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LIBRARY OF VIRGINIA FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN

THEN

Since its official founding in 1823, the Library of Virginia has responded to the needs of a changing commonwealth. The Library has its roots in the colonial-era governor's Council library, which contained not only statutes and law books but also reference works on a range of subjects. Throughout its history, the Library has continued to collect materials that both record our past and inform our present.

The Library's first catalog included works of history, biography, agriculture, and horticulture, and the Library offered close to 17,500 volumes by the mid-19th century. Following the Civil War, the Library’s collecting changed in response to an evolving mission. In 1873, the General Assembly authorized the Library to expand its collections to include “any book, pamphlet, or manuscript, work of art, or relic relating to the history of Virginia,” making the Library a popular destination for locals and visitors alike.

By the early years of the 20th century, the Library began to serve more Virginians than ever before. Interlibrary loans, a lending program for the blind and sight-impaired, and traveling libraries reached citizens who were far from Richmond or whose communities did not have libraries of their own. Early collaborative efforts with other institutions, such as with the Virginia Historical Society at the Jamestown Ter-Centennial Exposition in 1907, helped to cement the Library's reputation and extend its outreach beyond Virginia. 

In 1800, Governor James Monroe requested that the General Assembly take action to prevent the decay and loss of the manuscript records documenting Virginia’s early legislative history, a decision that served as the catalyst for the Library's preservation and conservation efforts that continue to this day. Throughout the 19th century, the Library amassed large quantities of public records of the governor and the General Assembly, among other state officials. After repeated steps to organize and preserve these records, it was not until the Library became an independent state agency in 1903 that the archival collections grew exponentially. The Library acquired many record groups, such as those of the Board of Public Works, the Land Office, and the Virginia War History Commission, during the first half of the 20th century. Following a 1940 statute that authorized most state agencies to deposit old records in the state archives, the state’s records management program was transferred to the Library in 1959.   

As new technologies developed, the Library adapted to manage them. Photographs, such as those of Harry C. Mann and the 1939 World’s Fair Collection, became important resources for researchers. Microfilming in the 1940s not only supplemented the Library’s strong holdings in family history materials, but also preserved vital public documents. In the 21st century, Library of Virginia staff members have tackled born-digital materials, leading the way in archiving records such as governors’ emails.

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The Library of Virginia belongs to the Virginia of today and the Virginia of the future. We must respond to the changes in who and what define our commonwealth and help the people of Virginia contextualize their lives today with the lives of those from the past. Regardless of the changes and challenges we face—now and in the years to come—the Library of Virginia remains the library and archives of the people of Virginia, and the key to greater understanding and empowerment among all citizens.

We will accomplish this vision guided by a 2018–2023 Strategic Plan that celebrates the cornerstone of the Library—the collections—and pushes us to build upon our long-standing traditions of free public access to those collections and outreach programming that connects Virginians to their past and to each other.

INITIATIVE 1

Collecting the New Virginia

Reimagine a collecting model that is cooperative and proactive, builds relationships that bring value, helps build capacity where possible, and reflects those who are shaping 21st-century Virginia.

INITIATIVE 2

Dynamic Digitization

Set the Library’s collections free through a robust digitization program that includes data sharing, citizen engagement, cross-collection connections, and attention to the research goals and issues of importance to the people of Virginia and beyond.

INITIATIVE 3

Civic Leadership

Foster civic engagement throughout the commonwealth by collaborating to facilitate civil public discourse, build stronger communities, and realize the power of democracy.

INITIATIVE 4

Library as Place

Create inviting, comfortable, safe, and enjoyable environments throughout the Library’s public spaces where people can explore the collections and engage in meaningful interactions.

INITIATIVE 5

Library Beyond Place

Bring new life to the Library of Virginia’s web presence, encompassing our services, collections, programs, and projects in ways that open our collections and expertise to our users, allowing them to learn, grow, question, and be active in their communities.

Challenges Opportunities

Our Vision

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

Our Mission

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.

Our Planning Process

When the Library and its consultant began developing a new strategic plan in the summer of 2018, we knew that inviting stakeholder participation would be crucial. In August and September, we held six focus groups across the region to gather the insights of members of the library, genealogy, civic engagement, literary, and nonprofit communities along with representatives from state and local government. The participants discussed their connections to the Library, what they love about the work we do, and the opportunities they see for improving the organization. Within the same period, staff conversations encouraged all Library employees to brainstorm about what they thought the public wanted us to keep doing, do more of, or start doing.

Once themes emerged from these initial conversations, the Library hosted a daylong charrette to seek input from a wider portion of the public. After viewing displays and listening to presentations outlining the proposed areas of strategic focus, participants provided extensive feedback that we used to refine our direction. By early November, we pulled together staff from a variety of departments in order to look at areas such as collections and access from diverse perspectives and identify key projects and initiatives. In January 2019, work sessions allowed a second group of staff members to use their knowledge and expertise to develop the supporting strategies for implementing the initiatives.

People