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Community History Archive Partner

Riverside Public Library

Riverside, Illinois

Explore this community history collection to discover the people, places, organizations, and events of Riverside.

9Titles

Explore publications and collections from the past.

1912 to 2010Dates represented

See individual titles for available dates.

136,940Archive pages

Historical pages reported for this collection.

Explore local history

Discover the people, places, and stories of Riverside, Illinois.

Get to know Riverside, Illinois in earlier years through the newspapers shared in the Riverside Public Library's digital archive. Its nine titles include material from 1912 to 2010.

  • Selected titles

    The collection from Riverside Public Library includes “Riverside Citizen” and “The Riversider”.

  • Free and open access

    No subscription or payment required.

  • A closer look

    A familiar name or event takes on another dimension in the newspaper coverage of its time, alongside the stories that mattered to the readers of that issue.

Historical newspapers can connect a family name with the events and everyday concerns of an earlier time, offering more than a date or a name on its own. Bring a family connection, a question about a familiar place or an interest in local history, and see where the sources lead. Explore the archive online for free, without a subscription.

Explore the collection

Titles in this collection

Browse nine titles and 136,940 digitized pages, with material from 1912 to 2010. A partnership between Riverside Public Library and Advantage Archives makes this collection available. Some years or items may be missing between the dates shown.

Explore the titles below for a closer look at the places, people and everyday life of earlier generations.

Riverside Citizen

2,412 pages from 1975 to 1976

Riverside News

37,338 pages from 1912 to 1963

Riverside News North Riverside Citizen

1,568 pages from 1962 to 1963

Riverside Times

902 pages from 1922 to 1925

Suburban Life

1,308 pages in 1976

Suburban Life Citizen

2,136 pages in 1976

The Citizen

33,672 pages from 1963 to 1975

The Landmark

57,132 pages from 1985 to 2010

The Riversider

472 pages from 1931 to 1932

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About the Library

About Riverside Public Library

The Riverside Public Library, located on the scenic banks of the Des Plaines River, has proudly served the historic community of Riverside, Illinois since its opening on April 4, 1931. Despite opening during the Great Depression, the Library has thrived due to the generous support of the Riverside community. In 1986, an addition expanded the original 7,500-square-foot building to 17,500 square feet. The Library holds the distinction of being Landmark Number One in a Village with Landmark Status.

Library History

The History Of Riverside Public Library

Since 1931, the Riverside Public Library has been a pillar of the Riverside community. From its early beginnings through the Great Depression to its present-day 17,500-square-foot facility, the Library has continuously grown to meet the needs of its patrons. With a rich collection, programming, and advanced technology, the Library remains dedicated to providing quality service and fostering lifelong learning for the Riverside community.

Local History

Did You Know?

Did you know that the Riverside Public Library is located on the banks of the Des Plaines River and has been serving the community since 1931? It was designated Landmark Number One in Riverside, highlighting its historical significance to the village.

More ways to explore and share local history

Research Guidance

Trace a name across nearby issues

Start with something you would like to understand about the past of Riverside. It might be a person, a neighborhood or an event remembered in your family. Use the digital archive shared by the Riverside Public Library to follow that question into the historical record. When using historical newspapers, try alternate spellings and nearby dates, then read the surrounding page to place a local story in its time. Compare later reporting or another available title to explore different perspectives rather than treating one account as the whole story.

If a name does not appear, try an alternate spelling or a related term, then read around any match. Note the issue date and page so a result stays connected to its context. Use those details to follow a story without treating one search result as a complete answer.

Build a trail through the past that someone else can follow: record the title, date, page or item reference, and a link when available. Keep historical quotations distinct from your own interpretation. If accounts disagree, note what each source supports before deciding how the details fit together in a family or community story.

Review collection titles

Community Partnership

Keeping local history a community resource

This community archive is made possible by the collaboration of the Riverside Public Library, its community, and Advantage Archives. Together, these partnerships preserve local sources and give people a way to explore, learn from, and share the history around them.

Advantage Archives covers ongoing archive hosting, storage, development, and maintenance. The institution and its community do not pay a subscription, seat license, annual support contract, or other recurring archive-service charge. Local history remains a community resource, not a subscription to maintain.

Would you like to see more of your community's history preserved and accessible? Start a conversation with your library, newspaper publisher, historical or genealogical society, museum, or school about the materials they would like to share and a possible partnership with Advantage Archives.

Learn about partnerships
Read All About It

Stories, research tips, and archive news

Read All About It connects archive research with the people and institutions preserving local history. Explore partner and community stories, project updates, research ideas, and perspectives on digitization, education, and working with primary sources. Use the articles as a starting point for your next question or a new way to share a discovery.

Newest published articles

March 18, 2025

It’s Your Community’s History, So Why Rent Something You Own?

We believe that history belongs to the communities where it was made - not locked behind paywalls or inaccessible due to budget restrictions. Subscription-based services and large content aggregators are generally more concerned with "content" and less concerned with the history that content contains. Their models typically involve a reoccurring charge for a plan that renews annually or licensing agreements with the library based on population served or circulation numbers. You are essentially Renting Access To YOUR History.
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