians to assist you.

 

Finding Books

 

Search the library catalog

 

Books & Articles | Course Reserves | Databases | Help | My Account

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Call Numbers to Browse 

Use these calls numbers to browse books on the shelves in the general collection and the reference collection.

 

Topic	Call number ranges
Chicago History	F548-F548.999
Chicago Architecture	NA735-NA735.999
Chicago Government	JS708-JS719

 

 

Not sure where to start your research? Try these titles to get you started:

 

Ethnic Chicago : A Multicultural Portrait  F548.9.A1 E85	Chicago neighborhoods and suburbs : a historical guide  F548.18 .K43 2008	Great American city : Chicago and the enduring neighborhood effect F548.3 .S26 2013	Chicago: growth of a metropolis F548.3 .M37

 

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eBooks

 

A few examples of our eBooks about Chicago:

Chicago Whispers : A History of LGBT Chicago Before Stonewall	Organized crime in Chicago : beyond the Mafia	The Rise of the Chicago Police Department	Writers of the Black Chicago Renaissance
More eBooks about Chicago

 

Search the EBSCO eBook Collection 

 

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Finding Articles

Note: Accessing journal articles from databases off-campus will require students to use their MyCCC username and password.

 

Databases: 

• Chicago Defender (1910-1975)
• Chicago Tribune (1985-current)
• Chicago Tribune (1849-1990)
• CARLI Digital Collection
• Illinois Sanborn Maps

 

Or use our all-in-one search tool to find articles:  

 

Books & Articles | Course Reserves | Databases | Help | My Account

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Web Resources

Reference

Curious City - Questions about all aspects of Chicago-land asked by curious citizens are researched and answered by journalists at WBEZ.

Encyclopedia of Chicago (Print version available at Daley Reference F548.3 .E53 2004.)

 

Statistics

Census Data - Selected socioeconomic indicators in Chicago, 2008 – 2012 - Chicago census data by neighborhood.

City of Chicago - Data Portal - Data sets compiled by the City of Chicago about everything from potholes to crime to employee salaries.

Metro Chicago Data - Compiled data from city, county, and state government sources.

A Profile of Health and Health Resources within Chicago’s 77 Community Areas - A report on health problems and resources in Chicago's neighborhoods.

United States Census Bureau – Chicago Quick Facts - A brief demographic and statistical overview of Chicago.

Shop Chicago Neighborhood Market Profiles - Market profiles of various areas in Chicago with demographic information compiled by the City of Chicago.

 

Historical Sources

Burnham Plan - Without Bounds or Limits: Online Exhibition of the Plan of Chicago.

Before and After the Fire: Chicago in the 1860s, 1870s, and 1880s - Maps of Chicago before and after the Great Fire.

Chicago Architects Oral History Project - Interviews and oral histories relating to Chicago buildings held at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Chicago on Fire - Interactive timeline by PBS.

Great Chicago Fire - Documents and essays published by The Chicago Historical Society et al.

Haymarket Affair Digital Collection by the Chicago Historical Society.

Hyde Park Herald Digital Collections - Hyde Park news from 1882-2008.

World's Columbian Exposition - Interactive map of Fairgrounds.

World's Columbian Exposition: Chicago History Museum - Maps, photos, and other resources.

 

Visual Resources

Chicago Public Library’s Digital Collections - Subjects include Harold Washington, Chicago's Sewers, Millennium Park, and more.

UIC Chicago Imagebase - A collection of historical and current maps of Chicago, as well as information about Chicago buildings and architecture.

 

Chicago News

DNAinfo Chicago - A self-described "hyper-local" news source focusing on Chicago neighborhood news.

Chicago Sun Times - A Chicago daily newspaper.

Chicago Tonight - A news and public affairs program that airs every Monday through Thursday.

Chicago Tribune (1985-current) - Searchable through ProQuest (off-campus access will require students to log in with their MyCCC username and password). 

Crain's Chicago Business - Chicago business news. 

 

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Search Tips

 

• Use keywords. Keywords are the basic concepts of your query without any filler words.
• Narrow your search results by date if you want only the most current results.
• Check full text to see only articles you can access right away. 
• If you find an article you like, click on the subject headings to find similar articles.

 

For more search tips, see our Library Basics Guide.

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Citations

Things to remember:

• Every research paper must have in-text citations and a works cited page to show the sources you used in your research!

 

• Identify the type of citation you need. Some professors will tell you what style they prefer.

 

• As you conduct research, create citations in your works cited section or bibliography.

 

• When you quote, paraphrase, or reference an idea you read in someone else's work, place an in-text citation at  the end of your sentence.

 

 

These websites can help you create the citations needed:

 

APA Format

MLA Format

Chicago Style Format

 

You can also use EasyBib to create a Works Cited page in MLA format.

 

Need further guidance? Check the Purdue Online Writing Lab for additional help. 

 

If you need help creating your citations, feel free to stop by the reference desk and ask a librarian or call the reference desk at 773-838-7669.   

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