Collection
Books
Consisting of over 30,000 volumes, the Pritzker Military Library's book collection is made up of titles spanning all periods of history, countries, cultures/peoples, and branches of the United States military services. As guided by the library's mission statement and acquisition plan, materials and resources collected will focus on the concept of the citizen soldier as an essential element for the preservation of democracy. The concentration of military history titles is primarily 20th century or modern warfare and the American Civil War. Though the majority of works are non-fiction, the collection includes some fiction with military and political themes.

Audiovisuals
The library has a collection of audiovisuals including film, video, slides, and audio tapes. Programs recorded and webcast at the Library are also available in the collection.

Prints
A growing collection of original military posters includes some of the best known 20th century patriotic and recruitment art. Examples include material from the United States and Europe . Contemporary art prints are also represented in the collection.

Realia
Artifacts in the Library collection range from military medals to uniforms from different wars to swords and other memorabilia from the Civil War.

Magazines
The periodicals collected include historic titles from the different branches of United States service and the Civil War. Contemporary titles include such publications as Military History Quarterly and American History.

Online catalog
The online catalog is available to registered members of the Pritzker Military Library. Registration is free and open to the public. Visit our "Membership" section for more information. Already a Member? Sign in

Staff
The professional library staff can assist with research and enjoyment of the library in the selection of casual reading.

Online resources
The Internet is accessible on the Library's computers. In addition, online subscription databases are available to research available literature. The formats available may be full-text or full-image articles or citation information to assist in the location of articles available at other libraries.

Interlibrary Loan
The Pritzker Military Library is a member of the Metropolitan Library System in Illinois' statewide system of interlibrary loan delivery. Therefore, many of the books in the collection are available for borrowing through your local public, school, private, or college librarian.

Special Collections

The Library's Special Collections illustrate the diversity of American military history. Within the Library's special collections, one will find:

  • rare coins, medal, stamps, and books on Sir Winston Churchill
  • the letters, journals, and books by Prisoners of War - including Captain Jack Gordon USA , who served in the medical corps and survived as a prisoner of war after the Battle of Bataan
  • letters, journals, and diaries of Americans who served during the Great War (also known as the First World War)
  • the histories of volunteer regiments of the Midwestern states from the Civil War and other rare works on the Civil War
  • Regulations for the Troops of the United States (1779), which American Revolutionary war officers frequently carried with them in their coat pockets
  • the works of W.E.B. Griffin and Edward Jablonski
  • various works that illustrate the history of the United States Marine Corps
  • and numerous other rare works of military history and military fiction

Photographs
The Library has a large collection of military photographs and glass negatives. The collection which currently has over 5000 items is only partially catalogued. Its contents include: portraits of soldiers from the Civil War and Spanish American War; news release prints of WWII and Korea; news release prints of Vietnam Protests; photographic prints of WWII Generals and Admirals; photographic prints of the WWII Holocaust; and 108 glass stereo negatives of the Chinese Boxer Rebellion of 1899, The Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, The Boer War of 1899-1902, The Spanish American War 1898-1898, and World War I.

Collections Staff
Theresa A.R. Embrey, MLIS
Senior Librarian

Leighton Shell, MLIS
Digital Collections Librarian

Collection News
Don't miss the latest developments from our collection! Find out more.

This is the Story
These half-hour long radio dramas about Medal of Honor recipients from the Korean War were originally produced by the Armed Forces Radio Service between 1951 and 1953. Now digitally remastered by the production staff of the Pritzker Military Library, these incredible stories can be heard online.

Listen Now

Winston Churchill Collection
This extensive collection of Winston Churchill coins, stamps, and assorted memorabilia was generously donated by local Churchill collectors Mort and Joan Mollner.


Pritzker Photo Collection
This vast collection of photographs and negatives includes stunning portraits and images from the post-Civil War era through the Vietnam War.


James Wengert Military Medical Collection
This collection includes 302 books, eight and one half feet of research files, and magazines. The materials cover a remarkable range of topics, including early ambulances, Civil War and World War II nurses, the Indian Campaigns, and medical evacuations in Vietnam.