Another interesting tour option in the city is the Gerber/Hart Library and Archives, a major LGBTQ library.
A possible speaker might be the executive director of the Chicago Collections Consortium, a successful multitype library resource sharing group starting 15 years ago explicitly to focus on libraries (of all types) that have special/distinctive collections in some way related to the histories and cultures of Chicago (see http//www.chicagocollections.org.) I was the president for 10 years and would be happy to reach out to Jeanne Long, the ED.
For faculty doing Chicago history there are too many to pick just one, depends on what time period one might want to hear about. Top of the group IMHO is Carl Smith, emeritus from Northwestern (though not always in town) wrote a well-received book in 2020 about the great 1871 fire and he is a good speaker (and has other books on Chicago history). Has interesting insights about how the fire sparked interest in libraries and cultural institutions. I know Carl well enough to ask him.
Another prominent historian is Dominic Pacyga, emeritus from Columbia College, noted for urban/ethnic history; I do not know him personally but have hear him speak.
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Sarah M. Pritchard
University Librarian Emerita
Northwestern University
Evanston, IL
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