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.

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

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The Library of Virginia (LVA) is the reference and research library at the seat of government and the archival agency for the Commonwealth. Founded in 1823, the Library is the oldest historical archive in the state and provides informational, archival, and consulting services to every library and county clerk’s office in the Commonwealth, to all agencies and localities, and all citizens of Virginia.

Through its building in Richmond and its Records Center in Henrico County, LVA provides secure, climate-controlled conditions for vast collections, which range from rare books and manuscripts dating from the founding of the Virginia colony at Jamestown to the latest government, business, and educational materials, including digital resources.  The Library of Virginia, among the most heavily used research institutions in the country, is nationally recognized for its excellence.

The Library's primary focus is on improving in-person and online customer service, reorganizing staff to create efficiencies in its workforce, planning for physical changes to our public spaces for both visitor convenience and security, while also reviewing our collection plan. The Library expects changes in its in-person service model requiring the refitting of all public spaces.  Likewise, anticipation of future user needs will require changes to the Library's organizational structure, especially in light of workforce realities. Long-term plans for expanding collections storage capacity are being explored to ensure the longer term preservation of the Commonwealth's records.

The Library has also explored and initiated partnerships and collaborations with other organizations with similar missions.  By sharing expertise and resources, the Library and its partners can more efficiently and successfully carry out their work in areas such as civic engagement, information access, crowdsourcing, and educational programming. 

IT Investments underway include:

Electronic records/Digitization: This continuing project focuses on LVA’s mandated responsibility to store and make accessible permanent archival materials received in all formats. Born-electronic and digitized records are collected, processed, cataloged, stored and made available. The technology needs related to these functions continue to grow at an accelerating pace as the creation and use of electronic resources continues to increase at a significant rate.

Virtual Environment Growth: To save money and increase efficiency and availability, LVA’s virtual environment has grown and will continue to grow to meet user needs for fast, seamless, anytime access to Library resources.

IT Plans include:

ILS/DAM Replacement: In June, 2019, LVA’s Integrated Library System was replaced with more robust, secure and fully-integrated ILS and discovery layer systems. The implementation of a new Digital Asset Management system is underway.  The new Unified User Interface will allow users fully-searchable system-independent access to Library resources through a single interface and a digital preservation system will be fully implemented.

Infolinx Box Management System Upgrade: LVA’s box management system for archival material and the State Records Center storage facility is over 7 years old. The Library will be undertaking a significant upgrade within the next 12 months to add functionality and improve security.

Infrastructure Upgrade: The Library’s technical staff will be upgrading all of the out-of-scope network infrastructure switches that support LVA’s archival systems, staff and public services needs. Major funding for this endeavor is provided by the federal government’s e-rate Universal Services Fund.

BYOD Support: The Library’s Reading Rooms currently provide WIFI service to patrons, so we encourage them to “bring your own device”.  As the number of different devices that patrons use continues to grow, the requirement for hard-wired PCs may decrease, but patrons will expect their devices to seamlessly connect to LVA applications for their research.  The Library’s applications need to be continually updated to meet these changing needs.

The Library recognizes the challenges with staffing, workforce retirements, skill gaps, training budgets, and meeting the needs of the citizens of the Commonwealth.  We employ a predominately professional and para-professional staff who are required to have advanced education and specialized training.  Turnover has remained relatively low; however the average age of our staff creates the potential for a large segment to retire in the next five years.  The loss of institutional knowledge is and will be the most difficult issue to overcome.  Although we are taking the initiative to train, educate, and enhance staff performance, we cannot replace the years of knowledge once a staff member retires.

To address some of these issues, the Library provides training and educational opportunities as funding is available for interested employees.  Cross training is also recommended as a means for employees to gain new skills and make them more competitive for internal vacancies.  Our strategic planning process involves a large number of staff across all areas of the Library on planning committees to address issues such as how we deliver service to patrons, work space planning, leadership and development training along with traditional training opportunities.  We review each recruitment opportunity to ensure we are recruiting positions that will assist in meeting our strategic goals.  We review our retention strategies including teleworking and alternative/flexible schedules as a means to reduce turnover.

Library of Virginia’s collections are stored in environmentally controlled archives storage areas utilizing the latest technology to provide the environmental conditions and security measures necessary to preserve and protect the collections, while providing for public access to the maximum extent possible.  

When the Library moved to a new building in 1997, the digital era was in its infancy. People who needed information usually had to go somewhere to get it.  With the advent of smart phones, tablets, and digital access to almost everything, expectations have changed.  Our ongoing review of the agency’s strategic plan has brought us to an awareness that the physical arrangement of the public spaces of the Library of Virginia Building does not adequately support the programming and access needs of our visitors.  The idea behind transforming our space is a focus on the evolving needs of our users and on the impact that the Library can have on the vitality of the downtown community around us.  We have completed some small scale renovations to develop a more attractive and customer-focused research and learning environment.  We will continue to work towards a physical environment that can adapt quickly to changing needs and be a dynamic presence that attracts people of different ages and backgrounds to downtown to experience all that we have to offer.  

Changes in Customer Behavior and Use

The expectations of our current and future customers - the public, government, and other libraries and culture-heritage organizations  - will significantly shape the Library's programs and budgets through the 21st century. Many of the reference services that users expected from us in the past are now provided by other online content sites. While the Library's in-person visitation has remained stable, online visitation has exploded. As with other cultural institutions nationwide and internationally, the Library must reconsider the role of the physical library and adjust services accordingly. This will mean a significant transformation of the Library's public service areas to accommodate different expectations and needs as well as further investment in technology to satisfy online users.

Technology

The content of government records is rapidly moving toward "born-digital" formats, and users are increasingly demanding digital access to collections and information. The issues of storage, migration, and access are continuous needs due to the often changing electronic formats.  Since 2010, the number of these records has grown by 427 percent, to a current total of over 60 million. Library analysis estimates another 100 percent increase over the next five years. 

The Library relies extensively on an Integrated Library System (ILS) and Digital Asset Management System (DAMS) to store, track and provide access to our collections.  These major systems serve as the basis of the most important collection management protocols, from location control and materials acquisition to metadata, digital files and electronic archival records to public searching and accessibility. The Library has received funding for applications and related positions and has recently implemented a new ILS and is in process of replacing our DAMS with a new, more robust and security compliant system.  The new systems will work together, provide searchability across multiple databases, and will provide a platform for digital preservation.

Workforce

The Library continues to experience a staffing shortage that cuts across all areas of the Library.  Currently 29 percent of our 207 authorized positions are vacant. Approximately 24 percent of our staff are eligible for unreduced retirement and 36% of the current full-time staff can elect to retire with a reduced retirement benefit.  Our vacant positions combined with potential retirements over the next five years in our professional librarian and public service areas, presents a serious challenge for transference of institutional knowledge.  Plus external salary pressures, especially in Information Technology, are making it increasingly difficult to retain talented staff without additional funding for necessary salary adjustments.

The agency also continues to face challenges with skill gaps, training budgets and meeting the needs of the citizens of the Commonwealth.  In addition, federal funds (from the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) administered by the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS)) appear to be in jeopardy due to budget proposals at the federal level.  This LSTA funding currently supports the salaries of 18 full-time equivalent positions, including almost half of the Information Technology Division.  The loss or significant reduction of these funds (currently $3.9 million annually) would be devastating to the Library of Virginia, as well as to our constituents, and to public libraries throughout the state and all citizens using their services.

Collection Growth

The collections have grown exponentially since the Library's move to the new building in 1997, through legislative mandate, purchase, and donations. The Library's printed collection has grown to 3,000,000 books, periodicals, newspapers, pamphlets, government publications, microforms, and other materials  .Since the move in 1997 the archival collections have expanded from 73,000 cubic feet (approximately 109 million manuscript items) to nearly 86,000 cubic feet (or approximately 129 million items) today. Taken as a whole, the Library of Virginia's holdings comprise the most comprehensive collection devoted to Virginia history, government, and culture in the world, documenting the unique role that Virginia has played in the evolution of the American experience.

The Library's primary funding source is General Fund appropriations.  The majority of the Library's General Fund expenses represent transfer payments to local government for state aid to public libraries.  Additionally, the Library earns special nongeneral fund revenue from storage fees charged to agencies and localities for document and records storage and from local circuit court records' preservation fees.  The Library also receives federal grant funding through the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) of 1996.  This grant promotes access to learning and information resources of libraries.

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The following statistics illustrate the accelerating pace of growth of electronic records and digital images.  We conservatively estimate that the number of records will increase by 100 percent within the next four years.

The Library of Virginia expects to see a steady increase in its customer base as the population grows and customers learn of increased availability of archival and bound resources from the collections, and especially due to the increase in the number of electronic resources Virginians can access remotely through FinditVA and the Library's website.  Technology will become an even more critical factor for the Library in meeting customer needs in the future due to the burgeoning demand for online accessibility to Library information, resources, and services.  A growing understanding of the requirements for the maintenance and storage of permanent records will continue to increase the number of requests for storage of original archival records and requests for consultation on records management and collection development.

The LVA provides informational, educational, and research services and products for the citizens of the Commonwealth, state and local government, non-profit organizations, and individual users around the world. LVA’s services include:

• Consulting services and training on the retention, storage, and conservation of records to 564 state and local agencies and nearly 1,500 records officers to ensure that they manage Virginia’s public records in accordance with the Virginia Public Records Act.

• Access to government records and other collections through an array of guides, finding aids, and catalogs in a variety of formats, including searchable databases and digital collections on the Web.

• Information and reference services on a wide array of subjects accessible both in-person and through contacts by mail, e-mail, and telephone.

• Educational products and programs that provide both in-person and online resources and training, including digital content, traveling exhibitions, publications, and programming for K-12 educators, students, and life-long learners. 

• Extensive consulting services to Virginia's ninety-three public library systems and to other libraries in areas such as library administration, planning for excellence, children’s and youth services, trustee responsibilities, and technology.

The Library will continue to adapt its products and services to the needs of a public that is increasingly accessing information online by mounting more digital content as well as adjusting on-site services to best meet the needs of patrons who visit our physical locations.

The demand for digital access to collections and information is increasing exponentially as reflected in the increasing usage of databases and other LVA resources.  The Library continues to support this growth by devoting significant resources to increasing the number of items/pages preserved through microfilming and digitization, and looking for ways to more quickly make born-digital electronic records accessible.

The Library of Virginia partners with the Virginia Department of Health Bureau of Vital Statistics and the Division of Motor Vehicles to make birth, death, marriage and divorce records more readily available to properly authorized citizens through local DMV offices.

According to research published in the journal, American Scientist, 95% of learning occurs outside of the classroom. Furthermore, this learning outside the classroom is critical to success in the classroom.  Virginia recognized the importance of  learning outside the classroom and provided for a system of library service to both enhance and support formal education.  The Library of Virginia and the 93 public library systems provide a variety of services to support educators as well as more informal learning opportunities.  The Summer Reading Program helps students maintain and improve reading skills over the summer.  The Library also initiated and has continued a Summer Food Program, recognized as a governor's project for the Commonwealth of Virginia, by partnering with the USDA, the Virginia Department of Health, and No Kid Hungry. The Library of Virginia also partners with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation and the Science Museum of Virginia to create nature-themed backpacks designed to help families and youth groups explore nature and learn science concepts while visiting a Virginia state park. 

Find It Virginia provides students with a core set of resources available at school, at the library, and at home.  These are heavily used by K-12 students in completing homework assignments.  Find It Virginia also provides online homework help in math, reading and writing.

Develop, preserve, and provide access to the world’s most significant collection of books, manuscripts, public records, journals, newspapers, photographs, government documents, and other materials documenting the history and culture of Virginia as well as its unique place in American and world history. The Library is proactive in continuing to update its collections by purchasing new titles, subscriptions to periodicals in print and electronic format, manuscripts and rare books that come on the market through auctions and dealers, and by soliciting gifts from individuals and organizations. The Library conserves and preserves the materials in its collection and makes them accessible by cataloging, arranging, describing, creating finding aids, loaning materials to users through interlibrary loan, and by creating numerous access points in the Library’s reading rooms and on the Library’s web site.

Expand the collections of the Library of Virginia to reflect the chronological and cultural breadth of the Commonwealth's rich historical legacy.

• Assess collections to insure that they meet the research and informational needs of users.

• Benchmark the collections of the Library of Virginia against other institutions with similar missions to document Virginia’s past in order to determine the collection areas unique to the Library as well as those where further development efforts will make the greatest impact without duplicating the work of other repositories.

• Collect to maintain the most comprehensive historical record of the Commonwealth’s history and culture throughout its past and up to the present time with an emphasis on an inclusive representation of the full range diversity among her citizenry.

Maintain the highest standards of conservation, preservation, and security in caring for the print and archival collections of the Commonwealth.

• Maintain a rigorous program of collections assessment and conservation to maintain a high degree of preservation throughout the collections.

• Identify rare, high value, fragile, and frequently used collection items and create microfilm and digital copies to ensure their availability on the premises, through inter-library loan, and online without compromising the preservation and security of the originals.

• Develop a detailed Collections Disaster Response Plan covering the broad range of potential catastrophes as well as specific guidance in responding to each.

• Monitor best practices and continue to update and provide a collections security training program for staff.

Expand access to the Library’s physical and digital resources through on-site, inter-library loan, and digital access programs.

• Assess the collections to insure that they meet the research and informational needs of users.

• Identify and make effective use of the latest technologies to enhance access to collections and resources.

The Library seeks to excel in all areas of its service to the citizens of Virginia and patrons around the world. The Library strives to deliver accurate, timely, and friendly service in the areas of information reference, archives and records management, education, consultation related to the Library's archival collections, and consultation services with Virginia's public libraries. Service is a key part of the Library's vision to "engage Virginia's past to empower its future" by helping Virginia's citizens understand and appreciate the significance of Virginia's history, culture, and literary heritage.

Engage and educate citizens and attract new customers through outreach and interpretive programs.

• Provide interactive and stimulating programs, workshops, social media and other forms of outreach to educate the public about the Library's resources and collections.

• Assess outreach programs that promote understanding of the collections and information content at the Library.

• Periodically assess changes in the demographic and cultural landscape of the Commonwealth in order to engage and serve new and emerging communities.

Improve the quality of information resources and library services in Virginia's public libraries.

• Provide advice, assistance and counsel to public library staff, trustees, and supporters to improve services and develop useful collections of library materials.

• Identify and make effective use of the latest technologies to enhance access to collections and resources.

• Consistently perform environmental scans for services, assets and innovations that may best serve Virginia public libraries.

Enhance the effectiveness of Virginia's records management program by providing agencies with information and training materials on the proper handling of public records.

• Increase awareness of the records management program by offering training to agencies and presenting at professional workshops and conferences.

Provide assistance to Virginia's public libraries in order to foster quality library services to all Virginians.

• Promote and encourage attendance at library development workshops, training sessions and access to professional development opportunities for library staff of all ranks, including the annual library director meeting.

• Provide individualized assistance and consultation for library staff and stakeholders as needed on topics such as state reporting compliance, certification, stakeholder education and board management

• Serve as ex officio members on corresponding Virginia Library Association committees to ensure consistency of message and avoid duplication of efforts.

• Consistently evaluate and involve Virginia public library staff in identifying training needs.

Achieve and maintain a high level of customer satisfaction by increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of customer service.

• Assess the needs of major customer groups and constituencies through ongoing collaboration and interactions.

• Continue to review our public service plan to focus on quickly and effectively addressing customer's information needs.

• Provide continuing training on customer service skills.

• Measure customer satisfaction through online and in-person surveys at point of service delivery.

• Identify and make effective use of the latest technologies to enhance access to collections and resources,

The success of the Library of Virginia depends on a strong foundation that supports all employees and nurtures a flexible leadership culture. We must develop a staff that shares a set of core values around service, efficiency, open government, and professional ethics.To achieve organizational excellence we must be responsive, adaptable, and integral to the communities we serve.

For the Library of Virginia to move forward we must plan carefully and utilize our resources wisely to our users' best advantage. We must reexamine our business processes and reevaluate the benefits of our programs so that we are working in the most efficient and cost effective manner.

• Continue to improve the on-boarding program to foster an understanding of Library culture and build a foundation of knowledge about our mission, vision, goals and objectives, and the organizational structure, functions, and policies.

• Develop and implement a training program to build leadership and management capacity.

• Reinforce the practice of program and organizational assessment to all staff.

• Identify a core set of metrics to support the mission, vision, and strategic plan.

Maintain and enhance an efficient and effective technology infrastructure.

• Plan for projected growth and cost-effectively implement new systems as appropriate to provide improved access and additional secure storage.


• Continually enhance security of systems and information with hardware and software solutions to prevent breaches and data loss, as well as strong security policies documented and enforced by a dedicated Information Security Officer.


• Efficiently manage and support infrastructure, systems, software and data, including patches, updates, upgrades, access and migration.


• Investigate and implement new technologies and methods for providing storage, access and data presentation, including increased use of social media, cloud services, remote hosting, and tablet support.

This goal is critical in fulfilling the Library's mission to provide Virginians with access to the most comprehensive information resources and to elevate levels of educational preparedness and attainment of Virginia's citizens.

Increase the number of children and teens who are served by public libraries through out-of school programs and summer reading programs.

• Partner with state agencies and community groups to maximize exposure and efficacy in service to Virginia young people through programs, support, and consultation.

• Provide training to youth services librarians and staff to engage and retain children and teens in programs and attendance

• Continue the Nature Backpack program in concert with the Virginia Dept of Conservation and Recreation and the Virginia Science Museum.

• Continue STEAM learning opportunities through STEAM hubs and STEAM Kit programs to Virginia Public Libraries

• Continue Summer Feed and Read programs with the Department of Education, providing enrichment and incentive to feeding programs.

Increase the capacity of caregivers to provide children with rich experiences that enable them to enter kindergarten ready to learn.

• The Library of Virginia will provide training and opportunities for library staff to enable caregivers to be a child's first teacher.

• The Library of Virginia will introduce the 1000 Things Before Kindergarten program, ensuring children have rich experiences that enable them to enter kindergarten ready to learn.

• Collaborate with other agencies, such as the Virginia Department of Health, Smart Beginnings, HeadStart and VSQI Day Care programs to market the program.

Under the Virginia Public Records Act, the Library of Virginia has the responsibility for managing the records generated by all agencies and branches of state and local government. The Library consults with a network of 1,486 records officers across the state to develop retention schedules for agency documents; trains agency records officers in records management principles (including the latest electronic records management issues), practices, legislative requirements, disaster planning, and business recovery; operates a State Records Center that offers secure, low-cost storage for inactive records and security microfilm; provides confidential shredding services for the destruction of outdated records; and arranges for the transfer of records with permanent historical value to the state archives.

This service area aligns with the agency’s objectives to strengthen and preserve the Library’s collections and expand accessibility for the benefit of the user.  As such, the management of public records is critical in fulfilling the Library’s mission to provide citizens with the most comprehensive information resources about their history and government and to preserve Virginia’s historical and cultural legacy. The effective and efficient management of Virginia’s public records ensures government information will be retained and available to Virginians when they need it and records of historical significance will be permanently preserved.

§ 42.1-1 The Library of Virginia

§ 42.1-79. Records management function vested in The Library of Virginia

§ 42.1-85. Records management program

• Development and promulgation of records retention and disposition schedules: A retention schedule describes the records created and held by an agency or administrative unit, establishes a timetable for the life cycle of the records series, prescribes an ultimate disposition for the records, and serves as the legal authorization for the disposition of public records. All agencies of government must have a current retention schedule in place to ensure proper records management.  The Library is developing standards and guidelines for the secure storage of public records that are generated in digital format. The stipulations found in agency retention schedules apply to electronic as well as paper records, but retaining electronic files for future use in an age of rapidly changing technology poses numerous new issues and challenges, such as e-discovery.


• Consulting services and training: The Library provides guidance and assistance on the effective and efficient management of public records to all state and local agencies and their designated records officers.  The Library offers training for state and local records officers, in Richmond and at selected locations across Virginia, and online, in the basic principles of records management, the management of electronic records, legal requirements, and vital records/disaster planning.


• Records storage, access, and destruction services: The Library operates the State Records Center, located in Henrico County, which provides secure, climate-controlled storage for inactive public records and for low-use archival records. Agencies pay fees that are competitive with those charged in the private sector to store their records in the Records Center until the retention period for the record series has expired.  The State Records Center staff pick up and deliver agency records at no charge within the Richmond Service Area. The staff will pick up records outside of the Richmond Service Area for a quoted fee. They will deliver requested records via a commercial courier for those agencies outside of the Richmond Service Area with the cost of delivery charged to the agency.  The State Records Center offers secure shredding services, to ensure that official records are destroyed safely and confidentially at the end of their life cycle.

The management of archival records implements the Virginia Public Records Act by providing preservation and enhanced access to approximately 123 million original archival records of Virginia’s state government, circuit courts, citizens, counties, cities, and towns. The program ensures that microfilm and other media copies of permanent records meet national standards for long-term preservation. This service area (and corresponding budget allocation) is closely related to Service Area 13704, Archival Research Services, which manages the remaining two-thirds of the archival program dealing with state records and private papers.

This service area aligns directly with the Library’s mission to provide citizens with access to the most comprehensive collection of archival information about Virginia and its history. The effective and efficient management of Virginia’s public records ensures that government information will be retained and available to Virginians when they need it and that local records of historical significance will be permanently preserved and accessible. 

§ 42.1-1 The Library of Virginia

§ 42.1-79. Records management function vested in The Library of Virginia

§ 42.1-86 Essential Public Records 

§ 42.1-87 Archival Public Records 

• Access to archival records: In order to provide researchers with access to the valuable archival records from Virginia’s local and state governments and private individuals and entities, Library staff must organize the collections, place them in a logical arrangement, create accurate finding aids, and enter authoritative online catalog records into searchable databases for easy retrieval.


• Preservation and conservation: Original archival materials frequently come to the Library showing the results of years of custodial neglect. Preservation or conservation treatment is frequently required before the material can be accessed by the public.


• Consultation on archival records management: Staff provides expert consultation services to state agencies, the citizens and private institutions of the Commonwealth, circuit courts, counties, cities, and towns on the management of archival records, including the inventory, assessment, conservation, storage, and security requirements for records deposited in the Library or held within local courthouses and other facilities.


• Quality control: The Library’s security storage service provides quality control inspection of microforms of permanent records produced from a variety of sources and the monitoring of conditions suitable for long-term storage of electronic and other preservation media.

The Library of Virginia’s historical and cultural outreach program, which dates back to 1905, coordinates the agency’s publishing activities as well as its exhibitions, educational outreach, and other public programming. The program includes coordination of the Library’s lectures, book talks, symposia, and workshops; publication of the Library’s magazine Broadside, and other print publications; K-12 programs including an annual teacher’s symposium, the Brown Teacher’s Research Fellowship, and specialized tours and programs for core library constituencies and organizations; an extensive on-site and traveling exhibition program; content development for the Library’s Web site Virginia Memory, development of resources and digital content for Document Bank of Virginia, the Library’s K-12 portal for teachers and students;  and content for other online partnerships such as Encyclopedia Virginia; and research support and content development for and in collaboration with other state agencies and commissions.

This service area directly fulfills the Library’s mission to preserve the legacy of Virginia’s culture and history, thereby significantly contributing to public access to the most comprehensive information resources for and about Virginia. This service area also meets the Library’s strategic objective to offer stimulating educational programs to educate the public about the Library's resources and collections and to promote civic engagement with the citizens of the Commonwealth.

§ 42.1-3.1. (v) Do such other things as it deems proper to promote education in the realm of history and library and archival science throughout the Commonwealth.

§ 42.1-11. Editing and publishing state records and other special matter; list of publications.

• Historical, literary, genealogical, and other programs including research workshops, publications, literary events and symposia that promote Library resources, train researchers to use our collections, highlight important literature by Virginians, and promote civic engagement with Virginia residents on important national and state issues.  Also includes high-quality exhibitions that highlight the Library’s extensive holdings and explore important facets of Virginia's history and culture by using the most effective techniques to translate that content to a broad audience and K-12 students.


• Production and editorial assistance with the agency’s multiple informational print and digital publications, including the Library’s E-newsletter, annual reports, brochures, exhibitions, and research notes and guides for researchers, educators, government, and the general public..  Also includes the publication of Broadside, The Library of Virginia’s quarterly magazine which captures the exciting work of the Library’s and Foundation’s staff members, highlights the rich collections of the Library, provides timely notice and marketing for Library programs and events, and aids private fundraising for every facet of the Library mission.  Also includes development of a wide range of web resources for students, teachers, and researchers for inclusion on the Virginia Memory website and Document Bank of Virginia websites, offering essays, research guides, documents, and pictorial materials that can be used in part to support Virginia’s Standards of Learning.

The Library’s research services program implements the Virginia Public Records Act by providing protection and enhanced access to original state and local government and Virginia-related personal, business, organization, and church archival items in the Library collections. It also provides research assistance and collection access to the general public, specialized researchers, media, other information providers, and to Virginia state and local governmental agencies seeking information from approximately 123 million original archival items in the Library collections dating from the earliest settlement of Virginia to the present.

The service area aligns directly with the Library’s mission and strategic objective to provide access to the Library's comprehensive collection of archival information about Virginia and its citizens. 

§ 42.1-1 The Library of Virginia

§ 42.1-3.1. (v) Do such other things as it deems proper to promote education in the realm of history and library and archival science throughout the Commonwealth.

§ 42.1-11 Editing and publishing state records and other special matter; list of publications.

§ 42.1-79. Records management function vested in The Library of Virginia

§ 42.1-86 Essential Public Records

• Provide convenient, accurate, and customer-friendly service to patrons seeking access to information resources and the archival records that make up the documentary heritage of the Commonwealth.  Provide this service both in-person and through contacts by mail, e-mail, online chat, telephone and fax.


• Produce and disseminate collection guides, reports, and finding aides, research notes, bibliographies, and authoritative online catalogue records to facilitate the fullest access to information and the valuable materials in the collections of the Library of Virginia.


• Processing, arrangement and description of original archival items to promote access to this material by researchers within the Commonwealth and around the world.


• Develop the resources and collections of the Commonwealth, not only the Code-mandated collection of Virginia state agency records, but also Virginia-related, non-governmental materials that compliment those collections and provide a more intimate/human face to history by documenting the thoughts and daily activities of individual Virginians.

The Library of Virginia’s conservation-preservation program provides for the repair, stabilization, cleaning, reformatting, and storage of significant manuscript, printed, pictorial, art, and other special collections. The program increases access and enhances the Library’s collections through professional stewardship of a vigorous conservation-preservation program comprising several public-private partnerships as well as maintaining a professional conservator on staff.  Partnerships with Etherington Conservation Services, of Greensboro, North Carolina, extend the effectiveness of our in-house conservation program by offering an wide array of specialized conservation laboratory services that broaden the Library’s ability to address incredible range of conservation issues encountered through such vast and diverse collections, while the partnership with H-F Group Bindery Services for collection-specific binding, boxing, and other protective measures for archival collections as well as books, periodicals, and other printed materials.

Several other preservation partnerships pertain to the Library’s efforts to offer digital access to collection items in order to ensure that original items are not damaged through frequent use and handling as well as to broaden the availability of the Library’s collections through online access.  The partnership with Backstage Library Work's Digital Collection and Preservation Services Division, of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, for highly technical microfilm, digitization, and other archival-quality reformatting services available onsite and in specialized facilities, and the American Antiquarian Society, of Worcester, Massachusetts, to duplicate by microfilm Virginia-related manuscript and newspaper collections located in their collections.  Other cooperative programs focused on newspaper-preservation include a public-private partnership with ProQuest/University Microfilms of Ann Arbor, Michigan, for the detailed reformatting and preservation of Virginia newspapers, as well as the Library’s association with the National Digital Newspaper Project, a long-standing collaboration between the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities to establish an electronic resource, to stabilize, conserve, reformat, and provide online access to Virginia newspapers;

The Library also provides consultation and coordination services for the Capitol, the Executive Mansion, the Supreme Court, and Capitol Square agencies for the care, conservation, and exhibition of painting, sculpture, and other artwork.

This service area aligns with the agency’s objectives to strengthen and preserve the Library’s collections and to expand accessibility for the benefit of the user. The service area also meets several of the Library’s primary strategic objectives by increasing and enhancing the Library’s collections through professional stewardship of a vigorous conservation-preservation program, managing and preserving Virginia’s public records according to the highest archival standards and practices, and utilizing the latest technology and the highest technical standards to safeguard the Commonwealth’s irreplaceable historical and cultural collections.

§ 42.1-1 The Library of Virginia

§ 42.1-79. Records management function vested in The Library of Virginia

§ 42.1-86. Essential Public Records

§ 42.1-87. Archival Public Records

• Full-service Conservation Laboratory facilities, for the mending, stabilization, de-acidification, and cleaning of manuscript and printed paper items.


• Full-service Reformatting Laboratory facilities, for the preservation reformatting of Library collections to film, microform, and electronic format.


• Full-service Media Services for the quality control, inspection, and secure archival storage of microform, photographic, electronic, audio, and video materials.


• Full-service consultation and coordination for conservation-preservation of the Commonwealth’s painting and sculpture collections.

The Library of Virginia’s Circuit Court Records Preservation (CCRP) program provides grant funding to assist localities in the preservation, organization, processing, reformatting, and access to Circuit  Court records. 

This service area directly fulfills the agency’s goal to strengthen and preserve the Library's collections and expand accessibility for the benefit of users. The service area also meets several of the Library’s primary strategic objectives by increasing and enhancing the Library’s collections through professional stewardship of a vigorous conservation-preservation program, managing and preserving Virginia’s public records according to the highest archival standards and practices, and utilizing the latest technology and the highest technical standards to safeguard and provide access to the Commonwealth’s irreplaceable historical and cultural collections.

§ 42.1-1 The Library of Virginia

§ 17.1-275 Fees collected by clerks of circuit courts

• Grants program to fund the onsite assessment, organization, processing, reformatting, and public access to Circuit Court Records.

The Library of Virginia, as the state library agency for the Commonwealth, is charged with fostering cooperation and networking among the state’s public, academic, special, and school libraries.

The Library fulfills this function in a myriad of ways: participating in consortia such as the Richmond Academic Library Consortium and the Virtual Library of Virginia initiative; participating as a net lender in a statewide interlibrary loan program; and planning, preparing materials for, and training library staff in all manner of professional development.  The Library’s primary cooperative activity consists in providing Virginia citizens (including kindergarten through high school students) with round-the-clock access to a cluster of information databases known as Find It Virginia that offer a wide array of information on current events, world and American history, education, health, business, government, and the media – to name only a few. The Library negotiates the licenses for, manages, maintains and markets these databases, which would not otherwise be available to Virginians.

This service area is critical in fulfilling the Library’s mission to provide Virginians with access to the most comprehensive information resources and to be the lead library agency in the state, fostering cooperation among all libraries including the ninety-one public library systems, K-12 teachers and students, and the community colleges. 

§ 42.1-1 The Library of Virginia

• Licensing agreements that provide access for Virginia libraries and citizens to a series of powerful research databases known as Find It Virginia. Included in this grouping are a wide array of learning and eLibrary databases with citations and full texts of newspaper, journal, and magazine articles, bibliographies, research papers, business reports, radio transcripts, and many other Internet resources. None of these are available to individuals on their own, but are made possible through federal IMLS funding administered by the Library.


• Materials, planning, and training workshops for a statewide Summer Reading Program for children and young adults


• Literacy/Early Childhood Education is provided through materials, planning and training for caregivers to become a child’s first teacher, including 1000 Things Before Kindergartens and Every Child Ready to Read.


• The Library participates as a net lender in a statewide and national interlibrary loan network, sharing the Library’s resources with readers and researchers across the state and the country and obtaining for government officials, agencies, and LVA patrons works that the Library does not own. This service helps libraries in Virginia avoid duplication and maximize the buying power of their extremely limited fiscal resources.

The Library’s library development and networking program provides expert consultation and advice to libraries across the Commonwealth in areas such as library administration and management, services to children and youth, trustee development, support groups such as friends of libraries, technology, planning, networking, and library construction. The primary constituency for these services are the ninety-one public library systems in Virginia, but services are also provided to school library media specialists, local governments and boards, state agency libraries, library foundations, and professional organizations.

This service area fulfills the Library’s mission and goals by providing assistance and counsel to foster well-managed public libraries offering high quality services. 

§ 42.1-1 The Library of Virginia

• Training for new library directors, for developing skills of mid-level managers, and for library foundations and friends groups


• Provide statistical reporting software (Bibliocollect and Bibliostat)


• Provide the Virginia Public Library Trustee Handbook and the Planning for Library Excellence standards document.

This service area comprises those technical and public service components necessary to provide sophisticated management of a growing collection of over 2.8 million published volumes of monographs, serials, and newspapers, digital resources, state and federal documents, as well as unique and rare collections of prints, maps, photographs, engravings and other works of art and make information from and about these Library holdings readily available to the general public, specialized researchers, media and other information providers, and to Virginia state and local governmental agencies. Services included are the cataloging of the general and special library collections, physical management and delivery of the collection to customers on demand, direct and indirect research services for those seeking information from or about the collection, administration and management of the Virginia State Documents Depository System, and participation in the Federal Depository Library Program.

This service area is critical in fulfilling the Library’s mission to provide Virginians with access to the Library's comprehensive information resources and aligns with the Library's strategic objective of achieving and maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction.  It also directly fulfills the agency’s goal to strengthen and preserve the Library's collections and expand accessibility for the benefit of users. The service area also meets several of the Library’s primary strategic goals by increasing and enhancing the Library’s collections through professional stewardship of a vigorous conservation-preservation program, managing and preserving Virginia’s public records according to the highest archival standards and practices, and utilizing the latest technology and the highest technical standards to safeguard and provide access to the Commonwealth’s irreplaceable historical and cultural collections.

§ 42.1-1 The Library of Virginia

§ 42.1-10 The Library of Virginia

• Research services: Logical arrangement, accurate finding aids, authoritative online catalog records, and responsive reference, retrieval and delivery services make it possible for users to access and obtain information from the valuable materials in the collections of the Library of Virginia.


• Collection development: Staff seeks currently published and rare materials worldwide that are published about Virginia or written by Virginians, as well as published material that contributes to an understanding of Virginia’s people, history and culture.


• Collection guides, reports, and finding aides, research notes, and bibliographies: These products are produced by the staff to describe and aid in the use of collections, as well as provide periodic information on recently received materials.


• Documents Depository Program: The State Documents Depository Program provides the citizens of the Commonwealth with free access to publications produced by state government agencies, boards, commissions and other government entities by collecting and distributing publications to 11 designated depository libraries around the state. The Library also serves as a depository library for federal publications, receiving, processing, and providing access to 46 percent of all printed and electronic publications issued by the federal government.


• Consultation and research assistance: This service takes place both in-person and through contacts by mail, e-mail, telephone and fax. Because of the specialized knowledge acquired in many areas, such as rare books, staff can provide information requested, copies of sources requested, or make referrals to additional resources.

This service area is responsible for administering, according to a formula specified in the Code, the Commonwealth’s financial assistance program for the state’s public libraries that meet the Code definition for eligibility.

This service area is critical in fulfilling the Library’s mission to provide Virginians with access to the most comprehensive information resources and aligns with the Library’s goal to foster quality library service in the Commonwealth.

§ 42.1-1 The Library of Virginia

§ 42.1-46. Library policy of the Commonwealth

§ 42.1-47. Grants for development of library service

The State Aid grant program, with responsibility for distributing the $16.3 million state aid appropriation.

This service area provides the management and administrative support essential to being a well-managed agency of the Commonwealth. The functions included in this service area are Library Board, Executive Management, Human Resource Management, Fiscal Services, Public Information Services, and Photographic and Digital Imaging Services.

 

These services align directly with the Library’s mission by providing the human, fiscal and physical resources necessary to support the other service areas according to best-management practices and standards.

§ 42.1 The Library of Virginia

• Provide employment, benefits, employee relations, training and compensation services to the Library staff and management as well as consultative services to public libraries directors throughout Virginia. These services support the staff and management of the Library and the public libraries of Virginia and ensure that they are well-equipped to deliver programs and services that will preserve the culture and history of the Commonwealth.


• Provide comprehensive accounting, budget, financial reporting, procurement and support  programs, managing fiscal resources of the Library within the guidelines and requirements promulgated by the Commonwealth and in compliance with Federal program regulations. 


• Provide agency brochures, the Library’s E-newsletter,, the bill tracker of legislation affecting libraries and the Library of Virginia, the annual report, news releases and the Library’s Web site and events line.


• Provide photographic and digital imaging services including digital imaging, photography, traditional printing, microfilm prints and digital prints of maps, archival materials, papers, drawings, documents, photographs, plates, rare books, and the Commonwealth's art collection.

Information Technology Services provides the technology infrastructure and technological management to allow users of Library information easy, highly available and efficient access to data and systems without compromising systems security.  IT supports efforts to preserve information through the use of Library technology and provides data storage and redundancy, preservation and security of digital and electronic records.  IT also provides high-speed internet access and public wireless network connectivity; database applications development; website development and maintenance; social media support; policy and procedures development and implementation; and project planning and implementation support.

This service area directly aligns with the Library’s mission of preserving the culture and history of Virginia and providing access to information resources about Virginia. It aligns with the Library’s goals related to collections, service and organizational excellence to use appropriate technology and high technical standards to safeguard and provide access to Virginia’s historical collections and information resources. This service area also aligns with the long-term objectives established by the Council on Virginia’s Future, to “be recognized as the best managed state in the nation” and to “protect, conserve, and wisely develop our natural, historical, and cultural resources”.  Finally, it aligns with the governor’s objectives to encourage innovation and to make government accessible and efficiently managed, as well as VITA’s requirements that technology bring business value through constituent service, operational efficiency and strategic alignment.

§ 42.1-1 The Library of Virginia

§ 42.1-79.A Records Management function

§ 42.1- 86.01 Records may be retained in electronic medium

• Easy, efficient access to Library collections, high speed internet access and public wireless connectivity


• Secure, redundant data storage and preservation


• Management and maintenance of Library’s technology infrastructure, including public Reading Rooms


• Technical support, including administration of the Library's integrated library and digital asset management systems


• Information security policy development and implementation; business recovery and planning.


• Electronic and digital records management and policy development


• Technology consulting, internal project management, and project planning and implementation


• Internal project management, project planning and implementation.


• Database and website applications, development, and maintenance.


• Social media support and management of multiple listservs

Ensures that clean, safe, and sanitary conditions are maintained in all agency offices, collection storage areas and public areas in the Library’s facilities, including The Library of Virginia Building and the State Records Center, and manages the lease agreement with the Department of General Services.

These services align directly with the Library’s mission by providing facility management resources necessary to support the other service areas according to best-management practices and standards.

§ 42.1 The Library of Virginia

• Operate and maintain the agency’s facilities, including the Library of Virginia Building and the State Records Center using the latest technology to provide the environmental conditions and security measures necessary to preserve and protect the rare and priceless collections of the Library, while providing the public access to the maximum extent possible.


• Provide housekeeping services for the Library Building and the State Records Center