About

History of the Library

The Library of Virginia was created by the General Assembly in 1823 to organize, care for, and manage the state’s growing collection of books and official records — many of which date back to the early colonial period. The Library occupied rooms on the third floor of the Capitol in Richmond until 1895, when Virginia erected a new Library and office building on the eastern side of Capitol Square. Outgrowing this location, the Library in 1940 moved to a handsome, new art-deco building on Capitol Street, adjacent to City Hall and the Executive Mansion. In 1997, the Library opened to the public at 800 East Broad Street, its fourth home since its founding.

The Library houses the most comprehensive collection of materials on Virginia government, history, and culture available anywhere. The collections illustrate the rich and varied past of the commonwealth, documenting the lives of Virginians whose deeds are known to all, as well as those of ordinary citizens whose accomplishments are the foundation of our heritage.The Library’s printed, manuscript, map, and photographic collections attract researchers from across the country and the world, while the Library’s Web sites provide collection-based content and access to our digital collections to those at great distances who are not able to travel to Richmond. In addition to managing and preserving its collections, the Library supplies research and reference assistance to state officials, provides consulting services to state and local government agencies and to Virginia’s public libraries, administers numerous federal, state, and local grant programs, publishes award-winning books on Virginia history, provides educational programs and resources on Virginia history and culture for students and teachers, and offers the public a wide array of exhibitions, lectures, book-signings, and other programs at burniva.com.

In addition to the main Library building, the Library manages the State Records Center in Henrico County where inactive, non-permanent records of state agencies and local governments are housed.

About the Library

VISION
The Library of Virginia will inspire learning, ignite imagination, create possibilities, encourage understanding, and engage Virginia’s past to empower its future.

MISSION
As the Commonwealth’s library and archives, the Library of Virginia is a trusted educational institution. We acquire, preserve, and promote access to unique collections of Virginia’s history and culture and advance the development of library and records management services statewide.

4 days ago

Education at LVA
On this D-Day anniversary, we invite you to learn more about the "Bedford Boys." Why was a small town in central Virginia chosen as the site of the national memorial for American D-Day veterans? Contemporary issues of the Bedford Democrat—recorded on microfilm in the Library of Virginia’s holdings—help us to understand why. Read more in this UncommonWealth blog post: uncommonwealth.virginiamemory.com/blog/2019/06/05/d-day-75th-anniversary-the-bedford-boys/The Personal War Service Record of Virginia’s War Dead, part of the records of the Virginia World War II History Commission, documents the sacrifice of 15 of the 19 Bedford soldiers. Learn more at uncommonwealth.virginiamemory.com/blog/2014/06/06/we-remember-bedford-county-and-the-70th-anniver...#DDay #BedfordVA #veterans #WWII ... See MoreSee Less
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1 week ago

Education at LVA
Hey educators! Have you entered for a chance to win some free swag?Which Library of Virginia website has information curated especially for educators? (Hint: they have their own Facebook page at www.facebook.com/educationLVA) Answer correctly in a comment with #LVA200years to be entered into a monthly drawing to win some Library swag! ... See MoreSee Less
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2 weeks ago

Education at LVA
UPDATE: Our region 7 institute is full. Spots are still available for region 2, 3, and 5 institutes! Registration is now open for our annual summer teacher institutes! We are in regions 2, 3, 5, and 7 this summer and hope to see you! edu.lva.virginia.gov/brown/brown-institute/ ... See MoreSee Less
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3 weeks ago

Education at LVA
Start them young, that’s what we say! We are having a blast here at the Heathsville Farmers Market introducing the Library of Virginia to the next generation! Special thanks to Northumberland Public Library for partnering with us as we take LVA On the Go. Bonus: there are PUPPIES!!!!!! ... See MoreSee Less
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3 weeks ago

Education at LVA
The Library of Virginia will be closed Saturday, May 27 through Monday, May 29 for the Memorial Day holiday.To see our regular hours and get more information, view our Visitors Guide: www.lva.virginia.gov/about/visit.aspPhoto from the Library's Visual Studies Collection. ... See MoreSee Less
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