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Brown Teacher Institute
Funded by the Anne & Ryland Brown Teacher Enrichment Fund, our Brown Teacher Institute is held at multiple locations each summer. During each two-day institute, Library of Virginia staff members and guest speakers offer tools, resources, and content to aid educators in the classroom. Teachers explore how to use primary sources to enhance student learning and discover new digital resources.
17th Annual Anne & Ryland Brown Teacher Institute
July 26–27, 2026 | Free | In-person
As part of the nationwide commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary, the Library of Virginia’s exhibition “Envisioning Revolution” (June 13–Dec. 31, 2026) will bring to life portraits of everyday Americans who petitioned their government, revealing how individuals have shaped the nation’s story. Building on this focus on historical personal narratives, the Library's 17th Annual Brown Teacher Institute will explore the power of archives in documenting the American experience, ensuring that voices are heard and histories are recorded. Emphasizing local and hidden histories, this institute will explore how to use primary sources to enhance student learning and connect curriculum to students’ communities.
The Library of Virginia will host the 17th Annual Brown Teacher Institute at the Roanoke Public Library's Main Branch.
Registration information and a detailed schedule will be announced soon.
Teachers must attend the entire institute to receive a professional development certificate. Participants will receive a $300 stipend.
Contact Anne McCrery at anne.mccrery@lva.virginia.gov or Catherine Fitzgerald Wyatt at catherine.fitzgeraldwyatt@lva.virginia.gov with any questions.
Ellen and Orran Brown endowed the Anne & Ryland Brown Teacher Enrichment Fund in 2009 in honor of his parents as a legacy to their lifelong belief in the power of education to improve an individual’s well being and that of his or her family. The Fund supports the Brown Teacher Institute and the Brown Teacher Fellowship programs.
The 2026 Brown Teacher Institute is made possible in part by Virginia Humanities and the Helen S. and Charles G. Patterson Jr. Charitable Foundation Trust.