Library of Virginia receives $749,939 NEH grant to preserve Revolutionary-era collections
RICHMOND, Va. – A statewide consortium led by the Library of Virginia has received a $749,939 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to conserve and digitize collections documenting the history of American independence and Virginia's early government.
The Library is one of five institutions awarded the grant as part of a consortium that includes The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Washington and Lee University, William & Mary Libraries and the Virginia Museum of History & Culture. The award is part of NEH's Rediscovering Our Revolutionary Tradition initiative.
“We're grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with our consortium partners on this important work, and to the National Endowment for the Humanities for its support,” said Librarian of Virginia Dennis T. Clark. “By conserving and digitizing these collections, we ensure that the record of Virginia's role in American independence and the formation of its government remains accessible for generations to come. “
The grant will fund conservation of a selection of manuscripts, bound volumes, artwork and printed materials across 13 historically significant collections held by the consortium partners. Once conserved, the items will be digitized and images with metadata will be uploaded to each partner's online catalog or digital asset management system. Students will transcribe a selection of the primary source materials, and after the grant period, consortium members will create cross-institutional finding aids, educational resources, online or physical exhibitions, public transcription and public displays.
The Library of Virginia will use the grant to conserve and digitize the executive papers of Gov. Benjamin Harrison. Consortium partner collections being conserved and digitized through this grant are as follows:
The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation will use the grant to conserve and digitize the Elizabeth Jacquelin Ambler Brent Carrington papers and James Anderson & Son account books. Emily Guthrie, the Abby and George O’Neill Executive Director of the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library, said, “As the research hub of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library holds important documentation of the lives of everyday individuals in and around Williamsburg, Virginia, during the Revolutionary War. We are thrilled that our participation in this grant will allow us to have several key examples of this documentation preserved for future generations.”
The Virginia Museum of History & Culture will be digitizing and preserving wood panel portraits of James and Dolley Madison painted by Joseph Wood (1817), six manuscript/print items related to the founding fathers, Lee family correspondence, personal diaries and military order books. “This award recognizes the extraordinary power of collaboration,” added James Herrera-Brookes, Ph.D., Melanie Trent De Schutter Senior Director of Research & Publications at Virginia Museum of History & Culture. “By bringing together five of Virginia’s leading cultural institutions, we can preserve and share the artifacts that tell the story of our nation’s founding and illuminate our understanding of democracy, citizenship and the ideals that emerged from this foundational period.”
Washington and Lee University will be conserving and digitizing the William and Anne Fleming papers and 14 oaths of allegiance to the Commonwealth from the Andrew Reid family papers and. “We are excited to do this work with colleagues across Virginia, as a way of demonstrating the value of archives and libraries to the American Experiment, past, present, and future,” said K.T. Vaughan, Ed.D., M.S.L.S., Hal F. and Barbra Buckner Higginbotham University Librarian at Washington & Lee University Library.
William & Mary Libraries will be conserving and digitizing the Leven Powell papers, Jonathan Boucher papers, Colonel James Madison Account Book and Almanac, and selected manuscript items from the Tucker-Coleman papers. “The collections we’ve selected highlight the history of the American Revolution and the early establishment of Virginia’s government,” said Afua Ferdnance, head of processing at William & Mary Libraries and project lead. “We are thrilled to partner with NEH to conserve and illuminate these important materials to the public.”
ABOUT THE LIBRARY OF VIRGINIA AND FOUNDATION
The Library of Virginia is the leading source of information on Virginia’s history, government and people. The Library’s collections, containing more than 134 million items, document and illustrate the lives of both famous Virginians and ordinary citizens. Our online resources draw nearly 2 million website visits per year, and our on-site records, exhibitions and events bring in thousands of visitors annually. The Library is located in downtown Richmond near Capitol Square at 800 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219. Learn more at www.lva.virginia.gov.
The Library of Virginia Foundation supports the Library of Virginia and its mission by raising private financial support, managing its endowment, and helping to bring Virginia’s history and culture to life. Learn more at www.lvafoundation.org.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES
Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at neh.gov.
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