The Library of Virginia Newsletter

March 2019 Newsletter

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH EVENT
Book Talk with Megan Taylor Shockley

The Library celebrates National Women's History Month with a talk by author Megan Taylor Shockley on her new book, Creating a Progressive Commonwealth: Women Activists, Feminism, and the Politics of Social Change in Virginia, 1970s–2000s. Join us for this free event on Wednesday, March 20, 2019, at noon. Shockley's innovative study illustrates how feminists in the state challenged the traditional patriarchal system and engaged directly with the legislature through grassroots educational efforts on three major initiatives: passage of the Equal Rights Amendment, protection of abortion rights, and pursuit of legal and social rights for survivors of domestic and sexual violence. She challenges the monolithic view of the region as a conservative bastion and argues that feminist advocates have provided crucial social progressive force. A research professor of history at Clemson University, Shockley is also the coauthor of Changing History: Virginia Women Through Four Centuries, published by the Library of Virginia. A book signing will follow the talk. For more information, contact Emma Ito at emma.ito@lva.virginia.gov or 804.692.3726.

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Virginia Women in History Program Honors Eight Outstanding Women

A Pamunkey Indian chief, a labor organizer, and a pioneering endocrinologist are among eight Virginia women recognized by the Library of Virginia as part of the 2019 Virginia Women in History project. In observation of March as National Women's History Month, the project honors eight women who have made important contributions to Virginia, the nation, and the world.

The General Assembly established a Women's Monument Commission in 2010 to recommend an appropriate monument to commemorate the contributions of Virginia's women. The commission chose a design and named 12 women to honor with bronze statutes. In addition, the monument includes a glass Wall of Honor engraved with more than 200 names "In Honor and Appreciation of the Women of Virginia for Their Contributions and Achievements." The 2019 Virginia Women in History honorees were selected from this group.

The eight honorees are featured on a poster and in the 2019 Virginia Women in History exhibition, which will be on display on the second floor of the Library of Virginia during the month of March. The exhibition will then travel to libraries, schools, and cultural institutions across the state. The Library distributes copies of the 2019 poster and learning activities tied to the Virginia Standards of Learning to public and private schools and cultural institutions across the state.

The women honored this year are:
Ann (fl. 1706–1712), King William County | PAMUNKEY CHIEF
Ona Judge (ca. 1773–1848), Fairfax County | SELF-EMANCIPATOR
India Hamilton (ca. 1879–1950), King William County | EDUCATOR
Lucy Randolph Mason (1882–1959), Richmond | LABOR ORGANIZER & SOCIAL REFORMER
Kate Peters Sturgill (1907–1975), Wise County | MUSICIAN & FOLK SONG COLLECTOR
Georgeanna Seegar Jones (1912–2005), Norfolk | ENDOCRINOLOGIST
Claudia L. Dodson (1941–2007), Charlottesville | WOMEN'S SPORTS ADVOCATE
Sharifa Alkhateeb (1946–2004), Fairfax County | COMMUNITY ACTIVIST

To learn more about the program and read biographies of current and past honorees, visit edu.lva.virginia.gov/changemakers. The Virginia Business and Professional Women’s Foundation Fund sponsors the Business Leadership Award and programming for Virginia Women in History.

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Universal Class: Learn Something New Today

Are you a lifelong learner, a student, or a mid-career employee looking for professional development? Whatever your needs, a new at-home, self-paced, online learning platform offered by the Library of Virginia and administered through your local public library might be just the ticket for you. Universal Class presents high-quality online courses for personal or professional learning. Topics include digital technologies such as MS Excel and Adobe Photoshop, genealogy research techniques, literature, personal health and wellness, and much more. Best of all, the courses are free with your library card. You can access classes through your local Virginia public library website.

Universal Class features:

  • Over 500 courses in both self-paced and instructor-led formats
  • Enrollment in up to five classes at a time
  • 24/7 access to courses through the library’s website
  • Certified instructors available to answer your questions and assess your performance
  • Opportunities to connect with other students for an authentic classroom experience
  • Accreditation as an authorized provider by the International Association for Continuing Education Training (IACET), offering continuing education units on all qualifying courses

Because of Universal Class’s accreditation with IACET, these courses are perfect for professional development for yourself or your employees. Create your own curriculum or follow preassigned selections, such as business management or career readiness. Standardized test preparation courses for professional certificates (real estate, beautician, etc.) and higher education (ACT, SAT, GRE) can support career growth for all Virginians. New Virginians will benefit from the English Language Learning curriculum and the Citizenship Test Preparation class. Universal Class is funded by a grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services.

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Decluttering? Donate to Our Chinese Takeout Menu Project

The Library of Virginia's Visual Studies Collection staff is working on a project to collect Chinese takeout menus from across Virginia. The ephemeral nature of takeout menus makes them worth preserving as a cultural resource for the future. Researchers who study foodways can find information about the variety of menu offerings and prices charged in different parts of the state and over time. The Chinese takeout menus we currently have, from the 1980s and 1990s, include noticeable differences from those of the last few years, for example. The project’s goal is to have every city and county represented by at least one menu. If you have old takeout menus cluttering up your junk drawer at home or work, please send them our way! Mail to: Library of Virginia, Attn: Dana Puga, 800 East Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219. For more information, contact Dana Puga at dana.puga@lva.virginia.gov or 804.692.3708.

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DONOR SPOTLIGHT
Thomas P. Myers

Thomas P. Myers spent his career working with historical museum collections, so he understands just how important it is to take care of artifacts from the past. After attending a two-day genealogy conference at the Library in 2017, Myers was so impressed by the institution and the scholarship and passion of the Library staff that he decided to offer a restricted fund for collections management. We are so thankful he chose the Library for his generosity. His donations to the Thomas P. Myers Fund are beginning to make a difference. Through the fund, Foundation staff members were able to purchase archival shelving to store the Library's architectural model collection. Look for more information about the new shelving in a future issue of Broadside, the magazine of the Library of Virginia.

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ADOPT VIRGINIA’S HISTORY
1820 Goochland County Map in Need of Conservation

Adopting of a piece of Virginia history is a great way to honor a friend or family member. Your gift will fund conservation efforts for the preservation of items in the Library of Virginia's unrivaled collections. One item currently in need of restoration is an 1820 map of Goochland County, hand-drawn by John Wood. Part of a group of maps related to the Board of Public Works, it was executed in ink and watercolor on thin tracing paper, lined with heavyweight card and fabric backing, and laminated with cellulose acetate. The map was formed by piecing together several sheets of irregularly cut paper of varying widths, which were separated into six sections. Numerous edge tears and creases have resulted from use and handling. Restoration treatment, expected to cost $1,520, will include removing the lamination with solvent and filling in losses with tissue. For more information about the map and its restoration needs, visit www.lva.virginia.gov/involved/adopt-info.asp?id=35. If you are interested in adopting this item, please contact Dawn Greggs at 804.692.3813 or dawn.greggs@lva.virginia.gov.

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Become a Member and Enjoy the Benefits Today!

Donations starting at $50 provide all the benefits that come with Semper Virginia Society 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. Whether it’s time for you to renew or you want to join us for the first time, it’s easy to donate. You can print and mail the form located on the Library's website, visit us online at www.thevirginiashop.org/foundation-membership.aspx, or call Dawn Greggs at 804.692.3813.

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