Rock Island Public Library

The Reference Library
(Information Services)
Have a question for our reference staff?
Contact us by phone at (309) 732-7341.

The Reference Library
     A library within the larger library, it is located on the first floor of Main downtown. There you will find many resources to help you with your information needs. These materials are continually available for the use of all patrons and cannot be checked out. You can copy any information you need on the nearby photocopier. In the Reference Library you will also find the public Internet computers, wireless Internet connection, the computers with the PrairieCat libraries catalog of books, a card catalog for the Rock Island Argus microfilm collection, atlases and dictionaries, Consumer Reports and consumer information, business resources, the Rock Island Death Index, the Foundation Collection (for information on grants), medical texts, encyclopedias, and a Reference Librarian who can help you with your questions.

Internet Resources
     Many of your questions can be answered by looking into the vast resources of the World Wide Web. Some of them can be accessed by simply clicking the left button of your computer mouse on the links that you will find on this page. If a user name and password are required, you may call the Reference Desk (309-732-7341) for that information.

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 Rock Island Public Library Policies

 Microfilm Collection

     The microfilm collection includes the Rock Island Argus (1855-present) and shorter runs of older Rock Island newspapers. City directories (1855-present) are also available on microfilm, as well as the New York Times and other general periodicals. Microfilm readers and printers are provided; microfilm can be photocopied for 25¢ per copy.

Illinois Historical Room

This collection contains historical materials with a focus on the city of Rock Island, Rock Island County, the Quad City area, and, to a limited degree, the state of Illinois.

Items in the Historical Collection include the following:

• Obituary Index – Rock Island Argus
• Plat maps
• DAR records
• Federal census information
• Historical clippings files
• Biographical files
• Postcard collection
• Rock Island High School yearbooks
• Books by local authors

 Genealogical Society Papers

    The Rock Island Public Library no longer houses the Blackhawk Genealogical Society collection. The collection, with materials relating to the Quad-City area (such as the Argus Obituary Index) and to general genealogical research, is now located at the Rock Island County Historical Society. For further information, please visit their web site, or contact the society by calling (309) 764-8590.
     If you would like to do genealogical research on the Internet, you can follow the links from our library’s web page to find a large number of general and Illinois specific genealogy sites. Just click on one of the following:

Genealogical and Historical Research Requests

     Research requests may be submitted by mail to the Main Library. In order for us to better serve you, please provide as much information as possible when writing to the library. Requests are answered on a first come, first served basis. Fees for research requests are:

• Obituaries – $3.00 per obituary
• Research – $10.00 per hour
• Photocopies – 25¢ per copy
• Microfilm copies – 25¢ per copy

     When requesting an obituary, please be sure to include a check or money order payable to the Rock Island Public Library with your request.
     The library reserves the right to refer research requests that are too time consuming, given available library resources, to the Black Hawk Genealogical Society or the Rock Island County Historical Society.

     Rock Island Public Library is a Cooperating Collection of the Foundation Center. As a member of this nationwide network of libraries, community foundations, and other nonprofit agencies, Rock Island Public Library provides visitors with free public access to grantmaker directories, books on fundraising and nonprofit management, the Foundation Center’s electronic databases, and Foundation Directory Online Professional. The fully searchable databases include detailed profiles of all active U.S. foundations, as well as an extensive file of recent grants awarded by the nation’s top funders.

     Updated weekly, Foundation Directory Online Professional provides access to essential facts on grantmakers and their funding activities worldwide. To pinpoint prospective funders, explore four comprehensive databases: Grantmakers, Companies, Grants, and 990s. With geographic search tools, you can zoom in on regional and local grantmakers or grants by state, county, city, metro area, congressional district and ZIP code. Choose from over 1,100 indexed search terms or keyword-search. Interactive maps and charts show a funder’s giving trends, and you can click through to see recipient lists and grant details.

     You may log into the Foundation Center at an Internet Computer in any of the branches of the Rock Island Public Library. For further information, please contact the librarian at the Reference Desk, either in person or by calling 309-732-7341. Click to go to Foundation Center.