At the Western Illinois University library in Macomb, it's like a gift from an old friend.
That's where you'll find Dr. Jeff Hancks. He's pouring over a truckload of history from 1983-2007. There are 350 boxes in all. The entire congressional collection was donated by Lane Evans.
Evans, the beloved former congressman from Rock Island, passed away on Wednesday after a long battle with Parkinson's disease. He was 63.
There's one prevailing theme among the mountains of documents.
"They all respected Lane and his dedication to this region," Dr. Hancks said.
Dr. Hancks and his colleagues spent the last seven years unveiling thousands of items. From the mundane to magnificent, it represents the end of the letter writing era to politicians.
"People actually took a pen and paper and wrote a letter to their congressman," he said. "He typed a letter back. Now, it's all done electronically."
There are documents about his landmark legislation on Agent Orange. In another box, an itinerary from a trip to Vietnam.
President Ronald Reagan's staff sent along photos and letters.
A sealed paper bag is among the strangest items. From 1985, it reads, "Feed the children, not the Pentagon."
"You can look through the memos he wrote and see that he wanted to make sure that his people were taken care of," said Ann Rosentreter, a graduate student helping to archive the collection.
Each document captures a moment in time. It's a snapshot of service that paints a picture of Lane Evans' successful life.
It will be remarkable for researchers when the collection is completed in May 2015. This 24-year history chronicled by campaign speeches and constituent letters will leave a lasting impression.
Dr. Hancks, who actually grew up a few blocks from Lane Evans' home in Rock Island, is getting an unedited look at the former congressman's career.
"I can see through the papers that he deeply, deeply cared about the Quad Cities and the people of western Illinois.
They're caring now to remember the kind congressman.
The special collection is open by appointment at the Macomb campus. Contact JL-Hancks@wiu.edu for more information.