I was able to visit the Special Collections Library of Hampton Virginia. I was pleasantly surprised at how nice and cozy this section was.
Physical Space
This collection is located on the 2nd floor of the Main Branch in Hampton in the Virginiana Room. The Main Branch Library is a nice size two-story building with a large parking lot. This library also has a good amount of outdoor space. The space has a welcoming feel to it once you walk in. You can either use the elevator or take the stairs to get to the special collections room. Once you get to the Virginiana Room, which is located in the rear of the 2nd floor, you will enter a quiet yet cozy environment. There are a few tables and chairs as well as living room setup with furniture.
Services and Intellectual Access
The Virginiana Room offers 400 years of Hampton History to its patrons. They accept research and genealogy requests and offer a variety of resources including a local government collection. There is a library catalog computer available in the room. Hampton Public Library uses the Dewey Decimal Classification system but some of the items in special collections are catalogued a little differently.
People
The Special Collections Library of Hampton is open to the community, but it seems to be mostly utilized by those doing research on Hampton or Virginia history and genealogy. It was only 1 other patron in the area when I visited, and they were searching in the stacks. When I walked in the room, there were two staff members present but only 1 at the desk. They seemed to be friendly when they greeted me and willing to help with any questions.
Collections
The Special Collections area contains a wide variety of items. I was able to find year books for Hampton high schools, Virginia Census indexes, books about family and city history in Virginia, vintage photographs and so much more. Patrons are also able to access local newspapers utilizing the Microfilm machine and are also able to access ancestry.com at any time when they are in the library. The Virginiana Room also is responsible for all Inter-Library loans for the branches.
Digital Access
The catalog for Hampton Public Library is easy to use once you get use to where things are. You can access and view the titles offered in the Special Collections Room using the main catalog system. Inter-library loan requests can also made online under the special collections section of the website. All resources including databases and print items are available to a diverse community of patrons if they have a library card.
The Special Collections area, located in the Virginiana Room, is a vital part of the library collection for Hampton. It is packed with history dating back over 400 years which is amazing. My only question is how often this section is utilized especially since, like many libraries, are only open for limited hours. I definitely plan to take advantage of all this collection has to offer in the near future.
References:
City of Hampton. (2022). Hampton Public Library. Hampton Public Library | Hampton, VA – Official Website