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Click any excerpt below to read the full article. Library of Virginia Announces Finalists for the 16th Annual Literary Awards Nine authors are the finalists for the Library of Virginia’s 16th Annual Library of Virginia Literary Awards honoring Virginia authors or, in the case of nonfiction, works on a Virginia subject. The finalists were chosen by an independent panel of judges from 180 books nominated for the awards. The winners in each category will be selected from among these finalists: Poetry Claudia Emerson                    Secure the Shadow David Huddle                          Blacksnake at the Family Reunion LuAnn Keener-Mikenas             Homeland Fiction Clifford Garstang                    What the Zhang Boys Know Kevin Powers                          The Yellow Birds Christopher Tilghman                 The Right-Hand Shore   Nonfiction Scott W. Berg                          38 Nooses: Lincoln, Little Crow, and the Beginning of the Frontier's End Cynthia A. Kierner                  Martha Jefferson Randolph, Daughter of Monticello: Her Life and Times Heather Andrea Williams        Help Me to Find My People: The African American Search for Family Lost in Slavery The Library of Virginia's annual literary awards were first given in 1998 to recognize the best books published the previous year by Virginia authors or on a Virginia theme. The winners in each of the three categories receive a monetary prize... Tell Us Your Story Have you found something special in the Library of Virginia’s collections? An ancestor’s birth record, a missing family photo, the house your grandparents lived in, or the story of a long-lost relative? Something deeply important to you or to the history and culture of the commonwealth? Celebrate your story and help everyone realize how the Library of Virginia’s collections can touch their lives. Tell us about it! If it has meaning to you, it has meaning to us and we want to recognize your big find! Tell us what you found, how you found it, and why it means so much to you by documenting your find. Tell Us Your Story forms are ... Flora of Virginia Exhibition on display March 17–September 13, 2014 People have been collecting, describing, and drawing Virginia’s flora since the colonial period. Flora of Virginia—an exhibition on view March 17–September 13, 2014, at the Library of Virginia—highlights botanical exploration from that era through 2012’s publication of Flora of Virginia, the first statewide flora published since the 1762 Flora Virginica by Johannes Gronovius. This visually engaging exhibition is presented by the Library and the Flora of Virginia Project, Inc. The 2012 book identifies nearly 3,200 plant species native to or naturalized in the commonwealth and includes original illustrations of key features... Banned Books Week Set for September 22–28 Banned Books Week, the national book community's annual celebration of the freedom to read, will be held September 22–28 in libraries across Virginia and the nation. Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community–-librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types–-in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular. Over the years thousands of books have been challenged across the nation. Among them are classics such as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell, For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway, Beloved... Database Spotlight: Virginia Chronicle Virginia Chronicle, an exciting new digital newspaper database provided by the Library of Virginia, offers more than 300,000 pages from nearly 60 titles and is one of the collections included on the Virginia Memory website. The majority of the content consists of late 19th- to early 20th-century newspapers, with new issues being added on a continuous basis. Virginia Chronicle includes all of the Virginia newspaper titles that are available from the Library of Congress's Chronicling America website, as well as additional titles considered to be of special interest to to Virginians, such as the Farm Bureau News... 2013 Public Library Directors' Meeting at VLA Virginia's public library directors will gather in Williamsburg on September 25 in advance of the annual Virginia Library Association meeting to hear updates from Librarian of Virginia Sandra G. Treadway and Library of Virginia staff. Brian Mathews, associate dean for learning and outreach at Virginia Tech University, will challenge librarians to think like a start-up. His premise is that libraries need new models, new metrics, and a new mindset in order to help their users thrive. The afternoon session features Ed Sheary, library director with the Asheville/Buncombe Library System, and David Singleton, director of libraries at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. The duo will offer... Home Grown: A Celebration of Virginia's History and Culture October is Archives Month in Virginia, a time to celebrate Virginia’s history and culture and the people responsible for preserving and making accessible the archival records of our state, communities, and people. The 2013 Archives Month theme is "Home Grown: A Celebration of Virginia’s History and Culture." October is also a great time to explore your Virginia history by delving into an archives collection near you. Virginia is home to more than 75 archives and special collections repositories that preserve and make available Virginia’s history, and many will hold their own events to celebrate Archives Month. Here at the Library of Virginia we have more than 116 million archival items ranging from court records records and diaries to photographs, newspapers, and tax lists that tell the story of Virginia and... Proposals Sought for 2014 Virginia Forum Sponsors of the 2014 Virginia Forum, to be held at George Mason University March 13–15, 2014, are seeking paper and panel proposals for the ninth annual Virginia Forum. The Forum is an interdisciplinary conference that brings together academics, teachers, writers, archivists, museum curators, historic site interpreters, librarians, and others engaged in the study and interpretation of Virginia history and culture to share their knowledge, research, and experience. The Forum welcomes proposals from scholars, teachers, students, and professionals in all fields. The Forum is hosted... Legislative Collections Shed Light on Virginia's Political Process What do the following lawmakers have in common? James H. Dillard Frank Hall Brian J. Moran R. Edward Houck Watkins Abbitt Jr. Mary Margaret Whipple Robert Tata All are retired members of the General Assembly who have donated their legislative papers and, in some cases, their campaign papers to the Library of Virginia. The Library maintains an active program to acquire the papers of members of the Virginia General Assembly. Legislative collections document the work of government and shed light on issues that were important to the citizens of the commonwealth at a particular time. Members of the General Assembly from the 18th century to the present are represented in the collections of the Library of Virginia. Among those earlier legislators whose papers enrich our understanding of our past are Zachariah Johnston, who as chair of the House committee on religion helped to pass the Virginia Statute for Religious... Only Four Spaces Left on the Library of Virginia's Literary Tour of England The Library of Virginia and the Woman's Club present A LITERARY TOUR OF ENGLAND, April 20–27, 2014, an 8-day, 7-night excursion through England with special behind-the-scenes tours and events such as Chawton House Library (one of Jane Austen’s homes); Winchester Cathedral (resting place of Jane Austen); Stourhead House Gardens and a Walking Tour of Bath; Thomas Hardy’s Dorset; the British Library at Windsor Castle; the British Museum Library; and a private tea... Thursday, September 12, 2013 Book Launch: Brotherhood by Anne Westrick Time: 5:30 PM–7:30 PM Place: Conference Rooms Join us for the launch of Anne Westrick's debut, Brotherhood, a young-adult novel set in Virginia in 1867. The book highlights an often-overlooked period in American history, post–Civil War Reconstruction, and explores the social and economic upheaval created by the war. Reception (wine and cheese) with the author, 5:30–6:00 PM; author talk and reading, 6:00–7:00 PM; and book signing, 7:00–7:30 PM. Wednesday, September 18, 2013 "Books on Broad" featuring Dr. Barbara A. Perry Time: 5:30 PM–7:30 PM Place: Lecture Hall Dr. Perry is a senior fellow at the University of Virginia Miller Center and is an acknowledged expert on the Kennedy administration. Her new biography, Rose Kennedy: The Life and Times of a Political Matriarch provides previously unexplored insights into the life and personality of Rose Kennedy. Reception (wine and cheese) 5:30–6:00 PM, book talk 6:00–7:00 PM, and book signing 7:00–7:30 PM. Tuesday, September 24, 2013 Book Launch: The Grandees of Government Time: Noon–1:00 PM Place: Conference Rooms,  Free Historian Brent Tarter offers an extended commentary based in primary sources on how undemocratic institutions and ideas arose, and how they were both perpetuated and challenged within America's so-called democracy. A book signing follows the talk. Saturday, September 28, 2013 Slatten Lecture featuring Dr. John Philip Colletta Time: 8:30 AM–3:30 PM Place: Conference Rooms, Fee, $35 for FVSA members, $50 nonmembers Join the Friends of the Virginia State Archives on September 28 to welcome Dr. John Colletta as speaker at the 14th annual Richard Slatten Lecture. For more information, please e-mail SlattenLecture2013@gmail. Tuesday, October 1, 2013 The Jefferson Brothers Time: Noon–1:00 PM Place: Conference Rooms,  Free Historian Joanne Yeck has been exploring her Buckingham County roots since 1995. Her book, The Jefferson Brothers, focuses on the relationship between the famed brother, Thomas, and the lesser known Randolph. Under his brother's guidance, Randolph becomes a successful planter in central Virginia. The brother's relationship was based on agriculture and slave-holding rather than politics. The Brothers Jefferson provides a unique perspective on Thomas Jefferson's role in life. Wednesday, October 2, 2013 Come Tour the Archives of the Commonwealth at the Library of Virginia Time: 10:00 AM-–11:00 AM FREE, Space is limited. Call 804-692-3605. The Library of Virginia is celebrating Archives Month with behind-the-scenes tours of the Archives Stacks, Conservation Lab, and Special Collections. Friday, October 4, 2013 The Impersonator Time: 5:30 PM–7:00 PM Place: Conference Rooms, Free The Library of Virginia and the Art Deco Society of Virginia are sponsoring a Roaring Twenties party to launch The Impersonator, Mary Miley’s debut novel. Set against a Prohibition-era backdrop of speakeasies and vaudeville houses, the novel won the Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition. The event will feature dancing (Charleston lessons on request!) to music played on an antique Victrola (help crank the handle), a champagne reception, and Miley’s talk on “Why the Roaring Twenties Is the Most Fascinating Decade in American History.” You are invited to wear your best '20s or '30s clothing and join us for a fun evening. The event begins at 5:30 PM with music and dancing lessons, followed by the author talk at 6:00 PM, then a book signing and reception with more music and dancing. Through Saturday, October 5, 2013 Dark Side: Night Photography in Virginia Time: 9:00 AM–5:00 PM Night photography compels viewers to look at the world from a slightly different perspective. Dark Side introduces us to the unique world of darkness and shadows. The exhibition surveys the many ways in which professional and amateur photographers have used their cameras over the past century to create compelling nocturnal images of the commonwealth. While it examines the materials and historic processes that made night photography possible, Dark Side, also introduces several contemporary photographers who are currently using it as an artistic medium. Tuesday, October 8, 2013 BOOK LAUNCH WITH LANA KRUMWIEDE | Archon Time: 5:30 PM–7:30 PM Place: Lecture Hall, Free Join us for the launch of Richmonder Lana Krumwiede's new work, Archon, the second book of the Psi Chronicles. As the powerless and the powerful clash, allies and enemies are not always who they seem to be in this dynamic sequel to the dystopian novel Freakling. Monday, October 14, 2013 Closed The Library of Virginia will be closed for Columbus Day. Tuesday, October 15, 2013 Poetic Principles featuring Charles Wright and Ellen Bryant Voigt Time: 5:30 PM–7:00 PM Place: Conference Rooms, Free The Library of Virginia, in partnership with Blackbird online journal of literature and the arts, present an evening of poetry with 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Charles Wright and National Book Award finalist Ellen Bryant Voigt. A wine-and-cheese reception and book signing will follow the presentation. Tuesday, October 15, 2013–Saturday, February 22, 2014 No Vacancy: Remnants of Virginia's Roadside Culture Time: 9:00 AM–5:00 PM Explore the evolution of Virginia's roadside lodging along U.S. Route 1, once the main highway for travel along the East Coast, through this exhibition of vintage and current photographs. Early and mid-20th century travelers along Route 1 stopped at camps, motor courts, roadside cottages, and motels to take a break from the hours of driving. Often locally owned, these businesses were full of the local flavor of the area. Wednesday, October 2, 2013 Come Tour the Archives of the Commonwealth at the Library of Virginia Time: 10:00 AM-–11:00 AM FREE, Space is limited. Call 804-692-3605. The Library of Virginia is celebrating Archives Month with behind-the-scenes tours of the Archives Stacks, Conservation Lab, and Special Collections. Wednesday, October 16, 2013 BOOK LAUNCH: Buried Leads by LynDee Walker Time: 6:00–7:30 PM Place: Lecture Hall and Lobby, Free Richmond author LynDee Walker will present a book talk at the Library of Virginia to launch the release of Buried Leads, the second book in her Nichelle Clark Headlines in Heels Mystery series. A wine-and-cheese reception and book signing will follow the talk. Through Saturday, February 22, 2014 The Importance of Being Cute: Pet Photography in Virginia Time: 9:00 AM–5:00 PM Photographs of animals dominate the web. From the cute to the ridiculous, millions of pet images are viewed and shared each day. The historical precedent for this online phenomenon can be found in The Importance of Being Cute.

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