The Chicago Public Library has redesigned their website. The result is that none of the links to previous CPL information pages work. I will make every effort to either correct the link or remove it. Most of the Chicago history links on CPL seem to either bring up a list of books or an article from the Encyclopedia of Chicago. I haven't investigated the entire new site, but my initial evaluation is not particularly positive. Would an archive be too much to ask? Check it out for yourself.
UPDATE: I've gone through the site and removed the broken CPL links. I did, however, correct the link in the sidebar to their Chicago history timeline.
5 comments:
Perhaps a gentle nudge to place archives in full on Google Books? That would be nice.
It would indeed. CPL had a nice list of famous Chicago Women that would have been an appropriate link for Women's History Month. Each name had a short bio. There are still some short essays on a few topics, links to the Encyclopedia of Chicago and some related websites, but most information on the site can only be accessed with a CPL library card. Too bad. Many non-Chicagoans are extremely interested in Chicago's history. Since I do not live in Chicago I cannot get a CPL card.
One does have to ask the question, 'Why bother?' The expense of putting data online and then limiting to card users only makes no sense. Interested card users who are avid researchers usually access the physical documents in situ. And truly sad, really, because dedicated researchers will always find another way to access what they need. In the end those who share their resources will survive and those who don't will become obsolete. Thanks, Sharon, for the hard work you do put into this site. I know I appreciate the information. Perhaps Google Books will fill the gap the Chicago Library has left for you. I am finding more and more of use here and have to give Google a thumbs up for their work in making resources available to researchers.
Thank you so much for your kind words. This blog is a labor of love and it is gratifying to know that at least one other person has found something useful on the site.
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