Chicago Judging Center Library

A core set of books was already in place in anticipation of and in hopes for the establishment of a judging center in Chicago.  In 1991 that wish began to come true. 

The IOS pledged to help underwrite the judging center.  Keeping that promise, the IOS bolstered the library several times over with generous donations of books acquired over a period of many years.  The resulting collection is rather impressive, and useful.

Books.  The best material falls into one of three categories:  floras that survey the orchids found in a defined geographic area, monographs that survey the orchid species belonging to a particular genus or section of a genus, and encyclopedias that survey orchids selected for relevance by their authors and each of which, if organized by genus, can be thought of as a series of short monographs.

Use.  The library belongs to the Chicago Judging Center and its purposes are for reference during monthly and show judgings and for the education of student judges.  It is not a lending library.  Beyond that, however, IOS members who want to make use of the resource are encouraged to do so during a monthly judging or while show judging is in progress.  At those times the library is open for business.

Staying current.  In a good year, as many as a dozen or so important botanical or taxonomic orchid books will be published.    A typical price for such books is a little over $100.  Individual contributions to the CJC for book acquisition are always welcome.

Click here for the list of books in the CJC Library.