October is Archives Month! The theme of this year’s celebration in Virginia is Making Connections: Archives and Imagination. Archives Month celebrates those institutions and individuals that help preserve and make accessible the important records of our actions as citizens, businesses, religious groups, government, and society. For more information and to view the images submitted by participating archives check out the Virginia Archives Month 2010 website.
Archives Month is a great time to attend a free program and explore an archives repository near you. On October 6th at noon, the Library of Virginia will host a free book signing and talk by Elizabeth Brown Pryor on her books Reading the Man: A Portrait of Robert E. Lee Through his Private Letters (winner of the 2008 Lincoln Prize) and Clara Barton, Professional Angel. Ms. Pryor will speak about her research adventures, past and present, in archives and libraries.
On Saturday, October 16th, the Virginia Historical Society invites you to a book launch featuring author Elizabeth Thalhimer Smartt, author of Finding Thalhimers.
In Roanoke, there will be a special Archives Month presentation on October 28th at the History Museum of Western Virginia featuring regional archaeologist Tom Klatka of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.
Virginia is home to more than 75 archives and special collections repositories that preserve our history for today’s—and tomorrow’s—researchers. Please join us as we celebrate this rich heritage.
You learn something new every day! I didn’t know that October was Archives Month.