Illinois, nicknamed the Land of Lincoln and the Prairie State, became a state on December 3, 1818. Springfield became the capital in 1839. The largest and most well known city is Chicago.

Abraham Lincoln and his family moved to Macon County, Illinois in 1830 and later moved to Springfield in 1837 until he moved to Washington, D.C. in 1861. Lincoln's political career started in Illinois. The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is located in Springfield.

This guide compiles links to digital materials related to Illinois such as books, government documents, manuscripts, maps, motion pictures, photographs, sheet music, and sound recordings that are available throughout the Library of Congress website. In addition, it provides links to external websites focusing on Illinois and a bibliography containing selected works for both general and younger readers.