Book of Legal Code Found in Illinois Public Libraries?

[phoenixfalls]

Just found this place, so I hope I'm doing everything right. . .

Setting: Southside of Chicago, IL, 1978

What I need to know: Is it reasonable for a neighborhood library to have a bound copy of Illinois Legal Code (specifically the Criminal Code) in its reference section? Or is this the sort of thing that would only be found at the central

Comments

[bonwriter]

It's unlikely that a neighborhood library would have this. First, it's a multi-volume work, and second, it requires regular updating through pamphlet inserts in the back that require an active subscription with the publisher as well as sufficient staff to put in the inserts.

[phoenixfalls]

Makes sense. Thanks!

[frenchroast]

This. I work in a university library, and we have a lot of legal works that the public library would never have.

At most university/college libraries, you don't have to be a student/faculty to browse the volumes, so that could be a way around the issue if you need someone to have access.

[phoenixfalls]

I think I'll just set everything close enough to the University of Chicago that my characters can walk there. When I was in college you had to flash/scan your ID before entering the libraries, so it was harder for somebody not associated with the school to get in even to browse, but I assume that wasn't the case back in '78. Thanks!

[phoenixfalls]

Yeah, I figured as a backup plan I could just have it set near enough to the University of Chicago to have my characters walk there. Sounds like that'll be the best plan. Thanks!

[mahasin]

It's unlikely, I work for a library system that while smaller uses Chicago for regular comparisons and it wouldn't be very likely that a branch would have it mostly because of the size restrictions.

It's more likely that the Central Library would have had them in 1978.

[phoenixfalls]

Makes sense. Thanks!

[jgofri]

Try going to the Chicago public library site (http://www.chipublib.org/) and searching it for the specific book name, if you have it. They will show the availability as of today, but if the branch does not have it today, I doubt it would 30 years ago.
I tried "criminal law" and got this:
http://www.chipublib.org/search/results/?searchType=keyword&terms=+criminal+law&x=0&y=0

[phoenixfalls]

Ah, NOW the site is working properly (for me). Based on the comments above, I think I'll just have my characters go to a University library instead of relying on the public library. Thanks anyway!

[jgofri]

DePaul University and Northwester University Law Schools are located downtown Chicago, I know DePaul Law Library is there as well, not sure about Northwestern. Hope this helps.

[phoenixfalls]

Probably going with the University of Chicago, because it's on the Southside. And I went there for two years! If I'm wrong about stuff I can blame faulty memory instead of faulty research! ;)

[robling_t]

Looks like you've already settled on a university library instead, but I'd add for the sake of completeness that in 1978 the "central library downtown" didn't exactly exist, as such -- much of the collection had gone into storage by 1977, when the building started being made over into the Cultural Center, and my recollection of the period is of never being able to find stuff even when they'd rehoused some of it temporarily. (In a building that you also couldn't find, for that matter.) Of course, if you wanted to complicate your characters' lives, that might be a plus... >;)

[phoenixfalls]

Huh. That is an interesting tidbit. Won't use it now -- this is just a tiny scene! not meant to be something long and drawn out -- but I always like collecting little facts like that, because I never know when they'll come in handy. Do you know how long that situation lasted?

[robling_t]

Ummm, basically until Harold Washington opened in 1991, AFAICR. (I have contradictory recollections about where a temporary downtown library was eventually set up by the mid-ish-80s, which could well mean that it was moved at least once.) For the time-period you're talking about, I could see a bit of character grousing about the initial transitional situation being fun to throw in somewhere... ;)

[phoenixfalls]

Wow that's a long time. . . thanks for the info!