Month: August 2026

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New IDHH Collections of Local Communities

The IDHH has continued to grow, with new collections added each quarterly harvest!

This month we’re featuring two new collections from two Illinois public libraries: Chrisman Public Library and Chester Public Library. Both collections were digitized by the Illinois Heartland Library System’s Mobile Memory Lab, which works with Illinois Libraries to digitize local history and genealogy materials from residents of the library’s town and the surrounding areas.

Here are a few of our favorite items from these new collections:

sepia-tone photo of two men in coveralls and dustcaps sitting in an open racing car from the early twentieth century.
T. B. Shoaff in racing car. July 4, 1917. Chrisman Public Library. Mobile Memory Lab: Chrisman Public Library. Courtesy of the Chrisman Public Library.
sepia-toned photo of a white racing car from the early twentieth century in a large dust cloud on a dirt race track.
Overland 10 on race track, Indy 500. [n. d.] Chrisman Public Library. Mobile Memory Lab: Chrisman Public Library. Courtesy of the Chrisman Public Library.
black and white photo of a group of women, mostly elderly, wearing coats and standing outside in front of bare trees.
Shakespeare Club, Chrisman, Illinois, January 1948. January 1948. Chrisman Public Library. Mobile Memory Lab: Chrisman Public Library. Courtesy of the Chrisman Public Library.

certificate with black ink on yellowed paper
Tecumsel Literary and Library Association shares certificate, Edith Matey. [n. d.] Chester Public Library. Mobile Memory Lab: Chester Public Library. Courtesy of the Chester Public Library.
color image of a side view of a Bible with black covers and gilded engraving
Family Bible belonging to Minnie Adams [2]. [n. d.] Chester Public Library. Mobile Memory Lab: Chester Public Library. Courtesy of the Chester Public Library.

Want to see more?

Visit the IDHH to view the collections featuring items from the Chrisman Public Library and the Chester Public Library.