The Library of Virginia Newsletter

December 2018 Newsletter

Exhibition Opening! New Virginians: 1619–2019 & Beyond

A free exhibition at the Library of Virginia running December 10, 2018–December 7, 2019, New Virginians: 1619–2019 & Beyond explores the immigration and refugee experience and Virginia's increasing diversity through video interviews with first-generation newcomers and personal items that represent their stories.

Recent estimates place the number of foreign-born Virginians at just under one million, or about one in every eight people in the state. The composite portrait of Virginia is becoming more complex, challenging an older, simpler understanding of what it means to be a Virginian. Whether our roots in the state go back ten thousand years, ten generations, or ten weeks, we must create the future of the commonwealth together.

Produced jointly by the Library of Virginia and Virginia Humanities, the exhibition highlights the changing demographics of the commonwealth on the eve of the 2020 federal census through a series of interviews with first-generation immigrants and refugees who arrived in Virginia after 1976. The interviews reveal the complexity of the experience for people representing a wide range of personal backgrounds, experiences, ages, and countries of origin—Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. To complement the videos, the exhibition includes objects that have special meaning for the interviewees. New Virginians is a Legacy Project of the 2019 Commemoration, American Evolution.

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Governor Northam Appoints New Library Board Members

The Library is pleased to announce that Governor Ralph Northam recently made one reappointment and three new appointments to the Library of Virginia Board. Marcy Sims, former director of the Virginia Beach Public Library, was reappointed to the board to serve a second five-year term. During her first term, Sims served as chair of the Library Board from July 2017 through June 2018. New appointments to the board are Robert D. Aguirre, dean of the College of Arts and Letters at James Madison University; Paul Brockwell Jr., senior communications strategy specialist with the State Corporation Commission; and Blythe Ann Scott, chief deputy commissioner of revenue for the City of Norfolk.

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Nominate Your Favorite Virginia Authors & Books for the Literary Awards

Now is your chance to nominate books for the 2019 Library of Virginia Literary Awards. The deadline for all nominations is February 12, 2019. Books eligible for the awards must have been written by a Virginia author or, in the case of nonfiction, cover a Virginia subject. A Virginia author is defined as a writer meeting one or more of the following qualifications: a native-born Virginian, an author living in Virginia, or an author whose permanent home address is in Virginia.

Entries may be submitted in the following categories: fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Reference works, anthologies, documentary editions, children's and juvenile literature, photographic books, self-help books, and "how-to" books are not eligible for this award. Entries for the 2019 awards must have been published and distributed between January 1 and December 31, 2018. Four copies must be submitted for each book nominated. Entry forms may be submitted online through the Library’s website at www.lva.virginia.gov/public/litawards/nominate.asp. You may also print and complete the nomination form and mail it to: The Library of Virginia Literary Awards, 800 East Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia, 23219-8000. For more information about the Library’s Literary Awards program, please call 804.692.3535.

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FindItVirginia.com Provides Free Digital Resources through Local Public Libraries

The Library of Virginia is pleased to introduce a robust offering of free digital resources for all Virginians through their local public libraries. Citizens can research, read, and learn through FindItVirginia.com or through their local public library website.

You can research age-appropriate databases for factual information on any topic in a user-friendly environment, Explora, by Ebsco Publishing. Read from a wide variety of mobile-friendly, online, and downloadable platforms for magazines and books (both fiction and nonfiction) for all ages, including read-alouds for the youngest readers. Find a new job or learn a new language, skill, or hobby with Rocket Languages, Universal Class, and Career Transitions.

Find It Virginia is supported by federal funds provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

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Year-End Giving Supports the Commonwealth’s Treasures

As we approach the holidays, please consider a year-end gift in support of the Library of Virginia Foundation. Funding from individuals like you—people who truly appreciate the importance of our collections—plays a vital role in sustaining our acquisition and restoration efforts.

Your donation of at least $50 will also provide all the benefits that come with membership, including an annual print subscription to Broadside, our quarterly magazine; 10 percent off all purchases at the Virginia Shops; and invitations to special members-only events and programs. Most important, by making a tax-deductible gift, you help ensure that the Library continues to promote, preserve, and exhibit the commonwealth's vast treasures.

While we are in the season of giving, why not give the gift of membership? You can arrange a gift membership by calling Dawn Greggs at 804.692.3813. You can make your gift by printing and mailing the form located on the Library's website, online at http://www.thevirginiashop.org/foundation-membership.aspx, or by calling Dawn Greggs at the number above.

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