Plan a Visit

Appointments

The American Library Association Archives recommends that you schedule an appointment to ensure the availability of the materials you wish to view, as some of our containers are in offsite storage. If you would like to schedule an appointment or have a reference request, please email the archives at ala-archives@library.illinois.edu.

Class Visits and Tours

The archives welcomes class visits and tours. Groups do not need to be affiliated with the ALA or University of Illinois. For general tours, please schedule your tour at least one week in advance. Instructors should schedule class visits with as much lead time as possible, with a minimum of two weeks in advance to ensure accommodation.

Location

Prairie in front of the Horticulture Field Lab.
Horticulture Field Lab

The American Library Association Archives is located at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is at the Archives Research Center in the historic Horticulture Field Laboratory building in room 107A. Our reading room is in room 105. An accessible entrance into the Archives Research Center is on the west side of the building.

American Library Association Archives
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
1707 South Orchard Street
Urbana, IL 61801

Hours

Monday-Tuesday: 9am-12pm and 1-5pm

Archives Research Center Entrance
North entrance to the Archives Research Center.

Wednesday: 10am-12pm and 1-5pm
Thursday-Friday: 9am-12pm and 1-5pm

Please expect closures on holidays observed by the University of Illinois:
New Year’s Day
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Memorial Day
Juneteenth
4th of July
Labor Day
Thanksgiving and the Friday after
December 24 through December 31

Campus Maps

Parking

Metered parking is available in front of the Archives Research Center and in the parking lot on the west side of the building. Metered parking is marked by an orange block I. Accessible metered parking is available in the same parking lot and near an entrance with a ramp. The meters are pay by app only. Please check the Parking Department website for details.

Orange block I parking meters.
Metered parking is marked by an orange block I.

Bus Stops

On week days the 12 Teal and 8 Bronze bus routes stop at the Orchard Downs North Shelter across the street from the Archives Research Center. Check the MTD bus schedule for further information.

Accommodations

Here are some hotels on or around the University of Illinois campus, a short drive from the ALA Archives. This is not an endorsement for these hotels.