Skip to content
The University of Chicago Library

Chicago Municipal Documents

Chicago Municipal Documents

A selection of annual reports, major publications and historical overviews available at the University of Chicago Library.
Although the University of Chicago Library is not a depository for City of Chicago documents, the library has a substantial collection of Chicago documents, historical and current. This is a selective list, a complete list of City of Chicago documents held at the University of Chicago Library is listed in the Library's online catalog.
The most comprehensive collection of Chicago Municipal Documents can be found at the Harold Washington Library Center's Municpal Reference Collection.

Budget | Building Codes | City Council Proceedings | Board of Education | Elections | Fire Dept. | Dept. of Health | Housing Authority | Maps | Municipal Codes | Park District | Police Dept. | Public Library | Dept. of Public Works | Transit Authority | Dept. of Water | Starting Points/Historical Overviews

Budget:

Annual appropriation ordinance
library has: 1913-current
Chicago (Ill.). City Council
fHJ9013.C5e1 - Regenstein Bookstacks

[top]

Building Codes:

Ordinances, Municipal-Illinois-Chicago (LC subject heading for additional library holdings)

A half century of Chicago building : a practical reference guide; all building laws and ordinances brought to date; historical, technical and statistical review of the construction and material development of America's inland metropolis / [edited by John H. Jones, Fred A. Britten]
Chicago : [s.n.], 1910
fTH225.C46J7 - Special Collections, Rare Books

Chicago building code and index
library has: 1953,1957,1961,1963,1966
Continued by: Chicago (Ill.). City of Chicago building code and contractors register
Supplemented by monthly issues with title: Chicago building code
K1502.H52B9 - D'Angelo Law, South Annex: Ask at Law Circulation

City of Chicago building code and contractors register
library has: 1971-1973,1975-1976
Continues: Chicago (Ill.). Chicago building code and index
Continued by: Chicago (Ill.). City of Chicago building code
K1502.H52B9 - D'Angelo Law, South Annex: Ask at Law Circulation

City of Chicago building code
library has: 1977-1983,1985-1988,1990,1992/1993-1994/1995
Continues: Chicago (Ill.). City of Chicago building code and contractors register
Continued by: Chicago (Ill.) Chicago building code and related provisions
Accompanied by a companion publication formerly published as Section 2 of: Chicago (Ill.). City of Chicago building code and contractors register; this accompanying companion publication has title: Midwest contractors register, 1977-1979; and, Chicago contractors register, 1980- Supplemented by monthly issues with title: Chicago building code.
K1502.H52B9 - D'Angelo Law, South Annex: Ask at Law Circulation

Chicago building code and related provisions
library has: 1996-current
Has supplement: Chicago (Ill.). Chicago building code
XXKFX1242.A1963 - D'Angelo Law Permanent Reserve, also D'Angelo Law Bookstacks, also Crerar Reference Floor 1

Chicago building code
library has: v.4, 1957- current
Supplement to: Chicago (Ill.). Chicago building code and index, 1951-[1966]; Chicago (Ill.). City of Chicago building code and contractors register, [1971]-1976; and, Chicago (Ill.). City of Chicago building code, 1977-1995; and Chicago (Ill.). Chicago building code and related provisions, 1996-
Last v. located in LawRes Vols. dated through 1995 have call no.: K1502.H52B91; vols. dated 1996- have call no.: XXKFX1242.A19632 Check our online catalog for the location of this title.

[top]

City Council Proceedings:

Journal of the proceedings of the City Council of the City of Chicago
library has: 1868/1869-current
Chicago (Ill.). City Council
JS13.C42 - Regenstein Bookstacks

Chicago City Council Proceedings Files Index, 1833-1871
This index can help you find proceedings within our collection by using the filing year, month/day and title from the results that you get. Information on how to obtain copies of the proceedings from the Illinois Regional Archives Depository at Northeastern Illinois University is also provided at this Web site.

Guide to legislation considered by the Chicago City Council
library has: 1981-current
[Chicago] : City Clerk of Chicago
XXKFX1231.A5C4 - Regenstein Bookstacks

The City Clerk of Chicago makes City Council Journal of Proceedings available online.

[top]

Board of Education:

Annotated list of Chicago Tribune editorials on elementary and secondary education in the U.S., 1852-1971
McCaul, Robert L.
Lewiston, N.Y. : Edwin Mellen Press, c1992
LA219.M330 1992 - Regenstein Bookstacks, also Regenstein Reading Room Floor 4

Notes on the first one hundred years of Chicago school history
Howatt, John
[Chicago : Washburne trade school press, 1940]
LA269.C4H83 1940 - Regenstein Bookstacks

Official report of the proceedings of the Board of Education of the City of Chicago
library has: 1867-1986
Chicago (Ill.). Board of Education
L143.C5A3 - Regenstein Bookstacks [1871-1986]
microfmL143.C5A3 - Regenstein, Microforms, Floor 3 [Library has 1867-1914]

Financial report
library has: 1925-1928,1930
Chicago (Ill.). Board of Education
Continued by: Official report of the proceedings
LB2829.C5 - Regenstein Bookstacks

Report of the general superintendent
library has: 1854-1968
Chicago Public Schools
L143.C5A2 - Regenstein Bookstacks

Report of the school census, ...
library has: 1900-1916
Chicago (Ill.). Board of Education
LC130.C5 - Regenstein Bookstacks

Illinois schools journal
library has: 1918-current
L11.C48 - Regenstein Bookstacks and Regenstein Periodicals Reading Room Floor 2

Facts and figures
library has: 1950-1965, 1966-1967, 1971/1972-1972/1973
Chicago Public Schools
Regenstein, Bookstacks L143.C5A8

Final Budget - Chicago Public Schools
Chicago Public Library has holdings going back to the mid-1990s.

Chicago Public Schools High School Scorecard

[top]

Elections:

Record of election returns : abstracts of votes in Illinois for national, state and county offices, 1818-1964
Illinois. Office of Secretary of State
Springfield, Ill. : Illinois State Archives, 1975
microfmJK 58 - Regenstein, Microforms, Floor 3

Official vote of the State of Illinois cast at the general election ...
library has: 1889-1974
Illinois. Office of Secretary of State
Continued by: State of Illinois official vote cast at the general election ...
JK5793 - Regenstein Bookstacks [1892-1974]
microfmJK 57 - Regenstein, Microforms, Floor 3 [1889-1926]

State of Illinois official vote cast at the general election ...
library has: 1984-2000
Springfield, Ill. : State Board of Elections
Continues: Official vote of the State of Illinois cast at the general election ...
JK5793 - Regenstein Bookstacks

Annual preliminary report of the Municipal Voters' League
library has: 1900-1933
Municipal Voters' League, Chicago
JS715.A1M9 - Regenstein Bookstacks

Illinois votes, 1900-1958; a compilation of Illinois election statistics
Gove, Samuel Kimball
[Urbana] Institute of Government and Public Affairs, University of Illinois, 1959
JK5793.G72 - Regenstein Bookstacks

State of Illinois official vote cast at the primary election held on ...
library has: 1978-2000
Continues: Official vote of the state of Illinois cast at the primary election held on ...
JK2075.I32S73 - Regenstein Bookstacks

ChicagoElections.com
2000-current
Board of Election Commissioners for the City of Chicago

[top]

Fire Dept.:

Annual report of the chief engineer of the Fire Department to the Board of Councilmen of the City of Chicago
library has: 1856/1857
Chicago : Chicago Daily Press Mammoth Steam Printing House
TH9505.C4012 - Special Collections, Rare Books

Report of the fire marshal
library has: 1867-1969
Chicago. Fire Dept.
TH9505.C401 - Crerar Bookstacks

Chicago fire newspaper collection, 1871-1909
Consists of newspapers, a magazine, and a newsprint flyer, mainly relating to the 1871 Chicago fire. Publications included in the collection are Western Rural Times, Chicago Times, Chicago Daily Tribune, Chicago Illustrated, and Chicago Tribune. Also contains illustrations of bulidings planned and constructed between October 1871 and October 1872. Includes one item, dated 1909, not related to the fire.
Folder list available in the Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library.
MSS - Special Collections, Manuscripts

[top]

Dept. of Health

150 years of municipal health care in the city of Chicago : Board of Health, Department of Health, 1835-1985
Haas, Shirley and Chicago (Ill.). Dept. of Health, 1985
RA55.C4H337 1985 - Crerar Bookstacks

Chronological summary of Chicago mortality, 1843-1902
Chicago : Dept. of Health, [1903?]
Chiefly tables. Insert: Necrology list : a list of physicians, licentiates of the Board, whose deaths have been reported, 1877-1900. [S.l.] : Illinois State Board of Health, [1901?]
HB1357.C4A2 - Regenstein Bookstacks

Report of the Board of Health of the city of Chicago ...
library has: 1867-1869
Chicago (Ill.). Board of Health
Continued by: Report of the Dept. of Health
RA55.C5 - Crerar Bookstacks

Report
library has: 1881-1968/1969
Chicago (Ill.). Board of Health
Continues: Chicago (Ill.). Board of Health. Report of the Board of Health of the city of Chicago
Publication suspended 1899-1903. 1907-1910 published together. Continues an earlier report published by the Chicago Board of Health for 1867-69.
RA55.C51 - Crerar Bookstacks [1881-1968/1969]
[microfm]RA55.C51 - Crerar Microforms [1881-1882]

Vital statistics of the city of Chicago for the years 1899 to 1903 inclusive
Chicago (Ill.). Dept. of Health, 1904
RA55.C54 - Crerar Bookstacks

Biannual [i.e. Biennial] report
library has: 1984-1987
Chicago (Ill.). Dept. of Health
Continued by: Chicago (Ill.). Dept. of Health. Report
RA55.C4C4b - Crerar Bookstacks

[top]

Housing Authority:

Annual report
library has: 1940/41-1980
Chicago Housing Authority
`[f`] HD7304.C4C35 - Regenstein Bookstacks

Statistical report
library has: 1947-1982,1986
Chicago Housing Authority
Ceased with 1985
HD7304.C4C358 - Regenstein Bookstacks

Chicago Housing Authority times
library has: 1962-1990
HD7304.C4C363 - Regenstein Bookstacks

Greater Chicago Housing and Community Development Website
The Greater Chicago Housing and Community Development Website is designed to guide and assist policy makers, housing/community development professionals, planners, researchers, developers and people seeking to buy or rent a home. The website will make available data and information about the housing environment in Chicago and other communities throughout the region.

[top]

Maps:

See the University of Chicago Library Map Collection.

[top]

Municipal Codes:

Laws and ordinances governing the city of Chicago, January 1, 1866 : with an appendix containing the former legislation relating to the city and notes of decisions of the Supreme Court of Illinois relating to the corporations
1866
K1502.H52A3 1866 - D'Angelo Law South Annex: Ask at Law Circulation, also D'Angelo Law Microforms

Laws and ordinances governing the city of Chicago
1873
K1502.H52A3 1873 - D'Angelo Law South Annex: Ask at Law Circulation

The municipal code of Chicago : comprising the laws of Illinois relating to the city of Chicago, and the ordinances of the City council
1881
K1502.H52A3 1881 - D'Angelo Law, South Annex: Ask at Law Circulation

Laws and ordinances governing the city of Chicago, as in force April 2, 1890
1890
K1502.H52A3 1890 - D'Angelo Law South Annex: Ask at Law Circulation

The revised municipal code of Chicago of 1905 : passed March 20, 1905
1905
K1502.H52A3 1905 - D'Angelo Law South Annex: Ask at Law Circulation

The Chicago code of 1911 containing all the general ordinances of the city in force March 13, A.D. 1911, together with an appendix containing all prohibition and local option ordinances in force on said date; also certain material provisions of the statutes of the state of Illinois relating to municipal governments. Passed March 13, 1911. Pub. by authority of the City council in book form April 12, 1911
1911
K1502.H52A3 1911 - D'Angelo Law South Annex: Ask at Law Circulation

Special ordinances of Chicago
1915
K1502.H52A3 1915 - D'Angelo Law South Annex: Ask at Law Circulation

The Chicago municipal code of 1922, containing the general ordinances of the city in force November 22, 1922, and repealing former general ordinances with certain exceptions, passed November 22, 1922. Pub. by authority of the City Council in book form December 21, 1922
1922
K1502.H52A3 1922 - D'Angelo Law South Annex: Ask at Law Circulation

Revised Chicago code of 1931, containing the general ordinances of the city of Chicago in force May 27, 1931, and repealing all former general ordinances with certain exceptions therein noted. Passed by the City council of the city of Chicago May 27, 1931
1931
JS704.A3 1931 - Regenstein Bookstacks
K1502.H52A3 1931 - D'Angelo Law South Annex: Ask at Law Circulation

Uniform traffic code for the City of Chicago : passed by the City Council of the City of Chicago, July 30, 1931; as amended up to an including July 11, 1933 ...
1933
HE370.C532 1933 - Regenstein Bookstacks
K1502.H52A3 1933 - D'Angelo Law South Annex: Ask at Law Circulation

Amendment guide to Revised Chicago code of 1931
1936
K1502.H52A3 1936 - D'Angelo Law South Annex: Ask at Law Circulation

Municipal code of Chicago
1939-1968
K1502.H52A3 1939 - D'Angelo Law South Annex: Ask at Law Circulation

Municipal code of Chicago 1990 : a codification of the general ordinances of the City of Chicago, Illinois
This set has the complete up-to-date municipal code, except for the building code. The "Chicago Municipal Code Handbook" (see below) has only selected titles. There is currently no version of the complete Municipal Code freely available on the Internet.
XXKFX1231.A6 1990 - D'Angelo Law, Reference

Chicago municipal code handbook
library has: 1991,1994,1996/1997, 2002, 2004
Binghamton, N.Y. : Gould Publications
XXKFX1247.A20 - D'Angelo Law, Bookstacks

Chicago municipal code handbook
library has: 2005-current
Charlottesville, VA : LexisNexis Gould Publications
XXKFX1247.A20 - Latest vol. Law Reserve. Earlier vols Law stacks

The City Clerk of Chicago has Selected Municipal Codes online and also a page on City Council Guides to Legislation.

[top]

Park District

Annual report
library has: 1934/1935-1986-1987
Chicago Park District
SB483.C454 - Crerar Bookstacks

Annual report
library has: 1962-1992
Chicago Park District. Comptroller
SB483.C459 Crerar Bookstacks

Journal of the proceedings of the Board of Commissioners.
library has: 1934/1935-1974/1975, 1988
Chicago Park District
SB483.C458 - Crerar Bookstacks

Miscellaneous Publications on Chicago Park District.
Chicago Park District
F548.65.Z9 - Regenstein Bookstacks

Chicago's Parks
Graf, John
Chicago, Ill. : Arcadia, c2000
F548.65.A1G734 2000 - Regenstein Bookstacks, also Regenstein Reading Room Floor 1, also Harper, also Special Collections Archival Reference

Natural Chicago
Thomas, Bill
New York : Holt, Rinehart and Winston, c1985
QH76.5.I5T480 1985 - Harper, also Regenstein, Map Collection: Reference, Room 370

The city in a garden : a photographic history of Chicago's parks / text by Julia Sniderman Bachrach ; foreword by Bill Kurtis ; contemporary photographs by Judith Bromley and James Iska ; and historic images from the Chicago Park District's Special Collections
Bachrach, Julie Sniderman
Placitas, N.M. : Center for American Places, in association with the Chicago Park District ; [Chicago, Ill. : Distributed by University of Chicago Press], c2001
F548.65.A1 B34 2001 - Regenstein Bookstacks, also Regenstein Reading Room Floor 1 next to the Reference Desk, also D'Angelo Law Reserve, also Harper

[top]

Police Dept.

Report of the General Superintendent of Police of the City of Chicago...
library has: 1873/1874,1893,1895-1912
Chicago (Ill.). Police Dept.
Continued by: Chicago (Ill.). Police Dept. Annual report
HV7584.A2 - Regenstein Stacks

Annual report / Police Department, City of Chicago
library has: 1913-1971
Continues: Chicago (Ill.). Police Dept. Report of the General Superintendent of Police of the City of Chicago ...
Continued by: Chicago (Ill.). Police Dept. Statistical summary
HV7584.A2 - Regenstein Stacks

Statistical summary
library has: 1975, 1976, 1978-1985
Continues: Chicago (Ill.). Police Dept. Statistical report
Continued by: Chicago (Ill.). Police Dept. Annual report
HV7584.A2 - Regenstein Bookstacks

Statistical report
library has: 1977
Chicago (Ill.). Police Dept.
HV7584.A2 - Regenstein Stacks

Annual report
library has: 1986-current
Continues: Chicago (Ill.). Police Dept. Statistical summary
HV7584.A2 - Regenstein Bookstacks, also D'Angelo Law, Bookstacks

5 year murder analysis, 1965-1969
Chicago (Ill.). Police Dept.
K1502.H55P7H61 c.1 1970 - D'Angelo Law, South Annex: Ask at Law Circulation

Homicide analysis
library has: 1965-1970,1972,1975,1978
Chicago (Ill.). Police Dept
K1502.H55P7H6 - D'Angelo Law, South Annex: Ask at Law Circulation

Murder analysis
library has: 1976-current
Chicago (Ill.). Police Dept.
K1502.H55P7M6 - D'Angelo Law, South Annex: Ask at Law Circulation

[top]

Public Library

Annual report
library has: 1872/1873-1978
Chicago Public Library
Z733.C52 - Regenstein Bookstacks

Proceedings of the Board of Directors of the Chicago Public Library
library has: 1872-1978
Chicago Public Library
Z733.C521 - Regenstein Bookstacks

Remarkable chapters : 115 years of collecting by the Chicago Public Library, October 8, 1987-January 30, 1988
Chicago Public Library. Special Collections Division, 1987
W292467 - Regenstein Bookstacks

The Chicago Public Library : the historical development of an urban library : [exhibition] catalog
Chicago, Ill. : The Library, 1985
Z733.C5323A46 1985 - Regenstein Bookstacks

[top]

Dept. of Public Works:

Chicago
At head of title: Chicago public works: a history
Chicago (Ill.). Dept. of Public Works, 1973
TD25.C4A3 1973 - Crerar Bookstacks

Annual report of the Board of Public Works to the Common Council ...
library has: 1862/1863-1874-1875
Continued by: Chicago (Ill.). Dept. of Public Works. Annual report
TD25.C4A19 - Crerar Bookstacks

Annual report
library has: 1876-1972
Chicago (Ill.). Dept. of Public Works
Ceased in 1972?
Continues: Chicago (Ill.) Board of Public Works. Annual report of the Board of Public Works to the Common council
In 1876, the Department of Public Works was organized to succeed the Board of Public Works. 1880, 1889-1910 title reads: Mayor's annual message and the ... annual report of the Department of Public Works. No. 21 has no t.-p. No. 5-21 also published in the Annual reports of the various departments of the City of Chicago, which have shelf number JS13.C41 (Annual reports of the various departments of the City of Chicago).
TD25.C4A2 - Crerar Bookstacks

[top]

Transit Authority

Annual report of the Chicago Rapid Transit Company
library has: 1915-1945
HE4491.C5C901 - Regenstein Bookstacks

Annual report
library has: 1945-1974
Chicago Transit Authority. Chicago Transit Board
HE4491.C5C9505 - Regenstein Bookstacks

Metropolitan transit research, by Werner W. Schroeder
Chicago Transit Authority
Chicago, 1957
HE4491.C5C9508 - Regenstein Bookstacks

[top]

Dept. of Water

Report
library has: 1953-1973
Continued in part by: Chicago (Ill.). Dept. of Water & Sewers. Operating statistics,
and Chicago (Ill.). Dept. of Water & Sewers. Annual report. Financial statements
TD225.C5A25 - Crerar Bookstacks

Operating statistics
library has: 1974
Continues in part: Chicago (Ill.). Dept. of Water & Sewers. Report
Continued by: Chicago (Ill.). Dept. of Water & Sewers. Annual report. Operating statistics
TD225.C5C48a - Crerar Bookstacks

Annual report. Operating statistics
library has: 1975-1979
Continues: Chicago (Ill.). Dept. of Water & Sewers. Operating statistics
Continued by: Chicago (Ill.). Dept. of Water. Annual report. Operating statistics
TD225.C5C48a - Crerar Bookstacks

Annual report. Operating statistics
library has: 1980-1989
Continues: Chicago (Ill.). Dept. of Water & Sewers. Annual report. Operating statistics
TD225.C5C48a - Crerar Bookstacks

Water and the city : the next century / edited by Howard Rosen, Ann Durkin Keating
Chicago, Ill. : Public Works Historical Society, 1991
TD223.W29150 1991 - Crerar Bookstacks

[top]

Starting Points/Historical Overviews:

Annual reports of the various departments of the City of Chicago
library has: 1883-1896
Chicago, Cameron, Amberg & Co., printers
JS13.C41 - Regenstein Bookstacks

Chicago, a history and forecast
Editor, Wm. Hudson Harper; contributors, Milo Milton Quaife, Mabel McIlvaine
[Chicago] The Chicago association of commerce, 1921
F548.5.H3 - Regenstein Bookstacks, also Special Collections Rare Books

Chicago daily news almanac and year book
library has: 1885-1937
[Chicago] The Chicago Daily News, Inc.
Continued by: Chicago American national almanac and year book for ...
AY67.C4C4 - Regenstein Bookstacks

Chicago American national almanac and year book for ...
library has: 1938
Chicago, Ill. : National Survey and Sales Corp.
Continues: Chicago daily news almanac and year book
Continued by: Chicago daily news national almanac for ...
AY67.C4C41 - Regenstein Bookstacks

Chicago since 1840 : a time-series data handbook
Skogan, Wesley G.
Urbana : Institute of Government and Public Affairs, University of Illinois, 1976
HA730.C5S62 - Regenstein Bookstacks, also Regenstein Reading Room Floor 1, also D'Angelo Law Bookstacks, also Social Service Administration Reference

The encyclopedia of Chicago
Edited by James R. Grossman, Ann Durkin Keating, Janice L. Reiff ; cartographic editor, Michael P. Conzen
Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 2004
"The encyclopedia of Chicago has been developed by the Newberry Library with the cooperation of the Chicago Historical Society."
F548.3 .E53 2004 - Regenstein Bookstacks, and Regenstein Reading Room Floor 1, and Regenstein Reading Room Floor 3, and Regenstein Reading Room Floor 1 next to the Reference Desk, and Special Collections Archival Reference, and Harper Reference, and D'Angelo Law Reserve, and Social Service Administration Reference

Historic city : the settlement of Chicago
Chicago (Ill.). Dept. of Development and Planning
Chicago : Dept. of Development and Planning, 1976
F548.3.C480 1976 - Regenstein Bookstacks

A history of Chicago
Pierce, Bessie Louise
New York ; London : A.A. Knopf ; Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 1937-1957
v. 1. The beginning of a city, 1673-1848 -- v. 2. From town to city, 1848-1871 -- v. 3. The rise of a modern city, 1871-1893.
F548.3.P62 - Harper, also Regenstein Bookstacks, also Regenstein Reading Room Floor 1, also Special Collections

Law and land use in Chicago : a prehistory of modern zoning
King, Andrew J.
New York : Garland Pub., 1986
XXKFX1242.K560 1986 - Regenstein Bookstacks, and D'Angelo Law, Bookstacks

Learn Chicago
Produced by Chicago Public Library. Provides links to "Chicago Collections at CPL", "Chicago Timeline", "Deaths, Distrubances, Disasters and Disorders", "Chicago's Mayors", "Chicago's Symbols", "Facts About Chicago", "Digital Collections", "Chicago Metro History Fair", "Chicago Area Directory of Organizations", "Bibliographies About Chicago", "Archival Collections at CPL", "City of Chicago Home Page", "Encyclopedia of Chicago", "Chicago Historical Society".

The metro Chicago immigration fact book
Paral, Rob
[Chicago, IL] : Institute for Metropolitan Affairs, Roosevelt University, c2003
"This report presents data and information on major demographic, social and economic trends involving the immigrant population of metro Chicago"
HA730.C5P26 2003 - Social Service Administration

The people of Chicago : who we are and who we have been : census data on foreign born, foreign stock, and race, 1837-1970 : mother tongue addendum, 1910-1970
Chicago (Ill.). Dept. of Development and Planning
Chicago : The Dept., 1976
F548.9.A1C470 1976 - Regenstein Bookstacks, and Regenstein, Reading Room, Floor 1 next to the Reference Desk, and Social Service Administration, Reference

[top]