Encyclopedia of Des Plaines is a community reference resource created through a collaboration between the Des Plaines Public Library and the Des Plaines Historical Society. It brings together information about the people, places, institutions, and events associated with Des Plaines, Illinois, organizing its coverage into topics such as arts and entertainment, businesses, education, geography, law, media, medicine, organizations, politics and government, and religion. Visitors can browse all articles, images, and lists, or explore other resources, with navigation tools for recent changes, random pages, and related site information.

The encyclopedia is presented in a wiki format, allowing users to read pages and access page histories and other reference tools. For questions, the site directs visitors to the reference desk. By making local history and community information accessible in one searchable collection, the project serves residents and other people seeking to learn about Des Plaines.

Its partnership between a public library and a historical society connects local reference expertise with the preservation and sharing of community knowledge