The correspondence in this collection was sent to several secretaries of the Commonwealth serving as state librarian including William H. Richardson, George W. Munford, & J. M. Herndon. Correspondents include E.L. Carey & A. Hart, booksellers in Philadelphia; P.H. Nicklin & T. Johnson, booksellers in Philadelphia; John S. Meehan, Librarian of Congress; Henry S. Tanner, map maker; Francis H. Smith, Superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute; Peachy R. Grattan, author of Grattan's Virginia Reports; Alexandre Vattemare, Agent of the Commonwealth for International Literary Exchanges; and others. Noteworthy correspondence includes the following: Peter Cottom, bookseller & publisher in Richmond, re. a dispute with the State Librarian concerning the sale of Randolph's Reports (1838 Mar. 6); William Y. Sturman, Westmoreland County, re. the portrait of Lord Chatham hanging in the court room (1833 June 26); B. Shreve, Jr., re. the sale of Col. James Monroe's property including his library for the use of the state (1836 Mar. 18); William H. Cabell, Lewisburg, re. the purchase of books for the library of the Court of Appeals (1836 July 21); John S. Meehan, Librarian of Congress, re. the purchase of "Warden's Biblioteca America" (1837 May 18); John S. Meehan re. journals of the House & Senate of Virginia (1837 June 21); Henry S. Tanner, Philadelphia, re. orders from the King of France for a map of Virginia (1838 Dec. 17 & 26); Francis H. Smith, Superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute, re. common schools (1843 Dec. 29); B.W. Leigh, Richmond, re. payment for his reports which were appropriated by the Legislature on 26 March 1842 (1843 Jan. 17); William H. Richardson to Alexandre Vattemare re. the exchange of publications (1845 Aug.); Peachy R. Gratton re. copyright of the Virginia Reports owned by the state (1845 June 4); Alexandre Vattemare, Paris, re. the transfer of documents & maps (1846 Nov. 30);William Y. Sturman, Clerk of Westmoreland County, re. the portrait of Lord Chatham (1847 Dec. 21); Alexandre Vattemare, Richmond, encl. a list of the states & scientific establishments of Europe to exchange books, maps, etc., with Virginia (1848 Nov. 2); C. Crozet, Civil Engineer, re. a proposal to make a new map of Virginia (1849 Feb. 14); John S. Meehan, Librarian of congress, re. their classification system (1849 Feb. 20); Alexandre Vattemare, Paris, re. the forwarding of the national publication "La Galerie Nationale de Versailles" (1850 Dec. 26); Joseph Henry, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institute, encl. official acknowledgment of receipt of publications from the state of Virginia (1851 Feb. 25); Alexandre Vattemare, Paris, re. the transmission of a map of France & other publications (1851 June 27); C.C. Jewett, Librarian of the Smithsonian Institute, sending "Notices of Public Libraries in the U.S." (1851 July 9); Alexandre Vattemare, Paris, re. an appropriation of $300 for the support of the agency in Paris (1851 Aug. 27); Alexandre Vattemare, Paris, encl. a catalogue of works presented to Virginia by the French government (1851 Oct. 14); Governor Bringham Young, Utah Territory, acknowledging receipt of acts of the Assembly of Virginia (1853 Oct. 6); Lyman C. Draper, Madison, WI., re. the nomination of William H. Richardson as an honorary member of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin and requesting a set of Hening's Statutes at Large (1854 Mar. 4); Alexandre Vattemare, Paris, re. the exchange of publications from France (1854 June 10); John M. Seigfried to the Secretary of Virginia requesting signatures of Masonic autograph letters including George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Benjamin Harrison, & others (1855 Jan. 29); George W. Munford to John Seigfried, Easton, PA, re. sending him signatures of notable Virginians from old documents (1855 Mar. 16); John B. Floyd, Secretary of War, forwarding copies of the General Regulations of the Army for the Virginia milita (1857 May 12); George W. Munford, Secretary of the Commonwealth, to Alexandre Vattemare re. receipt of four parcels of seeds from France & grape cuttings from the vinyard of the Imperial Jardin Du Luxombourg (1859 Mar. 19); and Jacob Thompson, Secretary of the Interior, submitting copies of the laws of Congress (1859 May 25).

Additional noteworthy documents include the following: a report of the committee appointed to select a room for the Public Library & prepare rules (incl. rules & regulations of the Library) (1828 Nov. 4); a list of fines received from the commencement of the Library to 31 December 1829 (1829 Dec. 31); a catalogue of books to be purchased for the Virginia Library (1830); a report of the State Librarian suggesting creating agencies for the sale of books & maps belonging to the Library Fund (1830 Jan. 7); a statement that the Librarian should be constituted selling & purchasing agent and authorized to dispose of the books & maps constituting the Library Fund (1831); an agreement between William H. Richardson and Colin & Nowlan, printers, for copies of reports of the Court of Appeals & General Court by Peachy R. Gratton (1832 June 18); a petition of the New York Historical Society requesting copies of the laws of Virginia (1840 Dec. 1); a report of the Joint Committee of the Senate & House of Delegates appointed to examine the Library (1840 & 1841); a contract between William H. Richardson and Shepherd & Colin, printers, to print, bind, secure copyright, & deliver seven hundred copies of a volume of reports of the Court of Appeals (1842 Sept.,1844 Jan. 30, Nov. 1, & 1845 Nov. 1); a report of the Joint Committee of the Senate & House of Delegates appointed to examine the Library containing the 5th section of the act of February 1830 which placed the Library Fund under the control of the joint committee and made it their duty to receive the reports of the Librarian, examine & settle library accounts, and prescribe rules for the good order, preservation, & police of the library (1843); a report of William H. Richardson re. the sale at auction of various books & maps (1843 Mar. 3); a resolution of the General Court to remove the law books from the State Library to the State Courthouse or to provide a law library there (1847 Dec. 11); a catalogue of purchases (1847); a list of maps, books, engravings, etc., presented to the state of Virginia through Alexandre Vattemare (1848 Nov. & 1849); a resolution of the Joint Committee of the House & Senate that one of the alcoves in the gallery of the Library be set apart for the books which have been presented to the state of Virginia under the system of international exchanges originated by Alexandre Vattemare (1849 Feb. 16); a resolution of the Joint Committee of the House & Senate re. the accounts of the librarian & the necessity of enlarging the accommodations by removing the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth (1851); receipts of clerks of localities for copies of acts of the Legislature (1853); an agreement between George W. Munford, Secretary of the Commonwealth, & William F. Ritchie, Public Printer, to print, bind, secure copyright, & deliver one thousand copies of a volume of Reports of the Court of Appeals by Peachy R. Gratton (1853 Oct. 7); and a contract of William F. Ritchie, Public Printer, to print one thousand copies of volume 11 of the Court of Appeals by Peachy R. Gratton (1855 Apr. 10).

Arranged chronologically.

This collection contains the correspondence and subject files of the Librarian of Virginia. Included are correspondence, memoranda, notes, receipts, and vouchers.

Arranged alphabetically by folder title.

This collection contains invoices, receipts and notes, as well as inventories of government documents on hand at the State Library, which, were in turn sold or disbursed, including Henning's Statues at Large.

The guide has been arranged alphabetically by folder title.

This collection is comprised of reports, clippings, correspondence related to the State Library as well as materials related to the School Book Investigation which included an investigation into the acquisition of materials for the Travelling Library. This collection contains correspondence, reports and newsclippings related to the library and its activities. Included are a draft of an annual report, an inventory of the Archives Room (date unknown) as well as materials regarding some of the controversies that have surrounded the library. Included here are materials related to the loss of items in the collections (1912), the condition of the library building (1912), and the sale of collection materials (1895). It also contains correspondence, reports, newsclippings, and court transcripts relating to the School Book Investigation. The School Book Investigation focused on purchasing practices employed in the acquisition of textbooks and also books for the Travelling Library. Mr. J.P. Kennedy, State Librarian, was under investigation in this affair, and his correspondence with publishers is found in this series. Oversize materials may be found in Box 2.

The guide has been arranged alphabetically by folder title.

This collection contains the correspondence of the State Librarians, Henry R McIlwaine, Randolph W. Church, Donald R. Haynes, and Ella Gaines Yates, as well as, Assistant State Librarian, Wilmer Hall, Ray O. Hummel, and Nolan T. Yelich, and State Archivist Morgan P. Robinson, and Louis Manarin. Correspondents include but are not limited to; libraries, universities, patrons, state government, the American Library Association, the Virginia Library Association, the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Topics include; the audit of Lonesome Pine Regional Libraries, the establishment of the Virginia Center of the Book, the Colonial Records Project, Southeastern Library Network, State art collection, new library building plans, historical highway markers, Virginia Cavalcade and the Virginia State Library crisis. Included are building plans, surveys, newsletters, invitations, grants, calendars, reports, mass mailings and brochures.

The guide has been arranged alphabetically by folder title.

This collection contains correspondence to and from the State Librarians, John Pendleton Kennedy, Henry Read McIllwaine, and Wilmer L. Hall. Correspondents include but are not limited to Library of Congress, B.F. Stevens and Brown of London, England, churches, universities and libraries. Topics discussed are genealogical research, publications: "Bulletins," Executive Journals of Colonial Councils, Journal of the House of Burgesses, Letters of the Governor's, St. Peter's Parrish, and Senate Journals. Included are letters, memoranda, photocopies, proofs, and drafts.

Arranged alphabetically by folder title.

This collection contains correspondence to and from the State Librarians, John Pendleton Kennedy, Henry Read McIllwaine, Wilmer L. Hall, and Randolph W. Church. Correspondents include but are not limited to State Archivist Morgan P. Robinson, patrons, researchers, historical societies, social groups, state and federal agencies, universities, libraries, museums and vendors. Topics discussed are "Virginia Cavalcade," preservation, subscriptions, publications, and resolutions. Included are letters, invoices, invitations, memoranda, photographs, brochures, and "Thank You" notes. There are also copies of overdue book notices which were sent personaly by the state librarian. Box 92 folder 2 contains a letter from Carl E. Milliken, the executive secretary of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors Association, regarding a history of film writen by, Will H. Hays, President of the association, the book is still part of the circulating collection at the library. Box 101 folder 1 contains an invitation requesting the state librarian's prescence at Mary Baldwin college for the presidential vist of Dwight D. Eisenhower. The library also held a national contest, seeking a painter to produce a mural for the lobby of the state library, box 104 folder 14 contains the responses of solicited artists, among them are Leo Katz and Lee Woodward Zeigler. Box 130 folder 5 contains a letter from RKO studios inquiring about facts relating to Jefferson Davis for a picture they were working on which was set in Richmond durring the Civil War.

Arranged alphabetically by folder title, with general correspondence first, followed by more specific folders when applicable, there are some exceptions as original order has been maintained and inconsistencies exist in the filing. Correspondnece is alphabetized using surname of sender, institute of origin or location.

Accession 42652 consists of correspondence to and from the State Librarian and the State Library Board. The State Librarians addressed in this collection are: H. R. McIllwaine, Wilmer L. Hall, and Randolph W. Church, board members include: Pendleton, Powell, Roberson, Sale, Stuart, Tunstall (bulk), Tyler, Wilkerson, Williams, Wyatt.

This collection is arranged alphabetically by folder title.

Accession 28771 consists of correspondence to and from the State Librarian, the majority of which deals with federal programs which were designed to create employment durring the Great Depression, such as, the Work Projects Administration, Emergency Relief Administration, and the Federal Civil Works Administration. These programs funded projects which enabled Virginia libraries to catalog, index, repair, survey collections and create mobile libraries, or bookmobiles. Other files pertain to the conservation of food during World War One, the gift of John Stewart Bryan's private library (Bryan was the President of Richmond Newspaper, Inc.), the Commission on National Archives Survey, the International Congress of Archives, as well as, newspaper and microfilm holdings. The State Librarians addressed in this collection are: H. R. McIllwaine, Wilmer L. Hall, and Randolph W. Church.

This collection is arranged alphabetically by folder title, pages within folders are filed in reverse chronolgical order.

Box 1 contains the correspondence of State Librarian, Randolph W. Church in regard to the lamination of aging documents. Correspondents include by are not limited to; Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Bureau of Standards, and William "Bill" Barrow head of the conservation laboratory at the state library. The Virginia State Library, Library of Congress and National Bureau of Standards collaborated on developing a process to preserve aging documents by lamination. The lamination process consisted of pressing documents between two thin layers of cellulose acetate, which also contains stabilizers, plasticizer and impurities. This process was used on many documents at the state library as part of the Lamination Project. 1958-1959 contains many letters which discuss the debate as to the effectiveness and longevity of the lamination process, and by 1962 there were letters between Church and Barrow as to the cause of the odd acidic smell emitted by documents which had been laminated. Included are invoices, drafts, research reports, payment reciepts.

Box 2 contains the correspondence of State Librarian, Randolph W. Church relating to the 350th anniversary of the Jamestown Settlement. Correspondents include but are not limited to; Parke Rouse, Executive Director of the Virginia 350th Anniversary Commission, Francis L. Berkeley, Jr. curator of manuscripts at Alderman Library at the University of Virginia, George H. Reese, who aided in obtaining microfilm copies of colonial records held in British and French repositories, as well as, William J. Van Schreeven, chairman of the subcommittee on Colonial Records. Included are reports, agendas, plans, and memorandums.

Each box is arranged chronologically.

This collection contains correspondence of State Librarian, Randolph W. Church, and the architectural firm on Carneal and Johnson in regard to an addition to the library building the firm designed in 1938 at 1111 East Broad street. Included are proposals, memorandums, and letters.

Arranged chronologically.

This collection contains correspondence of State Librarian, Randolph W. Church, and Assistant Librarian, Ray O. Hummel, Jr. Correspondents include by are not limited to; state agencies, book sellers, publishers, patrons and other libraries. Topics discussed throughout are the Virginia Commission on Constitutional Government, Library Automation Research and Consulting Services, microfilming, collections, and Virginia publications. Included are invoices, order forms, and vendor brochures.

Arranged alphabetically by folder title.

This collection contains the correspondence of State Librarian, Randolph W. Church, and Assistant Librarian, Ray O. Hummel. Correspondents include but are not limited to; state and federal agencies, universities, libraries, patrons, genealogical societies, and the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries. Topics discussed are the "Virginia Cavalcade," federal funding for libraries, subscriptions, and surveys. Included are invitations, letters, newsletters, memoranda, and receipts.

Arranged alphabetically by folder title.

This collection contains the correspondence of State Librarian, Randolph W. Church, and Assistant Librarian, Ray O. Hummel. Correspondents include but are not limited to; state and federal agencies, universities, libraries, patrons, genealogical societies, Association of Southeastern Research Libraries, and the American Library Association. Topics discussed are the "Virginia Cavalcade," book assessments, the bookmobile program, subscriptions, Statistical surveys, cataloging, and copyright issues. Included are invitations, letters, newsletters, memoranda, and receipts.

Among Church's correspondence for 1971 were memoranda, drafts and transcripts regarding Governor Linwood Holton's conference on Public Library Service at the Richmond Convention Center 4 Oct 1971. The conference was designed to serve as a review of library services throughout the state and across all age groups, in addition to devising a strategy for the efficient dissemination of knowledge into the future. A Keynote address was given by Virginius Dabney, and State Library Board chairman, Mrs. Virginius R. Shackelford, presided over the events. Church was the mediator of a panel whose participants were made up of state librarians from New Jersey, North Carolina, and Ohio. Also in 1971 United States Senator, Harry F. Byrd, wrote to Church asking for his help on behalf of fellow Senator B. Everett Jordan and Mr. John C. Stargel in conducting genealogical research.

1972 saw the succession of Donald R. Haynes to the office of State Librarian, this same year the Virginia Library Association introduced their Reprint Project. The reprint Project offered Virginia state libraries the chance to own seventeen popular titles related to state history which had been out-of-print for many years. In 1973, George Bird Evans, sent the library three articles about, as well as, a photocopy of the original sheet music for the song "Dixie." Haynes solicited for the original to be gifted to the library, but the Evans family appears to have maintained possession.

Arranged chronologically, thereunder, alphabetically by folder title.

This collection contains the correspondence of the State Librarian, Donald R. Haynes, Assistant Librarian, Ray O. Hummel, and Director of Administrative Services, Nolan T. Yelich. Correspondents include but are not limited to; libraries, universities, patrons, state government, Library Advisory Committee, and historical societies. Topics discussed are; genealogy, higher education, and the "Virginia Cavalcade." Included are surveys, newsletters, and memorandums. Box 1 folder 2 contains a letter and article sent by Senator Byrd about a Virginia Book Collector.

Arranged alphabetically by folder title.

This collection contains the correspondence of the State Librarian, Donald R. Haynes and Nolan T. Yelich. Correspondents include but are not limited to; county libraries, universities, patrons, state and Federal government, the American Library Association, Association of Southeastern Research Libraries, Centeral Virginia Educational Television, and Virginia Library Association. Topics discussed are; the bicentennial of America, equipment purchases, and the "Virginia Cavalcade." Included are surveys, newsletters, thank you notes, invoices, and purchase orders.

Arranged alphabetically by folder title.

This collection contains the correspondence of the State Librarian, Donald R. Haynes. Correspondents include but are not limited to; libraries, universities, patrons, state government, the American Library Association, the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Included are surveys, newsletters, invitations, grants, calendars and purchase orders.

Arranged alphabetically by folder title.

This collection contains the correspondence of State Librarian, Donald R. Haynes, and Director of Administrative Service, Nolan T. Yelich. Correspondents include but are not limited to; state and federal agencies, donors, and social clubs. Topics discussed are; Virginia State Library publications, collections and policies. Included are; letters, memoranda, and invitations.

Arranged alphabetically by folder title.

This collection contains the correspondence of State Librarian, Donald R. Haynes, and Director of Administrative Service, Nolan T. Yelich. Correspondents include but are not limited to; mass mailing from state agencies, library associations, county libraries, National Commission on Libraries and Information Science, and U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Topics discussed are; Virginia State Library publications, and collections and policies. Included are: invoices, newsletters, memorandums, and invitations. Box 1 folder 1 and folder 11 contain letters from Mr. David Astor relating to the placement of the Sims' portrait of his mother Lady Nancy Witcher Langhorne Astor. Also included are research files for the guide, "Church Records in the Virginia State Library and Archives (1981)."

Arranged alphabetically by folder title.

This collection contains the correspondence of State Librarian, Donald R. Haynes, and Director of Administrative Service, Nolan T. Yelich. Correspondents include but are not limited to; state agencies, donors, associations, universities, public libraries, and the Virginia Historical Society. Topics discussed are; "Cavaliers and Pioneers" Project, Virginia State Library publications, library security, collections and genealogy. Included are; mass mailings, letters, memoranda, and invitations. Box 1 folder 21 contains a brightly illustrated letter of thanks and congratulations from author Tom Wolfe.

Arranged chronologically, thereunder alphabetically by folder title.

This collection contains the correspondence of State Librarian, Ella Gaines Yates and Nolan T. Yelich. Correspondents include but are not limited to; state and federal agencies, employees, museums, and libraries. Included are; agenda, minutes, reports, letters, and memorandums.

Arranged chronologically, thereunder alphabetically.

This collection contains the correspondence of State Librarian, Dr. John C. Tyson, along with minimal material from the previous State Librarian, Ella Gaines Yates. This collection also contains correspondence from State Archivist, Louis Manarin and Assistant State Librarian, Nolan T. Yelich. Correspondents include but are not limited to; state and federal agencies, donors, employees, museums, and library associations. Topics discussed are; replevin, funding, budgets, grant programs and services. Included are; newsletters, reports, letters, and memorandums.

This collection also contains information on the creation of a state wide network of library catalog databases, documentation includes; journal articles, bibliographic records, adaptation on MARC, studies on library automation, and newsletters from the National Commission on Libraries and Information Services. There is also correspondence related to the visit by Vice President Albert Gore during the Governor's Conference on Economic Development. Dr. Tyson's tenure as state librarian brought with it a commitment to African-American issues in the library field, education and throughout the state in general.

Box one contains general correspondence which is arranged chronologically, the remainder are arranged alphabetically by folder title.

This collection contains the correspondence of State Librarian, Dr. John C. Tyson. Correspondents include but are not limited to; state and federal agencies, donors, and library associations. Topics discussed are; Virginia State Library publications, collections and services. Included are; reports, letters, memorandums, and invitations.

Arranged using an internal filing system, grouped by corresondents or subjects.

This collection contains the correspondence of State Librarian, Nolan T. Yelich. Correspondents include but are not limited to; state and federal agencies, donors, and associations. Topics discussed are; Virginia State Library publications, collections and services. Included are; reports, letters, memorandums, and invitations.

Arranged using an internal filing system, grouped by corresondents or subjects.

This collection contains the correspondence of State Librarian, Nolan T. Yelich. Correspondents include but are not limited to; state and federal agencies, associations, and foundations. Topics discussed are; Virginia State Library funding, collections and services. Included are; reports, letters, memorandums, and invitations.

Arranged alphabetically by folder title, thereunder chronological.

This collection contains the correspondence of State Librarian, Nolan T. Yelich. Correspondents include but are not limited to; state and federal agencies, libraries, associations, and foundations. Topics discussed are; Virginia State Library funding, collections and services. Included are; reports, letters, memorandums, and invitations.

Arranged alphabetically by folder title.

This collection contains the correspondence of State Librarian, Nolan T. Yelich. Correspondents include but are not limited to; state and federal agencies, libraries, associations, and foundations. Topics discussed are; Virginia State Library funding, collections and services. Included are; reports, letters, memorandums, and invitations.

Arranged alphabetically by folder title.