Using the Collections
As the commonwealth's library at the seat of government and the state archives, the Library of Virginia's collections of books, periodicals, government publications, newspapers, architectural drawings and plans, manuscripts, archival records, maps, rare books, prints and photographs, and fine art are unsurpassed in depth and scope. These collections document the history, culture, and people of the commonwealth and are available on paper and microfilm, as well as digitally.
Start your Research!
By Topic
Guides and Indexes include bibliographies and descriptive research notes to our print, newspaper, manuscript, and archival collections. Created over many years by staff subject experts and continually updated and added to, these valuable research tools are arranged by topic.
African American and Native American resources
African American Church Histories at the Library of Virginia
African American Genealogical Research
African-American Newspapers Held at the Library of Virginia
Brown vs. Board of Education - Fifty Years: Selected Published Materials at the Library of Virginia
John Brown's Raid: Records and Resources at the Library of Virginia
Native American History Sources, Using
Native Americans: Archival Sources, Resources on
Slavery in Virginia
African American Genealogical Research
African-American Newspapers Held at the Library of Virginia
Brown vs. Board of Education - Fifty Years: Selected Published Materials at the Library of Virginia
John Brown's Raid: Records and Resources at the Library of Virginia
Native American History Sources, Using
Native Americans: Archival Sources, Resources on
Slavery in Virginia
Biographical and Genealogical
Biographical Research at the Library of Virginia: Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries
Blank Genealogy Chart
Dictionary of Virginia Biography
Family Coats of Arms, Index to Sources on
Genealogical Records at the Library of Virginia
Genealogists, Published Materials for
Genealogy - How To Begin
Historical Census Records, Using
Naturalizations, 1657-1776, Virginia
Naturalizations, 1776-1929, Virginia
Researching Virginia Authors
Sources on Patrick Henry at the Library of Virginia
The WPA Life Histories and other digital collections containing biographical information are available on Virginia Memory.
Blank Genealogy Chart
Dictionary of Virginia Biography
- A classified index to The Dictionary of Virginia Biography (DVB), the first scholarly, comprehensive biographical reference work on Virginia.
Family Coats of Arms, Index to Sources on
Genealogical Records at the Library of Virginia
Genealogists, Published Materials for
Genealogy - How To Begin
Historical Census Records, Using
Naturalizations, 1657-1776, Virginia
Naturalizations, 1776-1929, Virginia
Researching Virginia Authors
Sources on Patrick Henry at the Library of Virginia
The WPA Life Histories and other digital collections containing biographical information are available on Virginia Memory.
Births, Deaths, Marriages (Vital Records)
Birth and Marriage (Husband-Wife) Indexes
Birth, Marriage, and Death Registers
Bristol Church and Family Cemeteries Index
Death Certificates, 1912-1939
Death Index / Virginia (DIVA)
Henley Marriage and Obituary Index to Virginia Newspapers
Hollywood Cemetery: Selected Resources Available at the Library of Virginia
Marriage Index for Richmond Enquirer/Richmond Visitor
Marriage Records, Early Virginia
Marriage Records, Index to
Obituary Index for Richmond Enquirer/Richmond Visitor
Vital Statistics Records, Using
Wills and Administrations, Index to
See also County and City Research
- A guide to the Library's microfilm holdings of indexes to births (1853-1899) and marriages (1853-1935).
Birth, Marriage, and Death Registers
- A guide to the Library's microfilm holdings of state vital statistics: births (1853-1896), deaths (1853-1896), and marriages (1853-1935).
Bristol Church and Family Cemeteries Index
Death Certificates, 1912-1939
- A guide to the microfilm of the death certificates and related indexes for deaths in Virginia from 1912-1939.
Death Index / Virginia (DIVA)
Henley Marriage and Obituary Index to Virginia Newspapers
Hollywood Cemetery: Selected Resources Available at the Library of Virginia
Marriage Index for Richmond Enquirer/Richmond Visitor
Marriage Records, Early Virginia
Marriage Records, Index to
Obituary Index for Richmond Enquirer/Richmond Visitor
Vital Statistics Records, Using
Wills and Administrations, Index to
See also County and City Research
Business and Economics
Company History Sources, Virginia
Consumer Price Index (CPI), Cost-Of-Living and Inflation
Forecasts and Projections, Virginia
Key Virginia Business Sources
Occupational and Employment Information
Steps to Establish a Small Business in Virginia
Consumer Price Index (CPI), Cost-Of-Living and Inflation
Forecasts and Projections, Virginia
Key Virginia Business Sources
Occupational and Employment Information
Steps to Establish a Small Business in Virginia
County and City Research, including Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky
County and City Research in Virginia
Kentucky Records at the Library of Virginia
Virginia City Directories at the Library of Virginia
West Virginia Records at the Library of Virginia
See also Births, Deaths, Marriages
The Chancery Records Index, including digital images for many counties, is available on Virginia Memory.
Kentucky Records at the Library of Virginia
Virginia City Directories at the Library of Virginia
West Virginia Records at the Library of Virginia
See also Births, Deaths, Marriages
The Chancery Records Index, including digital images for many counties, is available on Virginia Memory.
General Reference
Government Information and Legal Resources
Executive Orders
Federal Documents Depository Program
Legal Resources, Virginia
Legislative History in Virginia
Virginia Government and State Agencies, How to Find Information on
Virginia Legislative and Administrative Sources, Selected
Virginia State Documents
Federal Documents Depository Program
Legal Resources, Virginia
Legislative History in Virginia
Virginia Government and State Agencies, How to Find Information on
Virginia Legislative and Administrative Sources, Selected
Virginia State Documents
- A list of publications currently available from Virginia state agencies
Historic Virginia Government Records
Clemency Records
Election Records: Presidential and Congressional Election Returns at the Library of Virginia
Election Records: Published Returns at the Library of Virginia
Election Returns: Gubernatorial and State Office Election Results at the Library of Virginia
Governor’s Records, 1776 - 1998, Using Virginia
Legislative Petitions Database
Legislative Petitions research note
Other topics that point to historic state government records include Births, Deaths, Marriages; Maps and Architecture, County and City Research, Virginia Land Office, and Tax Records.
Several Historic Virginia Government Records collections, such as the Governors' Letters Received, have been digitized and are available on Virginia Memory.
Election Records: Presidential and Congressional Election Returns at the Library of Virginia
Election Records: Published Returns at the Library of Virginia
Election Returns: Gubernatorial and State Office Election Results at the Library of Virginia
Governor’s Records, 1776 - 1998, Using Virginia
Legislative Petitions Database
Legislative Petitions research note
Other topics that point to historic state government records include Births, Deaths, Marriages; Maps and Architecture, County and City Research, Virginia Land Office, and Tax Records.
Several Historic Virginia Government Records collections, such as the Governors' Letters Received, have been digitized and are available on Virginia Memory.
Maps and Architecture
A Checklist of Architectural Books in the Special Collections of the Library of Virginia
Architectural Drawings and Plans at the Library of Virginia
Board of Public Works Inventory
From Williamsburg To Wills's Creek: The Fry-Jefferson Map of Virginia, its Predecessors and Derivatives
Internal Improvement Movement in Virginia: Early Canals, River Navigations, Roads, Turnpikes, Bridges, and Railroads
Landscape Architecture Resources at the Library of Virginia, Bibliography of
Map Books and Periodicals, Many of which Relate to Virginia, Selected Bibliography of
Map Collection in the Archives at the Library of Virginia, Using the
Map Collection Index
Mutual Assurance Society Records
Researching Virginia Place Names
Virginia Architecture
Virginia Capitol: An American Architectural Milestone
Virginia, Discovered and Described: John Smith’s Map of Virginia and Its Derivatives
Several of our map and architectural collections have been digitized and are available on Virginia Memory.
Architectural Drawings and Plans at the Library of Virginia
Board of Public Works Inventory
- A guide to the archival collection illustrating the development of Virginia's roads, canals and railroads during the nineteenth century.
From Williamsburg To Wills's Creek: The Fry-Jefferson Map of Virginia, its Predecessors and Derivatives
Internal Improvement Movement in Virginia: Early Canals, River Navigations, Roads, Turnpikes, Bridges, and Railroads
Landscape Architecture Resources at the Library of Virginia, Bibliography of
Map Books and Periodicals, Many of which Relate to Virginia, Selected Bibliography of
Map Collection in the Archives at the Library of Virginia, Using the
Map Collection Index
Mutual Assurance Society Records
Researching Virginia Place Names
Virginia Architecture
Virginia Capitol: An American Architectural Milestone
Virginia, Discovered and Described: John Smith’s Map of Virginia and Its Derivatives
Several of our map and architectural collections have been digitized and are available on Virginia Memory.
Military Service
Civil War Records, Using Virginia
Civil War Research Guide
Civil War Resources in the Personal Papers and Military Records Collections at the Library of Virginia, Selected
Confederate Navy Index
Confederate Rosters, Index to Virginia
Confederate Veteran Magazine, Index to
Culpeper County Classes, 1781
Dunmore's War (Virginia Payrolls/Public Service Claims, 1775)
Korean War 1950-1953+, Virginia's Participation in the
Mexican War Soldiers
Persian Gulf War 1990-1991, Virginia's Participation in the
Revolutionary War Land Office Military Certificates
Revolutionary War Public Service Claims
Revolutionary War Records, Using Virginia
Soldiers of the War of 1812
Spanish American War, 1898; the Philippine Insurrection, 1899—1901; and the China Relief Expedition, 1900—1901, Virginia’s Participation in the
Vietnam War 1961-1975, Virginia's Participation in the
Virginia Military Dead database
War of 1812 Pay Rolls and Muster Rolls, Index to
World War I, Virginia’s Participation in
Military Service collections with digital images, such as Revolutionary War and Confederate pensions, are available on Virginia Memory
See also Women's History for related materials.
Civil War Research Guide
Civil War Resources in the Personal Papers and Military Records Collections at the Library of Virginia, Selected
Confederate Navy Index
Confederate Rosters, Index to Virginia
Confederate Veteran Magazine, Index to
- A fully-searchable index to the personal names of Confederate soldiers as they appear in the Confederate Veteran magazine published between 1893 and 1932.
Culpeper County Classes, 1781
Dunmore's War (Virginia Payrolls/Public Service Claims, 1775)
Korean War 1950-1953+, Virginia's Participation in the
Mexican War Soldiers
Persian Gulf War 1990-1991, Virginia's Participation in the
Revolutionary War Land Office Military Certificates
Revolutionary War Public Service Claims
Revolutionary War Records, Using Virginia
Soldiers of the War of 1812
Spanish American War, 1898; the Philippine Insurrection, 1899—1901; and the China Relief Expedition, 1900—1901, Virginia’s Participation in the
Vietnam War 1961-1975, Virginia's Participation in the
Virginia Military Dead database
- An ongoing project indexing more than 744 sources and listing approximately 34,402 Virginians who have died in service.
War of 1812 Pay Rolls and Muster Rolls, Index to
World War I, Virginia’s Participation in
Military Service collections with digital images, such as Revolutionary War and Confederate pensions, are available on Virginia Memory
See also Women's History for related materials.
Newspapers and Magazines
Civilian Conservation Corps Camps Newspapers
Magazine Index: Selected Articles on Virginia 1900–1985
Newspaper Index: Richmond Times Dispatch, Richmond News Leader 1940's–1985
Newspaper research at the Library of Virginia
Newspapers in Virginia Bibliography
Petersburg Public Library Newspaper Index
Selected Indexing of Virginia Newspapers
Virginia Cavalcade
See Virginia Memory for related digital collections
See also African American and Native American Resources; Births, Deaths, and Marriages; Military Service; and Women's History for related materials.
- A list of newspaper titles published by Virginia's local Civilian Conservation Corps Camps during the New Deal.
Magazine Index: Selected Articles on Virginia 1900–1985
Newspaper Index: Richmond Times Dispatch, Richmond News Leader 1940's–1985
Newspaper research at the Library of Virginia
Newspapers in Virginia Bibliography
- A bibliography of American Newspapers cataloged and inventoried by the Virginia Newspaper Project.
Petersburg Public Library Newspaper Index
- A proper name and subject index covering more than 40 newspaper titles primarily published in Petersburg, Va., 1797-1877.
Selected Indexing of Virginia Newspapers
- This is a bibliography and guide to newspaper indexes in the collections of the Library of Virginia.
Virginia Cavalcade
- An author/subject index for 1951-2002 and the table of contents for all volumes.
See Virginia Memory for related digital collections
See also African American and Native American Resources; Births, Deaths, and Marriages; Military Service; and Women's History for related materials.
Tax Records
Colonial Tithables
Using Virginia Land Tax Records in the Archives at the Library of Virginia
Using Virginia Personal Property Tax Records in the Archives at the Library of Virginia
Virginia Land Tax Records on Microfilm
Virginia Personal Property Tax Records on Microfilm
See also County and City Research for other holdings related to Virginia, Kentucky, and West Virginia.
Using Virginia Land Tax Records in the Archives at the Library of Virginia
Using Virginia Personal Property Tax Records in the Archives at the Library of Virginia
Virginia Land Tax Records on Microfilm
- An index to city and county land tax records on microfilm.
Virginia Personal Property Tax Records on Microfilm
- An index to city and county personal property tax records on microfilm.
See also County and City Research for other holdings related to Virginia, Kentucky, and West Virginia.
Virginia History and Culture
Colonial Records Project, Virginia
Historic Virginia Documents on the Internet
Jamestown and Seventeenth-Century Colonial Virginia: A Selection of Readings and Web Sites
Jamestown in Historical Fiction
New Deal in Virginia, The
Organization Records at the Library of Virginia
Suggested Readings on Virginia History
Virginia History and Culture Resources on the Internet
Virginia, 1607-1622: Nonfiction and Historical Novels for Ages 5-15
The Virginia Historical Inventory (VHI), Colonial Records Project, and other digital collections are available on Virginia Memory.
- Research note explaining how to use the Virginia Colonial Records Project database.
Historic Virginia Documents on the Internet
Jamestown and Seventeenth-Century Colonial Virginia: A Selection of Readings and Web Sites
Jamestown in Historical Fiction
New Deal in Virginia, The
Organization Records at the Library of Virginia
Suggested Readings on Virginia History
Virginia History and Culture Resources on the Internet
- a collection of annotated links to sites outside the Library of Virginia
Virginia, 1607-1622: Nonfiction and Historical Novels for Ages 5-15
The Virginia Historical Inventory (VHI), Colonial Records Project, and other digital collections are available on Virginia Memory.
Virginia Land Office Patents and Grants
Land Office, Virginia
Northern Neck Land Proprietary Records
The Land Office Patents and Grants database is available on Virginia Memory.
Northern Neck Land Proprietary Records
- View the research note for more on searching and using the collection.
The Land Office Patents and Grants database is available on Virginia Memory.
Women's History
Virginia Women and the First World War
Virginia Women and the Second World War
Virginia Women: Resources in the Print Collection of the Library of Virginia
Women's History Resources in the Archives of the Library of Virginia, Using
Virginia Women and the Second World War
Virginia Women: Resources in the Print Collection of the Library of Virginia
Women's History Resources in the Archives of the Library of Virginia, Using
Databases and Reference eBooks are external resources to which the Library subscribes. They provide access to current and historical newspapers, magazines, and journals, as well as genealogical resources, historical maps, civil war records, encyclopedias and directories, and other general reference works. Users can access these resources while using the Library's wifi network (LVA-Guest). Many of them can also be accessed outside of the Library with the use of a Library of Virginia library card. When asked for a password, please enter your Library of Virginia card number.
Biographical and Genealogical
American Founding Era: Papers of George Washington
American Founding Era: Papers of James Madison
American Founding Era: Papers of Thomas Jefferson
AncestryInstitution.com (In Library Use Only)
Biography and Genealogy Master Index (In Library Use Only)
Heritage Quest
See also General Reference (Gale Virtual Reference Library).
- Provides the complete Papers released through 2009: the Colonial Series (1748-1775), Revolutionary War Series (1775-1779), Confederation Series (1784-1788), Presidential Series (1788-1794), Retirement Series (1797-1799) and the complete diaries.
American Founding Era: Papers of James Madison
- Contains all of the content of the print edition: the Congressional Series (1751-1801), Secretary of State Series (1801-1804), Presidential Series (1809-1813), and Retirement Series (1817-1820).
American Founding Era: Papers of Thomas Jefferson
- Brings together all 36 volumes of the Papers published through 2009 as well as the first 4 volumes of the Retirement Series (March 1809-April 1812).
AncestryInstitution.com (In Library Use Only)
- Access to thousands of databases which include census records, family trees, vital records, historical maps, immigration records, city directories, military records, and much more.
Biography and Genealogy Master Index (In Library Use Only)
- An index to reference works containing multiple biographies such as biographical dictionaries, who’s who publications, subject encyclopedias, literary criticism volumes, and works referring users to information found elsewhere.
Heritage Quest
- Access to all 1790-1930 U.S. federal censuses, local and family history books, primary-source documents, over 6,300 genealogy and history periodicals, and Freedman’s Bank Records (1865-1874) which are an excellent resource for African-American research.
See also General Reference (Gale Virtual Reference Library).
Business and Economics
Business Economics and Theory
Mergent Online
ReferenceUSA
Small Business Collection
See also General Reference (Gale Virtual Reference Library).
- With a strong emphasis on titles covered in the EconLit database, this collection provides academic journals and magazines focusing on topics in economics. Perfect for business classes, users will find more than 150 full-text journals to support their research.
Mergent Online
- U.S. and international company data including annual reports, stock prices, SEC filings, equity and industry reports, and company histories.
ReferenceUSA
- This resource contains detailed information on more than 14 million U.S. businesses and 89 million U.S. households.
Small Business Collection
- Perfect for business schools and entrepreneurs, this compilation provides insights, tips, strategies and success stories. Users will find over 280 subject-appropriate full-text periodicals.
See also General Reference (Gale Virtual Reference Library).
General Reference
eBook Collection (EBSCOhost)
Gale Directory Library
Gale Virtual Reference Library
Global Books in Print (In Library Use Only)
Oxford English Dictionary
Oxford Reference Online
See also Newspapers and Magazines (Gale Databases)
- A collection of over 16,000 general interest eBooks (fiction and non-fiction) in PDF format which can be viewed either on a computer or downloaded to an eReader. This is a collection of older works, rather than recent releases. It includes over 1400 general history texts, as well as Virginia-specific selections. There are also classics of literature, language study guides, titles for teens and children, and much more. Compatible eBook readers include the Barnes & Noble Nook and the Sony eReader. [Please note: eReader downloads are not available at this time, but soon will be.]
Gale Directory Library
- Includes the Encyclopedia of Associations (national and international organizations) and the Gale Directory of Publications and Broadcast Media. These texts cannot be checked out or downloaded to eBook readers.
Gale Virtual Reference Library
- The Gale Virtual Reference Library includes encyclopedias and specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research. These texts cannot be checked out or downloaded to eBook readers.
Global Books in Print (In Library Use Only)
- Allows users to locate any book, video, or audio book and determine if it is still being published.
Oxford English Dictionary
- Access to the 20-volume Second Edition and 3 Additions Series volumes, as well as OED’s historical thesaurus.
Oxford Reference Online
- Over 100 dictionary, language reference, and subject reference works, plus the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations.
See also Newspapers and Magazines (Gale Databases)
Government Information and Legal Resources
Proquest Congressional (In Library Use Only)
See also General Reference (Gale Virtual Reference Library).
- This database includes the U.S. Serial Set Digital Collection, the full text of all congressional publications from 1789-1969, as well as comprehensive indexing for published and unpublished hearings, and legislative history from 1970-present.
See also General Reference (Gale Virtual Reference Library).
Maps and Architecture
OldMaps.com
Sanborn Maps Geo Edition (1867-1970)
- Includes the most up-to-date information on the antique maps market, compiled from the offerings of hundreds of dealer and auction catalogs. The database currently contains over 80,000 entries, representing thousands of mapmakers, with new listings being routinely added as they become available.
Sanborn Maps Geo Edition (1867-1970)
- Historical Virginia fire insurance maps searchable by address or geographic coordinates. Allows maps from different years to be layered on top of each other and over modern street, satellite, and hybrid images.
Military Service
American Civil War Research Database
Military and Intelligence Database
- Provides military records for over 4 million soldiers and thousands of battles, together with 15,000 photographs, as well as critical statistics.
Military and Intelligence Database
- Over 500 titles and more than 7 million articles with links to related sources found in reference books, magazine and newswire articles.
Newspapers and Magazines
Access Newspaper Archive (In Library Use Only)
American Periodicals
Daily Press Digital Microfilm (2010-2012)
ERIC
Gale Databases
HarpWeek (1857-1912)
JSTOR (In Library Use Only)
Mid-Atlantic Newspapers
New York Times (1980-current)
Newspaper Source Plus
Norfolk Journal and Guide (1921-2003)
Proquest Civil War Era (1840-1865)
U.S. History
Washington Post (1877-1995)
Washington Post Digital Microfilm (2008-2012)
- A digital collection of select issues of more than 5,000 national, local, and foreign newspapers, with some content dating back to the 1700's. Virginia titles include the Bee (Danville, VA, 1922-1977); the Danville Register (1961-1977); the Daily News Record (Harrisonburg, VA, 1917; 1976-2009); the Progress Index (Petersburg, VA, 1953-1977); and the Winchester Star (1980-2009). Also includes Stars & Stripes (Pacific and European editions, 1948-1999).
American Periodicals
- Searchable digital images of over 1,100 periodicals that first began publishing between 1740 and 1900, including special interest and general magazines, literary and professional journals, children's and women's magazines, and many other historically-significant periodicals.
Daily Press Digital Microfilm (2010-2012)
- Complete issues of the newspaper (including images) which can be retrieved by date. Issues for 2012 will be added as they become available. Please note: The search function isn't operational and will always return a zero result.
ERIC
- ERIC (Education Resources Information Center) - World's largest digital library of education literature. Includes Proquest's enhanced indexing for tables and figures. Provides indexing (with some full text access) to journal articles, conferences, government documents, dissertations, reports, audiovisual media, bibliographies, directories, and books. Coverage: 1966-present.
Gale Databases
- A one-stop source for articles on many topics: business, computers, current events, economics, education, environmental issues, health care, hobbies, humanities, law, literature & art, politics, science, social science, sports, technology, and others.
HarpWeek (1857-1912)
- A fully-indexed and keyword searchable electronic archive of the news and literary journal Harper's Weekly.
JSTOR (In Library Use Only)
- Full-text archives of over 1,000 leading academic journals across the humanities, social sciences, and sciences, as well as select monographs and other materials valuable for academic work.
Mid-Atlantic Newspapers
- Provides full-text coverage for 12 regional newspapers including the Washington Post, Baltimore Sun, Progress-Index, Roanoke Times, and Virginian-Pilot.
New York Times (1980-current)
- Provides full-text coverage, including the New York Times Book Review and the New York Times Magazine (1997-current).
Newspaper Source Plus
- Provides full-text coverage for national and international newspapers, and radio/television program transcripts. Virginia content includes select current coverage for the Free Lance Star, Manassas Journal Messenger, Carroll News, and Virginia Gazette as well as historical coverage for the Richmond Times-Dispatch (1997-2009) and Daily Press (1997-2009) and additional titles.
Norfolk Journal and Guide (1921-2003)
- Provides full-text access with digital reproductions of pages.
Proquest Civil War Era (1840-1865)
- A digital collection that includes nearly 2,000 pamphlets and complete runs of eight newspaper titles (including Richmond’s Daily Dispatch from 14 January 1852 through 30 December 1865) which were specifically selected for the regional and diverse perspectives they offer.
U.S. History
- This collection provides coverage of the current thinking and events in U.S. History, as well as scholarly work being established in the field. This compilation of over 40 journals provides robust and balanced coverage of the field.
Washington Post (1877-1995)
- Provides full-text access with digital reproductions of pages.
Washington Post Digital Microfilm (2008-2012)
- Complete issues of the newspaper (including images) which can be retrieved by date. Issues for 2012 will be added as they become available. Please note: The search function isn't operational and will always return a zero result.
Student Resources
eLibrary
Junior Edition—K12
Kids InfoBits
Student Edition
- Full-text magazines, newspapers, pictures, maps, and TV & radio transcripts. Includes select coverage of the Daily Press, Roanoke Times & World News, Washington Post, and Washington Times.
Junior Edition—K12
- Designed for students in junior high & middle school, this resource gives access to indexed & full-text magazines, newspapers & reference books on current events, the arts, science, popular culture, health, people, government, history, sports & more.
Kids InfoBits
- A database developed especially for beginning researchers in Kindergarten through Grade 5. Features a developmentally appropriate, visually graphic interface & curriculum-related, age appropriate content from the best elementary reference sources.
Student Edition
- This database is designed for high-school students with access to a variety of indexed & full-text magazines, newspapers, podcasts, & reference books covering current events, the arts, science, pop culture, health, government, history, sports & more.
Women's History
Alphabetical
Alphabetical Listing of all of the guides, indexes and research databases.
A
A Checklist of Architectural Books in the Special Collections of the Library of Virginia
Access Newspaper Archive (In Library Use Only)
- A digital collection of select issues of more than 5,000 national, local, and foreign newspapers, with some content dating back to the 1700's. Virginia titles include the Bee (Danville, VA, 1922-1977); the Danville Register (1961-1977); the Daily News Record (Harrisonburg, VA, 1917; 1976-2009); the Progress Index (Petersburg, VA, 1953-1977); and the Winchester Star (1980-2009). Also includes Stars & Stripes (Pacific and European editions, 1948-1999).
African American Genealogical Research
African-American Newspapers Held at the Library of Virginia
American Civil War Research Database
- Provides military records for over 4 million soldiers and thousands of battles, together with 15,000 photographs, as well as critical statistics.
- Provides the complete Papers released through 2009: the Colonial Series (1748-1775), Revolutionary War Series (1775-1779), Confederation Series (1784-1788), Presidential Series (1788-1794), Retirement Series (1797-1799) and the complete diaries.
- Contains all of the content of the print edition: the Congressional Series (1751-1801), Secretary of State Series (1801-1804), Presidential Series (1809-1813), and Retirement Series (1817-1820).
- Brings together all 36 volumes of the Papers published through 2009 as well as the first 4 volumes of the Retirement Series (March 1809-April 1812).
- Searchable digital images of over 1,100 periodicals that first began publishing between 1740 and 1900, including special interest and general magazines, literary and professional journals, children's and women's magazines, and many other historically-significant periodicals.
- Access to thousands of databases which include census records, family trees, vital records, historical maps, immigration records, city directories, military records, and much more.
B
Best Sources for Virginia Research by Time Period
Biographical Research at the Library of Virginia: Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries
Biography and Genealogy Master Index (In Library Use Only)
- An index to reference works containing multiple biographies such as biographical dictionaries, who’s who publications, subject encyclopedias, literary criticism volumes, and works referring users to information found elsewhere.
- A guide to the Library's microfilm holdings of indexes to births (1853-1899) and marriages (1853-1935).
- A guide to the Library's microfilm holdings of state vital statistics: births (1853-1896), deaths (1853-1896), and marriages (1853-1935).
Board of Public Works Inventory
- A guide to the archival collection illustrating the development of Virginia's roads, canals and railroads during the nineteenth century.
Brown vs. Board of Education - Fifty Years: Selected Published Materials at the Library of Virginia
Brown, John (See John Brown's Raid)
Burned Jurisdiction Database
Business Economics and Theory
- With a strong emphasis on titles covered in the EconLit database, this collection provides academic journals and magazines focusing on topics in economics. Perfect for business classes, users will find more than 150 full-text journals to support their research.
C
Chancery Cases Research Note
- Describes these rich court records that often contain useful information for biographical, genealogical, and historical research. Chancery cases often address the division of estates, the dissolution of business partnerships, the resolution of land disputes, and divorce. The Chancery Records Index, including digital images for many counties, is available on Virginia Memory
Civil War Research Guide
Civil War Resources in the Personal Papers and Military Records Collections at the Library of Virginia, Selected
Civilian Conservation Corps Camps Newspapers
- A list of newspaper titles published by Virginia's local Civilian Conservation Corps Camps during the New Deal.
Colonial Records Project, Virginia
- Research note explaining how to use the Virginia Colonial Records Project database.
Company History Sources, Virginia
Confederate Navy Index
Confederate Rosters, Index to Virginia
Confederate Veteran Magazine, Index to
- A fully-searchable index to the personal names of Confederate soldiers as they appear in the Confederate Veteran magazine published between 1893 and 1932.
County and City Records at the Library of Virginia
County and City Records on Microfilm
County and City Research in Virginia
Culpeper County Classes, 1781
D
Daily Press Digital Microfilm (2010-2012)
- Complete issues of the newspaper (including images) which can be retrieved by date. Issues for 2012 will be added as they become available. Please note: The search function isn't operational and will always return a zero result.
- A guide to the microfilm of the death certificates and related indexes for deaths in Virginia from 1912-1939.
Dictionary of Virginia Biography
- A classified index to The Dictionary of Virginia Biography (DVB), the first scholarly, comprehensive biographical reference work on Virginia.
E
eBook Collection (EBSCOhost)
- A collection of over 16,000 general interest eBooks (fiction and non-fiction) in PDF format which can be viewed either on a computer or downloaded to an eReader. This is a collection of older works, rather than recent releases. It includes over 1400 general history texts, as well as Virginia-specific selections. There are also classics of literature, language study guides, titles for teens and children, and much more. Compatible eBook readers include the Barnes & Noble Nook and the Sony eReader. [Please note: eReader downloads are not available at this time, but soon will be.]
Election Records: Published Returns at the Library of Virginia
Election Returns: Gubernatorial and State Office Election Results at the Library of Virginia
eLibrary
- Full-text magazines, newspapers, pictures, maps, and TV & radio transcripts. Includes select coverage of the Daily Press, Roanoke Times & World News, Washington Post, and Washington Times.
- ERIC (Education Resources Information Center) - World's largest digital library of education literature. Includes Proquest's enhanced indexing for tables and figures. Provides indexing (with some full text access) to journal articles, conferences, government documents, dissertations, reports, audiovisual media, bibliographies, directories, and books. Coverage: 1966-present.
F
Family Coats of Arms, Index to Sources on
Federal Documents Depository Program
Forecasts and Projections, Virginia
From Williamsburg To Wills's Creek: The Fry-Jefferson Map of Virginia, its Predecessors and Derivatives
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Gale Databases
- A one-stop source for articles on many topics: business, computers, current events, economics, education, environmental issues, health care, hobbies, humanities, law, literature & art, politics, science, social science, sports, technology, and others.
- Includes the Encyclopedia of Associations (national and international organizations) and the Gale Directory of Publications and Broadcast Media. These texts cannot be checked out or downloaded to eBook readers.
- The Gale Virtual Reference Library includes encyclopedias and specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research. These texts cannot be checked out or downloaded to eBook readers.
Genealogists, Published Materials for
Genealogy - How To Begin
Global Books in Print (In Library Use Only)
- Allows users to locate any book, video, or audio book and determine if it is still being published.
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HarpWeek (1857-1912)
- A fully-indexed and keyword searchable electronic archive of the news and literary journal Harper's Weekly.
Henry, Patrick (See Sources on Patrick Henry at the Library of Virginia)
Heritage Quest
- Access to all 1790-1930 U.S. federal censuses, local and family history books, primary-source documents, over 6,300 genealogy and history periodicals, and Freedman’s Bank Records (1865-1874) which are an excellent resource for African-American research.
Historical Census Records, Using
Hollywood Cemetery: Selected Resources Available at the Library of Virginia
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Internal Improvement Movement in Virginia: Early Canals, River Navigations, Roads, Turnpikes, Bridges, and Railroads
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Jamestown and Seventeenth-Century Colonial Virginia: A Selection of Readings and Web Sites
Jamestown in Historical Fiction
Jefferson, Thomas (See American Founding Era: Papers of Thomas Jefferson)
John Brown's Raid: Records and Resources at the Library of Virginia
JSTOR (In Library Use Only)
- Full-text archives of over 1,000 leading academic journals across the humanities, social sciences, and sciences, as well as select monographs and other materials valuable for academic work.
- Offer a tremendous amount of research potential, providing a great deal of information concerning the activities and interests of the people who lived in the locality.
- Designed for students in junior high & middle school, this resource gives access to indexed & full-text magazines, newspapers & reference books on current events, the arts, science, popular culture, health, people, government, history, sports & more.
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Kentucky Records at the Library of Virginia
Key Virginia Business Sources
Kids InfoBits
- A database developed especially for beginning researchers in Kindergarten through Grade 5. Features a developmentally appropriate, visually graphic interface & curriculum-related, age appropriate content from the best elementary reference sources.
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Land Office, Virginia
Landscape Architecture Resources at the Library of Virginia, Bibliography of
Legal Resources, Virginia
Legislative History in Virginia
Legislative Petitions Database
Legislative Petitions research note
Lost Records Localities Database
Lost Records Localities: Counties & Cities with Missing Records
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Madison, James (See American Founding Era: Papers of James Madison)Magazine Index: Selected Articles on Virginia 1900–1985
Map Books and Periodicals, Many of which Relate to Virginia, Selected Bibliography of
Map Collection in the Archives at the Library of Virginia, Using the
Map Collection Index
Marriage Index for Richmond Enquirer/Richmond Visitor
Marriage Records, Early Virginia
Marriage Records, Index to
Mergent Online
- U.S. and international company data including annual reports, stock prices, SEC filings, equity and industry reports, and company histories.
Mid-Atlantic Newspapers
- Provides full-text coverage for 12 regional newspapers including the Washington Post, Baltimore Sun, Progress-Index, Roanoke Times, and Virginian-Pilot.
- Over 500 titles and more than 7 million articles with links to related sources found in reference books, magazine and newswire articles.
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Native American History Sources, Using
Native Americans: Archival Sources, Resources on
Naturalizations, 1657-1776, Virginia
Naturalizations, 1776-1929, Virginia
New Deal in Virginia, The
New York Times (1980-current)
- Provides full-text coverage, including the New York Times Book Review and the New York Times Magazine (1997-current).
Newspaper research at the Library of Virginia
Newspaper Source Plus
- Provides full-text coverage for national and international newspapers, and radio/television program transcripts. Virginia content includes select current coverage for the Free Lance Star, Manassas Journal Messenger, Carroll News, and Virginia Gazette as well as historical coverage for the Richmond Times-Dispatch (1997-2009) and Daily Press (1997-2009) and additional titles.
- A bibliography of American Newspapers cataloged and inventoried by the Virginia Newspaper Project.
- Provides full-text access with digital reproductions of pages.
- View the research note for more on searching and using the collection.
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Obituary Index for Richmond Enquirer/Richmond Visitor
Occupational and Employment Information
OldMaps.com
- Includes the most up-to-date information on the antique maps market, compiled from the offerings of hundreds of dealer and auction catalogs. The database currently contains over 80,000 entries, representing thousands of mapmakers, with new listings being routinely added as they become available.
Oxford English Dictionary
- Access to the 20-volume Second Edition and 3 Additions Series volumes, as well as OED’s historical thesaurus.
- Over 100 dictionary, language reference, and subject reference works, plus the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations.
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Persian Gulf War 1990-1991, Virginia's Participation in the
Petersburg Public Library Newspaper Index
- A proper name and subject index covering more than 40 newspaper titles primarily published in Petersburg, Va., 1797-1877.
- A digital collection that includes nearly 2,000 pamphlets and complete runs of eight newspaper titles (including Richmond’s Daily Dispatch from 14 January 1852 through 30 December 1865) which were specifically selected for the regional and diverse perspectives they offer.
- This database includes the U.S. Serial Set Digital Collection, the full text of all congressional publications from 1789-1969, as well as comprehensive indexing for published and unpublished hearings, and legislative history from 1970-present.
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ReferenceUSA
- This resource contains detailed information on more than 14 million U.S. businesses and 89 million U.S. households.
Researching Virginia Authors
Researching Virginia Place Names
Revolutionary War Land Office Military Certificates
Revolutionary War Public Service Claims
Revolutionary War Records, Using Virginia
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Sanborn Maps Geo Edition (1867-1970)
- Historical Virginia fire insurance maps searchable by address or geographic coordinates. Allows maps from different years to be layered on top of each other and over modern street, satellite, and hybrid images.
- This is a bibliography and guide to newspaper indexes in the collections of the Library of Virginia.
Small Business Collection
- Perfect for business schools and entrepreneurs, this compilation provides insights, tips, strategies and success stories. Users will find over 280 subject-appropriate full-text periodicals.
Sources on Patrick Henry at the Library of Virginia
Spanish American War, 1898; the Philippine Insurrection, 1899—1901; and the China Relief Expedition, 1900—1901, Virginia’s Participation in the
Steps to Establish a Small Business in Virginia
Student Edition
- This database is designed for high-school students with access to a variety of indexed & full-text magazines, newspapers, podcasts, & reference books covering current events, the arts, science, pop culture, health, government, history, sports & more.
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U.S. History
- This collection provides coverage of the current thinking and events in U.S. History, as well as scholarly work being established in the field. This compilation of over 40 journals provides robust and balanced coverage of the field.
Using Virginia Land Tax Records in the Archives at the Library of Virginia
Using Virginia Personal Property Tax Records in the Archives at the Library of Virginia
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Vietnam War 1961-1975, Virginia's Participation in the
Virginia Architecture
Virginia Capitol: An American Architectural Milestone
Virginia Cavalcade
- An author/subject index for 1951-2002 and the table of contents for all volumes.
Virginia Government and State Agencies, How to Find Information on
Virginia History and Culture Resources on the Internet
- a collection of annotated links to sites outside the Library of Virginia
- An index to city and county land tax records on microfilm.
Virginia Military Dead database
- An ongoing project indexing more than 744 sources and listing approximately 34,402 Virginians who have died in service.
- An index to city and county personal property tax records on microfilm.
- A list of publications currently available from Virginia state agencies
Virginia Women and the Second World War
Virginia Women: Resources in the Print Collection of the Library of Virginia
Virginia, 1607-1622: Nonfiction and Historical Novels for Ages 5-15
Virginia, Discovered and Described: John Smith’s Map of Virginia and Its Derivatives
Vital Statistics Records, Using
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War of 1812 Pay Rolls and Muster Rolls, Index to
Washington Post (1877-1995)
- Provides full-text access with digital reproductions of pages.
- Complete issues of the newspaper (including images) which can be retrieved by date. Issues for 2012 will be added as they become available. Please note: The search function isn't operational and will always return a zero result.
West Virginia Records at the Library of Virginia
Wills and Administrations, Index to
Women in History
- Over 300,000 journal articles on the history of women.
World War I, Virginia’s Participation in
WRVA Radio Collection
Library Catalog allows you to search our print, manuscript, and archival collections.
Virginia Memory is the new home of the Library's digital collections.
Additional Resources
What's New in the Collections highlights newly accessioned, recently processed, and notable materials added to the Library's collections.
Find It Virginia offers full text access to a variety of magazines, newspapers, encyclopedias, and other reference works. Requires use of a valid library card from a Virginia public library.
TumbleBookLibrary - The Library of Virginia has purchased the TumbleBookLibrary for use by Virginia’s public libraries. The TumbleBookLibrary is a collection of TumbleBooks, animated, talking picture books, suited for elementary school children. TumbleBooks are created from existing picture books, adding sound, animation, music and narration to create an electronic picture book... more information »
Virginia Public Library Directory
Local Historical Societies in Virginia
Virginia Heritage Project database of finding aids to manuscript and archival collections housed at a variety of Virginia institutions.
Professional researchers specializing in Virginia history and use of the Library's collections.
Government Information Online (GIO) - is a free national online information service supported by nearly thirty public, academic, and state libraries throughout the United States. Participating librarians specialize in finding government information sources of all kinds, and will try to answer your questions through chat or email.