Libraries Macoupin County IL


Note: Researchers are advised to write or call prior to visiting these archives and libraries
to verify hours and availability of books and records.



Macoupin County IL Libraries


Local Libraries
Benld
Blackburn
Brighton
Bunker Hill
Carlinville
Gillespie
Girard
Livingston (Madison Co)
Historical Museum
Mt. Olive
Staunton
Virden

BENLD PUBLIC LIBRARY

Frank Bertetti Benld Public Library
308 East Central Avenue
Benld, IL 62009
Director: Mary Newman
Phone: (217) 835-4045
Fax: (217) 835-4045
E-mail: benldlibrary@gmail.com

Web site: http://www.benldlibrary.org/
Hours: Call for hours. The below may not be correct.
Mon, Tues, Thurs. 4 p.m - 7 p.m.
Wednesday and Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Closed Sunday and Holidays

Library Features: Children's Story Time, Internet Access, Children's Computer Programs, Benld History Section.
For Macoupin County Newspapers on microfilm also see IL State Historical Library holdings.


BLACKBURN COLLEGE LIBRARY
700 College Avenue
Carlinville, IL 62626-1498
Phone: 217-854-3231 Ext 4220
Hours: Call for hours. The below may not be correct.
Monday Hours: 8 am - 11:00 pm
Tuesday - Thursday 8 am - 11 pm
Friday 3pm - 4 pm
Sunday 3pm - 11pm

You best call to check on  hours.

Library internet site: http://www.blackburn.edu/

This library is open to the public and contains both historical and genealogical data on Macoupin County, IL.


BRIGHTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
110 North Main St.,
P.O. Box 183
Brighton, IL 62012-0183
Phone: 618/372-8450
Fax: 618/372-7450
Head Librarian: Mrs. Chris Dawdy
Internet Policy URL: http://www.brightonpubliclibrary.org
Hours: Call for hours. The below may not be correct.
Mon., Wednes, Thu. 10:00 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Tuesday 10 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Fri. 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Closed Sunday

For Macoupin County Newspapers on microfilm also see IL State Historical Library holdings.

BUNKER HILL PUBLIC LIBRARY
220 East Warren St
P O Box P
Bunker Hill, IL 62014-0664
Phone: 618-585-4736
Fax: 618-585-6073

Director: Kelsey Lasswell
Assistant Librarians - Kimberly Albers and Patricia Sims
Web Address: https://www.bunkerhilllibrary.org/
Genealogy page with links to stories
Digital History of Bunker Hill index page
Hours: Call for hours. The below may not be correct.
Monday through Friday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Saturday - 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Sundays and certain holidays - closed


Bunker Hill Library has all existing Bunker Hill Newspapers on Microfilm, 1866 to date. The library has all available books on Macoupin County, IL including censuses, histories and cemetery listings. The library has information on the history of Bunker Hill and the Lincoln monument. It also has a surname file of researchers. For Macoupin County Newspapers on microfilm also see IL State Historical Library holdings.

There is also a volunteer genealogist, Debbi Girth Geer, at the library to help those with research in the Bunker Hill area. Debbi is usually at the library during the afternoons as well as to closing on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.  If Debbi is not there the employees will call Debbi and see if she can come within the next few minutes.

Debbi Geer is also a board member for the museum and can open it up while she is at the library.  Recent genealogical data at the museum includes 2,012 birth certificates with birth dates from the mid-1860's to the late 1950's.  Most births before 1916 were reported in the late 1930's and early 1940's for obtaining social security numbers and other purposes for which a birth certificate was required.  A database was made for these certificates and can be searched by child's last name and/or the mother's maiden name.

CARLINVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
510 North Broad Street
P.O. Box 17
Carlinville, IL 62626
Phone: 217/854-3505
Fax: 217/854-5349
Director: Ms. Janet Howard

Web address: https://www.carlinvillelibrary.org/
Hours: Call for hours. The below may not be correct.
Mon  through Thurs 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Fri 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday 9 a.m. - 1 p.m
Sunday 1 p.m - 4 p.m.

The library has two microfiche/film reader-printers.
This library has a huge list of resource materials including Macoupin County census films through 1920, Carlinville Newspapers (start 6 Sep 1856), county histories, cemetery listings, family histories and many other items of interest to both historians and genealogists.
{Note: The Carlinville Public Library does not have the oldest Carlinville newspaper The Statesman on microfilm. It is available at the Illinois State Historical Library.}

The Carlinville Library has the IL State Archives marriage index through 1900 on microfiche. Most IL counties are represented on the marriage index and most dates through 1900 for each county are represented.
Births & deaths from 1877-1900 are on microfilm at Carlinville Public Library. Marriages from 1829-1900 also on microfilm, etc. Land records from 1829-1900, the same. There may not be indexes to the birth, death, marriage, and land records on microfilm.

The family histories are in file folders by surnames and there are cabinets full of surname folders. This project was started by the late Iris Zimmer. Send your family file to the Carlinville Public Library and a surname folder will be started for you. If wanting information from the surname folders, send LSASE to the Carlinville Public Library at the above address for instructions and cost. At the moment, we really do not know if they will help you concerning the surname files via mail. If you are at the library and copying from these surname files, a small donation for copying would be nice.

Since this library is located in the Macoupin County seat you may want to arrange your research time between the courthouse and library. The courthouse is open Monday - Friday 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M.
GILLESPIE PUBLIC LIBRARY
201 W. Chestnut
Gillespie, IL 62033
Phone: 217/839-3614
Fax: 217/839-4854

E-mail:

Hours: Call for hours. The below may not be correct
Mon. 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Tues, Thurs, Fri 2 p.m - 6 p.m.
Wed. 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Closed Sunday

Library resides in an historic Gillespie building one block from downtown.
For Macoupin County Newspapers on microfilm also see IL State Historical Library holdings.

GIRARD TOWNSHIP LIBRARY
210 W. Madison St.
Girard, IL 62640
Phone: 217/627-2414
Fax: 217/627-2093
Director: Mrs. Joan Ekiss

Hours: Call for hours. The below may not be correct.
Mon. 9:00 a.m.-12:00 noon and 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
Tues and Thurs 1 a.m to 8 p.m.
Wednes and Fri  1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Closed Sunday

Girard Township Library has The Girard Gazette newspaper on microfilm for 1879 - 15 Jul 1903. Also have 1850, 1865 and 1870 Census on microfilm for Macoupin and several surrounding counties. Have a microfilm reader without printer. They also have one computer available for public use.
For Macoupin County Newspapers on microfilm also see IL State Historical Library holdings.

Livingston Community Library
Livingston Avenue
Livingston, IL 62058
Phone: 618-637-2438
Hours: Call for hours.
Macoupin County Historical Museum Library
P.O. Box 431
Carlinville, IL 62626
mchsgenealogy@yahoo.com
Phone: 217-854-2850
Hours: Call for hours. The below may not be correct.
Wednesday 10 AM - 2 PM March thru Nov
Friday 1 PM - 5 PM
April thru Oct
Appts for other days might be available.
The Museum will put on file in its library any family records that you care to share. It has family histories and many research records. Please call or write before planning a visit to verify hours and access.
MT. OLIVE PUBLIC LIBRARY
100 North Plum Street

Mt. Olive, IL 62069-1755
Phone: 217/999-7311
Fax: 217/999-7360
Email: 

Director: Mrs. Janice L. Thimsen
Hours: Call for hours. The below may not be correct.
Mon. 10:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.
Tues, Wednes, Fri - 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Closed Thurs and Sun
Web address: https://mopl.org/

This library has the Mt. Olive Herald on microfilm from 1892 through 1989, History of Macoupin County 1763-1879; Story of Macoupin County 1829-1979; Pictorial and Biographical History of Macoupin County, 1911; and History of New Douglas 1860-1987 are part of the collection. They have several books on the life and speeches and letters of Mother Jones. They have a pamphlet titled "Mother Jones Remembered" for sale at a cost of $2.00.
For Macoupin County Newspapers on microfilm also see IL State Historical Library holdings.



STAUNTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
George and Santina Sawyer Genealogy Room
306 West Main
Staunton, IL 62088
Phone: 618-635-3852
Fax: 618/635-2246

Director: Julie Jarman
Email address for library genealogy questions: familytree@stauntonpl.org
Hours: Call for hours. The below may not be correct.
Mon. - Thu. 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Fri.  10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sat - 10:00 a.m - 3:00 p.m
Closed Sunday and holidays

Direct all correspondence concerning this collection to Macoupin County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 95, Staunton, IL 62088. The Macoupin County Genealogical Society will put on file in this library any family records that you care to share. Printed and filmed census records are part of the collection. This library has Staunton newspapers, county histories, cemetery lists, membership surname lists, quarterlies, family histories and many other books of interest.
For Macoupin County Newspapers on microfilm also see IL State Historical Library holdings.



GRAND PRAIRIE OF THE WEST PUBLIC LIBRARY DISTRICT
142 W. Jackson St.
Virden, IL 62690-1257
Phone: 217/965-3015
Fax: 217/965-3801
Director: Mrs. Mary Kay Enrietta

Hours: Call for hours. The below may not be correct.
Mon, Tues, Wednes, Fri. 10:00 a.m. - 4:50 p.m.
Thurs 10:00 a.m - 7:50 p.m
Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 12:50 noon
Closed Sunday

In this library some of what you will find is Virden Recorder Newspaper on microfilm from Oct. 18, 1881 thru Dec., 1996 (some of the early years are scanty, but overall have good span); Roll of Honor Record of Burial Places - Volume 1 (Deceased ex-Service Men and Woman in Illinois), Macoupin County histories; Oak Hill Cemetery Record; Tombstone Revelations; Virden High School; American Revolution Soldiers buried in Illinois; Virden Census 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910; Macoupin County Census 1850, 1860; Bradley Families; Virden History and many other books. They have a reader/printer and two computers available for public use.



Macoupin County, Illinois Homepage