Library Visit Special Collections Library
E. Claiborne Robins, Jr. Research Library within the Virginia Museum of History and Culture
https://virginiahistory.org/research/research-library
Digital Access
According to the website of the Virginia Museum of History and Culture, the research library “provides access to an unrivaled collection of primary and secondary sources, including books and journals, manuscripts, maps, broadsides, and sheet music related to the history and culture of Virginia”.
This website is easy to navigate because it is so much smaller than the public library website. There is access to a library catalog and a museum catalog. However, they were difficult to use and meant for someone who is comfortable conducting research. The search did not let you view the actual item, it just gave cataloguing information. This library says people can walk in and view the library materials or make an appointment, but an appointment is mandatory to view any of the museum’s collections. Anyone can visit the reading room, but the materials are non-circulating. This may have to change because “there has been a tremendous growth in interest about cultural heritage materials. People want to see the documents, photographs, moving images, books, and other materials that are part of our archives, museums, and libraries” (Rubin & Rubin, 2020, p. 149). These materials are the types of items that can be found at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture. There are also services that assist someone who is researching whether they are a beginner or more advanced. There does not seem to be any accommodations on the website for the visually impaired or people who speak languages other than English.
The Space and Physical Access
I have been to the museum before it was remodeled but not to the library in person. The Museum was spacious and had a wonderful flow to the exhibits. Not only does the museum hold many artifacts that represent Virginia, but it also displays items that helped shaped the cultural identity of the South as well as artifacts that preserve the history of people who lived in this area prior to the arrival of Europeans. The building is beautiful and has sculptures outside. It feels very grand.
Services and Intellectual Access/Collection
The services available in the library are many. There are librarians to help with research and they offer many services such as limited digital scans of items, fee-based research, general support, but also several researcher resources. The library also partners with other organizations in the area to provide access to special collections. Examples of these special collection include biographical details of enslaved Virginians, business records, and the image collection of the Confederate Memorial Literary Society. These are specific resources that represent this type of library. This library seems less inclusive, but it is meant for people who are conducting certain types of research. While it is welcoming it is not intended for the general public.
People (Patrons and Staff)
Although the website allows email and phone contact to library staff there are no names or specific job titles listed. I couldn’t find the number of people who work in the library or what their roles are. The patrons of this library are people researching something specific to the history of Virginia. Most are academic researchers or individuals conducting genealogical research.
Other
I am eager to visit this library and the museum again. It is a place full of amazing items that relate to the history of Virginia. I appreciate that this museum and library provide information and exhibitions about the bad things in Virginia’s history, as well as the good things. I look forward to visiting the library to conduct some of my research in the future.
https://virginiahistory.org/visit
References
[Photograph Virginia Museum of History and Culture]. Virginia Museum of History & Culture website. https://virginiahistory.org/visit
Rubin, R. E., and Rubin, R. G. (2020). Foundations of library and information science (5th ed.). ALA Neal-Schuman.
Virginia Museum of History and Culture. (2022). Research library. https://virginiahistory.org/research/research-library
I’ve never been to this museum or library. Given how places like Monticello and Montpelier operate, I have a pretty robust suspicion of just whose histories and cultures are documented in this museum, who selects the materials for the library, and how they decide. I wonder if it feels primarily like a place to research white Virginia and how it was built or whether multiple perspectives are given equal weight and consideration. Even documenting the “bad” parts of history can be done poorly when only done through a white lens. To me, all that marble and those columns aren’t very welcoming—the grandness of the building might betray what’s actually happening inside of it, though! It’s heartening to know that the museum and library partner with other cultural institutions in the area. It’s a little strange to me that the staff and their roles aren’t listed on the website—that seems like something a researcher might benefit from knowing before they book a visit.
Thanks for sharing about the E. Claiborne Robins, Jr. Research Library. I have never heard of it or the Virginia Museum of History and Culture! I took a peek at it on the website, and it looks like a bright space, with a lot of windows and natural light. The website listed a lot of rules and procedures about viewing objects in their reading room, such as only pencils are allowed for writing purposes, no coats, and no bags inside. They do, however, offer lockers to store belongings in if you bring them into the library and wish to use the reading room.
I love that you visited a library within a museum! I’ve never heard of the Virginia Museum of History and Culture, but it sounds fascinating. I can understand why the collection would be non-circulating with so many unique materials. This library definitely sounds very researcher-oriented. I hope they’ve thoroughly gone through their materials and pulled the most interesting content for the museum, so that the general public can see it more easily. Also, wow, that edifice! Absolutely breathtaking.
This sounds like an amazing trove of information and treasures that are not meant for the everyday general public eye as they have roadblocks in place to deter such visits. And for that reason alone, I now must schedule a visit to see what they have inside for future research purposes. Thanks for sharing.
Did the museum represent white Virginian history? Interesting. Was this a University Library? It might be worth visiting if it has the geology of black people. Doesn’t sound friendly or inviting to other races.
The museums has a lot of exhibits that include African American and white Virginians. They have some amazing artifacts and they also do not glorify the south or the Confederacy in any way.
I think it would be interesting to visit the Virginia Museum of History and Culture and its library. I wish that it was available to the general public. That way people can learn about Virginia’s history, and they can look up their genealogy.