{"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026view=compact","last":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026page=1\u0026view=compact"},"meta":{"pages":{"current_page":1,"next_page":null,"prev_page":null,"total_pages":1,"limit_value":10,"offset_value":0,"total_count":6,"first_page?":true,"last_page?":true}},"data":[{"id":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","type":"collection","attributes":{"title":"Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)","creator":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128#creator","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"Alexandria Library Company","label":"Creator"}},"abstract_or_scope":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128#abstract_or_scope","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"\u003cp\u003eThe collection consists of circulation, subscription, and financial ledgers, annual lecture series documents, catalogues, correspondence, and various organizational documents. Topics include: foundation of the Alexandria Library Company, its cycles of growth and decline reflecting the local economy; the formation of the local public library system; and the on-going activities of the Alexandria Library Company, most notably its lecture series.\u003c/p\u003e","label":"Abstract Or Scope"}},"breadcrumbs":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128#breadcrumbs","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":{"id":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","ead_ssi":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","_root_":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","_nest_parent_":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/oai/ALEX/repositories_2_resources_128.xml","aspace_url_ssi":"https://alexlibraryva.libraryhost.com/repositories/2/resources/128","title_ssm":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"title_tesim":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"unitdate_ssm":["1794-2007"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1794-2007"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["MS002","/repositories/2/resources/128"],"text":["MS002","/repositories/2/resources/128","Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)","Libraries -- Subscription Libraries","Lectures and Lecturing","Associations, institutions, etc","Public libraries.","In the 1780s, a discussion group of Alexandria gentlemen called \"The Society for the Promotion of Useful Knowledge\" was formed. In 1794, many of these same individuals gathered to form the nucleus of the Alexandria Library Company (ALC). The ALC was a subscription library modelled after the Philadelphia Library Company, which had also emerged from such a club. ","Society president Reverend John Muir became president of the ALC, a position he would hold for almost 20 years. Many of the library's founders are known to have been members of local Masonic lodges. Elisha Cullen Dick, who had succeeded George Washington as the leader of Lodge 22, was among the first directors of the ALC as well as the secretary of the earlier Society. The first Librarian was Edward Stabler, the proprietor of an apothecary shop. In 1796, Stabler was replaced by James Kennedy, who served as librarian until 1818. Overlaps and family links between the leadership of the library and other Alexandria institutions remained common over the next century and a half. ","For a time, the Alexandria Lyceum (founded in 1838) and the ALC shared a physical space as well as similar missions. The Alexandria Lyceum was founded as part of a national movement focused on educational lectures. The union between the two organizations was dissolved in 1844, but the library continued to rent space from the Lyceum. The library was later said to have been in a state of \"suspended animation\" from around 1846 to 1852. In 1852, a \"Young Men's\" group took over under the original charter, publishing a new catalog in 1856. The library continued to operate into the Civil War. It remained in the Lyceum but not without acrimony, which is evident in the Alexandria Gazette in 1860. ","In October 1867, an agreement was reached with what was variously referred to as the Alexandria Christian Association and the YMCA for assistance with running the library. The library separated from this organization during the early 1870s. By the second half of the 1870s, the library fell into a decline which the directors blamed on the lack of a published catalog. ","The first library catalog had been prepared by Kennedy in 1796 and published sometime thereafter. The earliest catalog of which there is an extant copy was published in 1801, followed by another in 1808 of which there are few traces. A more enduring catalog was created in 1815. The 1830s saw publication of a supplement to the 1815 catalog and the creation of a working catalog that would be used into the late 1840s. Normal circulation records end in April 1861 when the library was converted into a military hospital. There are stray entries in May and December before operations resumed on a limited basis in May 1862 and continued at least through that year. Over a thousand volumes were lost during the war. Due to the decline in usage in the 1870s, a new catalog was produced by librarian Emma J. Young in 1872 but never published. After two years with Young's catalog, another was commissioned from Dr. Theo West, which also went unpublished. As a stopgap, handwritten copies were used by patrons. In 1898, a new catalog was created which utilized a decimal system for the first time. The last published catalog was a supplement to the 1912 version. ","In the late 1870s, appeals were made to the men of Alexandria for support,. The directors met with another \"Young Men's Library Association\" in 1878 without success, records of operations stop after January 1880.","The Gazette reported in January 1881 that the books were now in the custody of the school board, whose membership included William F. Carne, a former library company director and the son of one its former presidents. In May 1887 it reported that Carne, as leader of the board's library committee, was inviting associations wishing to participate in re-opening the library to a meeting at the Peabody school building where the books were held, and explained that he had always intended a reading room to be opened to the public once space was freed up for that purpose.","In June 1887, the Gazette reported that the \"Reading Circle of Washington and Lee Schools\" organized by teachers two years prior and the YMCA would operate the free library during the summer, in the hope that in September \"an effort will be made, with a very fair prospect of success, to re-organize the Library Company.\" Gazette reports in 1890 and 1891 refer to continued efforts by Carne and others to \"re-open\" the library, and in 1892 being part of a \"committee on the project for a free public library,\" but they did not succeed.","In the decades after 1870s librarianship not only professionalized but underwent a rapid gender shift, and apart from the periods in which there was no librarian for financial reasons, no male librarians seem to have been employed until well into the 20th century. Women's library organizations had become common nationally, and along with the philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie played a major role in the growth of public libraries in America starting in the late 19th century.","In September 1897, the Alexandria Library Association led by Virginia Corse received custody of the books then in possession of the school board. With a modest donation from Carnegie, by 1898 the library was back in business, but as a subscription library, it would not become a free public library for almost 40 years. The new library needed a new librarian, and after one or two initial hires, the association found Alice Green (1865-1956), who would serve from 1902-1937 and in a lesser capacity into the mid-1940s. During this period, space for the library was rented from the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC).","The Depression brought financial hardship. As the crisis worsened in early 1931, the association had obtained $1,000 from the city council to form \"a nucleus for the establishment of a public library.\" Discussion of becoming a public library had been common since the 1920s, as the efforts of Carnegie and others had made them the norm nationally. Attempts were made to sell older books and hold fundraisers as subscription fees dried up. There was also a dispute with the UDC over a rent increase in 1933. The library was aided by the wealth of its members, including a $5,000 bequest in 1935 from its long-time treasurer, Margaret L. Smoot.","Members built political support both on the council and among the public in the mid-1930s and in 1937 it was agreed that a building would be constructed on the site of the old cemetery of the Society of Friends and that the city government would cover annual expenses of no more than $5,000 for the association to operate a free library. One member of the board would be appointed by the city. The new governing organization was rebranded the Alexandria Library Society.  Agreements were signed in January, and the library opened at the Kate Waller Barrett Branch's current location, 717 Queen Street.","Another change after 1937 was the gender composition of the leadership. Men served on the board of the new Society and played prominent roles after 1937. After 1948 they typically occupied the presidency of the organization. Most elections were unanimous, often with women casting most of the votes, but it ceased to be a women's organization. ","In 1945 a technicality in the Society's contract with the city was brought to the attention of the board. Namely that the $5,000 the city was obligated to provide each year was not the minimum but rather the maximum contribution, and that the higher appropriations it had been making were illegal. The city took this as an opportunity to demand a contract change beyond the funding formula. Although the men of the city council had representation on the board, the women of the Society were still ultimately running the library, and the Society was asked to allow a majority of the executive board to be appointed by the city, and a minority by the Society. That the city legally \"owned the building and all its contents\" so long as it paid $5,000 per year was also pointed out. The Alexandria Library Society signed the new contract, surrendering control of the library in November 1947. In its reduced role, the Society still elected members to the board and received reports from the librarian. It also retained independent funds that could be used for the benefit of the library. With the library now fully the city's responsibility, the membership was also able to more openly advocate for additional funding.","Another longstanding issue at the library was race. The president's 1928 annual report had endorsed becoming a \"free city library,\" but feared that becoming a Carnegie library \"would bring in some elements hitherto unknown and I think undesirable in our Library.\" In the 1930s the library association favored providing segregated facilities, but, after repeated meetings with the city council, failed to achieve even that modest goal. In the 13 March, 1939, minutes, the issue was revisited yet again, but without result. ","Four days later on 17 March 1939, Sergeant George Wilson was turned down for a library card because of his race and Samuel Tucker filed a civil rights lawsuit against the librarian on his behalf. Plans for a segregated facility were dusted off, and new staff was hired so that the librarian could focus on the controversy. On 21 August 1939, several black men organized by Tucker entered the library and followed Wilson's example, but after being refused, seated themselves in the library with books, beginning America's first library sit-in. It ended only after the city manager called the police, and all were arrested. The lawsuit was dismissed on technical grounds, but to prevent a new lawsuit the city approved the Robert H. Robinson branch, which opened in 1940. Tucker refused to accept a card there. ","A major issue in the early 1950s was the push to expand the overcrowded main library serving the white community. The white librarian at the time, who had been hired in a junior capacity during Tucker's campaign in 1939, suggested to the Society that the expansion could be an opportunity to integrate. In the midst of the debates over expansion and additional funding, an opportunity emerged to purchase a neighboring building on the corner of North Columbus and Queen, which was later demolished. This prompted a discussion about the Alexandria Library Society's connection to the original library company. It was decided to change the name from the \"Alexandria Library Society\" to the \"Alexandria Library Company,\" make the appropriate filings with the state government, and reinstate the 1799 charter, which would be revised by the legislature in the 1980s to help obtain tax-exempt status from the IRS.","This name change was completed at one of the company's most consequential meetings in February 1956. Every member was asked to sign their name in the minute book to signal their assent. A letter from a local civil rights activist questioning the legality of library segregation was also read, but deemed the province of the library board, which referred the matter back to the company whose reply is not preserved.","Member Mangum Weeks thereupon raised the question of the future role of the Library Company, and proposed resuming the tradition of annual lectures dating from the Lyceum period using funds from the newly instituted membership dues. This proposal was adopted, and preparing the annual lectures soon became a major focus of the Company. The Library Company continues to appoint members to the board of the Alexandria Library and hold its annual lecture series. It commissioned a new history of the library by William Seale in 2007, which can be found at the Local History and Special Collections Branch.","Chronological listings for both presidents of the board and librarians up to the modern day.","Presidents of the Library Company and Its Successors February 1794-February 1813 Rev. James Muir February 1813-February 1815 Hugh Smith February 1815-March 1824 John Roberts March 1824-February 1829 Hugh Smith February 1829-February 1835 John Richards February 1835-February 1840 John Roberts February 1840-1852 Elias Harrison 1852-February 1855 J. Louis Kinzer February 1855-September 1858 Francis Miller September 1858- February 1859 Richard L. Carne February 1859-September 1859 Caleb S. Hallowell September 1859-February 1860 William G. Cazenove February 1860-February 1870 Richard L. Carne February 1870-February 1873 K. Kemper February 1873-October 1873 Samuel H. Janney October 1873-February 1874 Sidney C. Neale February 1874-June 1879 Mercer Slaughter September 1897-October 1905 Virginia Corse July 1906-June 1925 Mrs. Samuel. L. Monroe October 1925-April 1930 Loula Smoot April 1930-November 1933 Mrs. Henry B. Soule, [Jessie E. Soule] December 1933-December 1934 Mary Lloyd December 1934-December 1936 Susan Thomson December 1936-November 1937 Mrs. Louis Scott November 1937-November 1944 Mrs. Curtis Backus November 1944-November 1946 Mrs. [Lawrence] Fawcett, [Mary Fawcett] November 1946-November 1947 Howard Worth Smith November 1947-October 1948 [Miss Anne] Lewis Jones October 1948-October 1949 Miss Horne October 1949-October 1950 Mr. Stanley King October 1950-December 1951 Mr. [Joseph] Crockett December 1951-February 1955 Mr. Robert Moncure February 1955-February 1957 Dr. [W. Bruce] Silcox February 1957-February 1959 Stanley King February 1959-February 1962 Mangum Weeks February 1962-February 1963 Richard Bales February 1963-February 1965 Donald King February 1965-February 1967 David Squires February 1967-February 1969 Howard Worth Smith Jr. February 1969-February 1971 William Francis Smith February 1971-February 1972 John T. Ticer February 1972-February 1974 David M. Abshire February 1974-February 1976 Mrs. Merill Beede February 1976-February 1978 Mrs. Douglas Lindsey February 1978-February 1980 Clarke T. Cooper Jr. February 1980-February 1982 William Seale February 1982-February 1983 Denys Peter Myers February 1983-February 1985 William B. Hurd February 1985-February 1986 George J. Stansfield February 1986-February 1987 Dr. Ernest A. Connally February 1987-February 1989 Dr. Wilton C. Corkern, Jr. February 1989-March 1991 James M. Lewis March 1991-March 1992 Mrs. Anne Smith Paul March 1992-March 1993 Richard R. G. Hobson March 1993-March 1995 Dabney Waring March 1995-March 1997 James R. Hobson March 1997-March 1998 Robert C. Reed March 1998-March 2000 Neil Horstman March 2000-March 2002 Carroll Johnson March 2002-March 2003 Thomas C. Brown Jr.","Librarians of Alexandria February 1794-February 1796 Edward Stabler February 1796-February 1818 James Kennedy February 1818-August 1826 William Cranch August 1826-October 1829 W. Samuel Mark October 1829-March 1845 George Drinker March 1845-September 1845 James M. Eaches September 1845-September 1852 C.F. Stuart September 1852-April 1853 H. W. P. Junius September 1852-April 1853 L.? Hunter November 1853 Office Abolished February 1854-October 1855 E. M.[Magruder?] Lowe October 1855-September 1858 Norval E. Foard September 1858-February 1859 S. Scott February 1859-September 1859 Edward R. Roxbury September 1859-February 1860 James A. Clarridge February 1860-April 1861 Charles R. Burgess (acting) April 1861-Unknown Edwin N. Wise March 1868 Wr. Bushby April 1870-May 1871 August Henning July 1871-March 1872 W. F. Stansbury March 1872-August 1873 Emma J. Young October 1873-March 1876 Emily English March 1876 Position Eliminated June 1879 R. Pendleton Bruin (unofficial? acting?) October 1900-October 1903 F. Olive Lyons October 1903-April 1937 (continued part-time, mentioned up to 1946) Alice Green April 1937-December 1938 Miss Beatrice Workman January 1939-January 1941 Katherine Scoggin (later Martyn) February 1941-June 1948 Bessie Watson July 1948-June 1969 (hired part-time October 1939, letter of resignation later that month) Ellen C. Burke July 1969-October 1992 (librarian from 1958) Jeanne G. Plitt","A reprocessing project begun in 2018 incorporated several boxes of previously unprocessed materials dating from the 1960s to the 2000s, with the bulk dating from after 1980. They included many short, overlapping sequences of correspondence, lecture, meeting, and member records which were merged into continuations of established series including primarily correspondence and lectures but also meetings and member correspondence. The \"subject files\" were added to the existing miscellaneous series. ","\nSeveral other changes were also made. A re-examination of the catalog, subscription, and circulation books was undertaken and most were renumbered, described, and relabeled based on primary source research. The 1794-1861 minute book that had been donated back in 1922 was also discovered misfiled in Ms 98 (which covers the library proper since 1937) and was returned to its original collection. Some letters found in minute books were moved to the correspondence series, and their original locations were bookmarked with acid free paper. Photocopies of catalogs were removed. ","The Alexandria Library Records (Ms 98) document the library as a separate institution from 1937 onward.","\nIt particularly complements this collection in its early decades through its administrative correspondence, board correspondence, minutes, annual reports, and organizational records, including contracts with the Alexandria Library Society.","\nThe minutes of the library's executive board (1938-1947) are included in the microfilm version of the library minute books 1794-1947.","Transcripts of library company lectures 2-18 are available in the library.","Lecture series : [transcripts of the audiotapes made of the scholars invited to speak at these annual lectures] Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #2 080 LEC 2 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #3 080 LEC 3 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #4 080 LEC 4 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #5 080 LEC 5 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #6 080 LEC 6 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #7 080 LEC 7 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #8 080 LEC 8 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #9 080 LEC 9 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #10 080 LEC 10 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #11 080 LEC 11 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #12 080 LEC 12 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #13 080 LEC 13 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #14 080 LEC 14 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #15 080 LEC 15 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #16 080 LEC 16 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #17 080 LEC 17 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #18 080 LEC 18","The collection consists of circulation, subscription, and financial ledgers, annual lecture series documents, catalogues, correspondence, and various organizational documents. Topics include: foundation of the\nAlexandria Library Company, its cycles of growth and decline reflecting the local economy; the formation of the local public library system; and the on-going activities of the Alexandria Library Company, most notably its lecture series.","Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library","Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)","Alexandria Library (Alexandria, Va.)","English"],"unitid_tesim":["MS002","/repositories/2/resources/128"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"collection_title_tesim":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"collection_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"repository_ssm":["Alexandria Library"],"repository_ssim":["Alexandria Library"],"geogname_ssm":["Libraries -- Subscription Libraries","Lectures and Lecturing","Associations, institutions, etc"],"geogname_ssim":["Libraries -- Subscription Libraries","Lectures and Lecturing","Associations, institutions, etc"],"creator_ssm":["Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)"],"creator_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)"],"creator_corpname_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)"],"creators_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)"],"places_ssim":["Libraries -- Subscription Libraries","Lectures and Lecturing","Associations, institutions, etc"],"access_subjects_ssim":["Public libraries."],"access_subjects_ssm":["Public libraries."],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"extent_ssm":["8.10 Cubic Feet 13 boxes, 2 oversize boxes, 1 record carton"],"extent_tesim":["8.10 Cubic Feet 13 boxes, 2 oversize boxes, 1 record carton"],"date_range_isim":[1794,1795,1796,1797,1798,1799,1800,1801,1802,1803,1804,1805,1806,1807,1808,1809,1810,1811,1812,1813,1814,1815,1816,1817,1818,1819,1820,1821,1822,1823,1824,1825,1826,1827,1828,1829,1830,1831,1832,1833,1834,1835,1836,1837,1838,1839,1840,1841,1842,1843,1844,1845,1846,1847,1848,1849,1850,1851,1852,1853,1854,1855,1856,1857,1858,1859,1860,1861,1862,1863,1864,1865,1866,1867,1868,1869,1870,1871,1872,1873,1874,1875,1876,1877,1878,1879,1880,1881,1882,1883,1884,1885,1886,1887,1888,1889,1890,1891,1892,1893,1894,1895,1896,1897,1898,1899,1900,1901,1902,1903,1904,1905,1906,1907,1908,1909,1910,1911,1912,1913,1914,1915,1916,1917,1918,1919,1920,1921,1922,1923,1924,1925,1926,1927,1928,1929,1930,1931,1932,1933,1934,1935,1936,1937,1938,1939,1940,1941,1942,1943,1944,1945,1946,1947,1948,1949,1950,1951,1952,1953,1954,1955,1956,1957,1958,1959,1960,1961,1962,1963,1964,1965,1966,1967,1968,1969,1970,1971,1972,1973,1974,1975,1976,1977,1978,1979,1980,1981,1982,1983,1984,1985,1986,1987,1988,1989,1990,1991,1992,1993,1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000,2001,2002,2003,2004,2005,2006,2007],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Biographical / Historical","Presidents and Librarians of the Library"],"bioghist_tesim":["In the 1780s, a discussion group of Alexandria gentlemen called \"The Society for the Promotion of Useful Knowledge\" was formed. In 1794, many of these same individuals gathered to form the nucleus of the Alexandria Library Company (ALC). The ALC was a subscription library modelled after the Philadelphia Library Company, which had also emerged from such a club. ","Society president Reverend John Muir became president of the ALC, a position he would hold for almost 20 years. Many of the library's founders are known to have been members of local Masonic lodges. Elisha Cullen Dick, who had succeeded George Washington as the leader of Lodge 22, was among the first directors of the ALC as well as the secretary of the earlier Society. The first Librarian was Edward Stabler, the proprietor of an apothecary shop. In 1796, Stabler was replaced by James Kennedy, who served as librarian until 1818. Overlaps and family links between the leadership of the library and other Alexandria institutions remained common over the next century and a half. ","For a time, the Alexandria Lyceum (founded in 1838) and the ALC shared a physical space as well as similar missions. The Alexandria Lyceum was founded as part of a national movement focused on educational lectures. The union between the two organizations was dissolved in 1844, but the library continued to rent space from the Lyceum. The library was later said to have been in a state of \"suspended animation\" from around 1846 to 1852. In 1852, a \"Young Men's\" group took over under the original charter, publishing a new catalog in 1856. The library continued to operate into the Civil War. It remained in the Lyceum but not without acrimony, which is evident in the Alexandria Gazette in 1860. ","In October 1867, an agreement was reached with what was variously referred to as the Alexandria Christian Association and the YMCA for assistance with running the library. The library separated from this organization during the early 1870s. By the second half of the 1870s, the library fell into a decline which the directors blamed on the lack of a published catalog. ","The first library catalog had been prepared by Kennedy in 1796 and published sometime thereafter. The earliest catalog of which there is an extant copy was published in 1801, followed by another in 1808 of which there are few traces. A more enduring catalog was created in 1815. The 1830s saw publication of a supplement to the 1815 catalog and the creation of a working catalog that would be used into the late 1840s. Normal circulation records end in April 1861 when the library was converted into a military hospital. There are stray entries in May and December before operations resumed on a limited basis in May 1862 and continued at least through that year. Over a thousand volumes were lost during the war. Due to the decline in usage in the 1870s, a new catalog was produced by librarian Emma J. Young in 1872 but never published. After two years with Young's catalog, another was commissioned from Dr. Theo West, which also went unpublished. As a stopgap, handwritten copies were used by patrons. In 1898, a new catalog was created which utilized a decimal system for the first time. The last published catalog was a supplement to the 1912 version. ","In the late 1870s, appeals were made to the men of Alexandria for support,. The directors met with another \"Young Men's Library Association\" in 1878 without success, records of operations stop after January 1880.","The Gazette reported in January 1881 that the books were now in the custody of the school board, whose membership included William F. Carne, a former library company director and the son of one its former presidents. In May 1887 it reported that Carne, as leader of the board's library committee, was inviting associations wishing to participate in re-opening the library to a meeting at the Peabody school building where the books were held, and explained that he had always intended a reading room to be opened to the public once space was freed up for that purpose.","In June 1887, the Gazette reported that the \"Reading Circle of Washington and Lee Schools\" organized by teachers two years prior and the YMCA would operate the free library during the summer, in the hope that in September \"an effort will be made, with a very fair prospect of success, to re-organize the Library Company.\" Gazette reports in 1890 and 1891 refer to continued efforts by Carne and others to \"re-open\" the library, and in 1892 being part of a \"committee on the project for a free public library,\" but they did not succeed.","In the decades after 1870s librarianship not only professionalized but underwent a rapid gender shift, and apart from the periods in which there was no librarian for financial reasons, no male librarians seem to have been employed until well into the 20th century. Women's library organizations had become common nationally, and along with the philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie played a major role in the growth of public libraries in America starting in the late 19th century.","In September 1897, the Alexandria Library Association led by Virginia Corse received custody of the books then in possession of the school board. With a modest donation from Carnegie, by 1898 the library was back in business, but as a subscription library, it would not become a free public library for almost 40 years. The new library needed a new librarian, and after one or two initial hires, the association found Alice Green (1865-1956), who would serve from 1902-1937 and in a lesser capacity into the mid-1940s. During this period, space for the library was rented from the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC).","The Depression brought financial hardship. As the crisis worsened in early 1931, the association had obtained $1,000 from the city council to form \"a nucleus for the establishment of a public library.\" Discussion of becoming a public library had been common since the 1920s, as the efforts of Carnegie and others had made them the norm nationally. Attempts were made to sell older books and hold fundraisers as subscription fees dried up. There was also a dispute with the UDC over a rent increase in 1933. The library was aided by the wealth of its members, including a $5,000 bequest in 1935 from its long-time treasurer, Margaret L. Smoot.","Members built political support both on the council and among the public in the mid-1930s and in 1937 it was agreed that a building would be constructed on the site of the old cemetery of the Society of Friends and that the city government would cover annual expenses of no more than $5,000 for the association to operate a free library. One member of the board would be appointed by the city. The new governing organization was rebranded the Alexandria Library Society.  Agreements were signed in January, and the library opened at the Kate Waller Barrett Branch's current location, 717 Queen Street.","Another change after 1937 was the gender composition of the leadership. Men served on the board of the new Society and played prominent roles after 1937. After 1948 they typically occupied the presidency of the organization. Most elections were unanimous, often with women casting most of the votes, but it ceased to be a women's organization. ","In 1945 a technicality in the Society's contract with the city was brought to the attention of the board. Namely that the $5,000 the city was obligated to provide each year was not the minimum but rather the maximum contribution, and that the higher appropriations it had been making were illegal. The city took this as an opportunity to demand a contract change beyond the funding formula. Although the men of the city council had representation on the board, the women of the Society were still ultimately running the library, and the Society was asked to allow a majority of the executive board to be appointed by the city, and a minority by the Society. That the city legally \"owned the building and all its contents\" so long as it paid $5,000 per year was also pointed out. The Alexandria Library Society signed the new contract, surrendering control of the library in November 1947. In its reduced role, the Society still elected members to the board and received reports from the librarian. It also retained independent funds that could be used for the benefit of the library. With the library now fully the city's responsibility, the membership was also able to more openly advocate for additional funding.","Another longstanding issue at the library was race. The president's 1928 annual report had endorsed becoming a \"free city library,\" but feared that becoming a Carnegie library \"would bring in some elements hitherto unknown and I think undesirable in our Library.\" In the 1930s the library association favored providing segregated facilities, but, after repeated meetings with the city council, failed to achieve even that modest goal. In the 13 March, 1939, minutes, the issue was revisited yet again, but without result. ","Four days later on 17 March 1939, Sergeant George Wilson was turned down for a library card because of his race and Samuel Tucker filed a civil rights lawsuit against the librarian on his behalf. Plans for a segregated facility were dusted off, and new staff was hired so that the librarian could focus on the controversy. On 21 August 1939, several black men organized by Tucker entered the library and followed Wilson's example, but after being refused, seated themselves in the library with books, beginning America's first library sit-in. It ended only after the city manager called the police, and all were arrested. The lawsuit was dismissed on technical grounds, but to prevent a new lawsuit the city approved the Robert H. Robinson branch, which opened in 1940. Tucker refused to accept a card there. ","A major issue in the early 1950s was the push to expand the overcrowded main library serving the white community. The white librarian at the time, who had been hired in a junior capacity during Tucker's campaign in 1939, suggested to the Society that the expansion could be an opportunity to integrate. In the midst of the debates over expansion and additional funding, an opportunity emerged to purchase a neighboring building on the corner of North Columbus and Queen, which was later demolished. This prompted a discussion about the Alexandria Library Society's connection to the original library company. It was decided to change the name from the \"Alexandria Library Society\" to the \"Alexandria Library Company,\" make the appropriate filings with the state government, and reinstate the 1799 charter, which would be revised by the legislature in the 1980s to help obtain tax-exempt status from the IRS.","This name change was completed at one of the company's most consequential meetings in February 1956. Every member was asked to sign their name in the minute book to signal their assent. A letter from a local civil rights activist questioning the legality of library segregation was also read, but deemed the province of the library board, which referred the matter back to the company whose reply is not preserved.","Member Mangum Weeks thereupon raised the question of the future role of the Library Company, and proposed resuming the tradition of annual lectures dating from the Lyceum period using funds from the newly instituted membership dues. This proposal was adopted, and preparing the annual lectures soon became a major focus of the Company. The Library Company continues to appoint members to the board of the Alexandria Library and hold its annual lecture series. It commissioned a new history of the library by William Seale in 2007, which can be found at the Local History and Special Collections Branch.","Chronological listings for both presidents of the board and librarians up to the modern day.","Presidents of the Library Company and Its Successors February 1794-February 1813 Rev. James Muir February 1813-February 1815 Hugh Smith February 1815-March 1824 John Roberts March 1824-February 1829 Hugh Smith February 1829-February 1835 John Richards February 1835-February 1840 John Roberts February 1840-1852 Elias Harrison 1852-February 1855 J. Louis Kinzer February 1855-September 1858 Francis Miller September 1858- February 1859 Richard L. Carne February 1859-September 1859 Caleb S. Hallowell September 1859-February 1860 William G. Cazenove February 1860-February 1870 Richard L. Carne February 1870-February 1873 K. Kemper February 1873-October 1873 Samuel H. Janney October 1873-February 1874 Sidney C. Neale February 1874-June 1879 Mercer Slaughter September 1897-October 1905 Virginia Corse July 1906-June 1925 Mrs. Samuel. L. Monroe October 1925-April 1930 Loula Smoot April 1930-November 1933 Mrs. Henry B. Soule, [Jessie E. Soule] December 1933-December 1934 Mary Lloyd December 1934-December 1936 Susan Thomson December 1936-November 1937 Mrs. Louis Scott November 1937-November 1944 Mrs. Curtis Backus November 1944-November 1946 Mrs. [Lawrence] Fawcett, [Mary Fawcett] November 1946-November 1947 Howard Worth Smith November 1947-October 1948 [Miss Anne] Lewis Jones October 1948-October 1949 Miss Horne October 1949-October 1950 Mr. Stanley King October 1950-December 1951 Mr. [Joseph] Crockett December 1951-February 1955 Mr. Robert Moncure February 1955-February 1957 Dr. [W. Bruce] Silcox February 1957-February 1959 Stanley King February 1959-February 1962 Mangum Weeks February 1962-February 1963 Richard Bales February 1963-February 1965 Donald King February 1965-February 1967 David Squires February 1967-February 1969 Howard Worth Smith Jr. February 1969-February 1971 William Francis Smith February 1971-February 1972 John T. Ticer February 1972-February 1974 David M. Abshire February 1974-February 1976 Mrs. Merill Beede February 1976-February 1978 Mrs. Douglas Lindsey February 1978-February 1980 Clarke T. Cooper Jr. February 1980-February 1982 William Seale February 1982-February 1983 Denys Peter Myers February 1983-February 1985 William B. Hurd February 1985-February 1986 George J. Stansfield February 1986-February 1987 Dr. Ernest A. Connally February 1987-February 1989 Dr. Wilton C. Corkern, Jr. February 1989-March 1991 James M. Lewis March 1991-March 1992 Mrs. Anne Smith Paul March 1992-March 1993 Richard R. G. Hobson March 1993-March 1995 Dabney Waring March 1995-March 1997 James R. Hobson March 1997-March 1998 Robert C. Reed March 1998-March 2000 Neil Horstman March 2000-March 2002 Carroll Johnson March 2002-March 2003 Thomas C. Brown Jr.","Librarians of Alexandria February 1794-February 1796 Edward Stabler February 1796-February 1818 James Kennedy February 1818-August 1826 William Cranch August 1826-October 1829 W. Samuel Mark October 1829-March 1845 George Drinker March 1845-September 1845 James M. Eaches September 1845-September 1852 C.F. Stuart September 1852-April 1853 H. W. P. Junius September 1852-April 1853 L.? Hunter November 1853 Office Abolished February 1854-October 1855 E. M.[Magruder?] Lowe October 1855-September 1858 Norval E. Foard September 1858-February 1859 S. Scott February 1859-September 1859 Edward R. Roxbury September 1859-February 1860 James A. Clarridge February 1860-April 1861 Charles R. Burgess (acting) April 1861-Unknown Edwin N. Wise March 1868 Wr. Bushby April 1870-May 1871 August Henning July 1871-March 1872 W. F. Stansbury March 1872-August 1873 Emma J. Young October 1873-March 1876 Emily English March 1876 Position Eliminated June 1879 R. Pendleton Bruin (unofficial? acting?) October 1900-October 1903 F. Olive Lyons October 1903-April 1937 (continued part-time, mentioned up to 1946) Alice Green April 1937-December 1938 Miss Beatrice Workman January 1939-January 1941 Katherine Scoggin (later Martyn) February 1941-June 1948 Bessie Watson July 1948-June 1969 (hired part-time October 1939, letter of resignation later that month) Ellen C. Burke July 1969-October 1992 (librarian from 1958) Jeanne G. Plitt"],"otherfindaid_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://alexlibrary.access.preservica.com/archive/sdb%3Acollection|7a4491fe-5b8d-43e9-aa46-69ecce4c0734/\"\u003eClick to view digital materials in this collection\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e"],"otherfindaid_heading_ssm":["Digital Materials"],"otherfindaid_tesim":["Click to view digital materials in this collection"],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e[Item], Alexandria Library Company Records, MS002, Alexandria Library, Local History and Special Collections, Alexandria, Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e"],"prefercite_tesim":["[Item], Alexandria Library Company Records, MS002, Alexandria Library, Local History and Special Collections, Alexandria, Virginia."],"processinfo_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eA reprocessing project begun in 2018 incorporated several boxes of previously unprocessed materials dating from the 1960s to the 2000s, with the bulk dating from after 1980. They included many short, overlapping sequences of correspondence, lecture, meeting, and member records which were merged into continuations of established series including primarily correspondence and lectures but also meetings and member correspondence. The \"subject files\" were added to the existing miscellaneous series. \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nSeveral other changes were also made. A re-examination of the catalog, subscription, and circulation books was undertaken and most were renumbered, described, and relabeled based on primary source research. The 1794-1861 minute book that had been donated back in 1922 was also discovered misfiled in Ms 98 (which covers the library proper since 1937) and was returned to its original collection. Some letters found in minute books were moved to the correspondence series, and their original locations were bookmarked with acid free paper. Photocopies of catalogs were removed. \u003c/p\u003e"],"processinfo_heading_ssm":["Processing Information"],"processinfo_tesim":["A reprocessing project begun in 2018 incorporated several boxes of previously unprocessed materials dating from the 1960s to the 2000s, with the bulk dating from after 1980. They included many short, overlapping sequences of correspondence, lecture, meeting, and member records which were merged into continuations of established series including primarily correspondence and lectures but also meetings and member correspondence. The \"subject files\" were added to the existing miscellaneous series. ","\nSeveral other changes were also made. A re-examination of the catalog, subscription, and circulation books was undertaken and most were renumbered, described, and relabeled based on primary source research. The 1794-1861 minute book that had been donated back in 1922 was also discovered misfiled in Ms 98 (which covers the library proper since 1937) and was returned to its original collection. Some letters found in minute books were moved to the correspondence series, and their original locations were bookmarked with acid free paper. Photocopies of catalogs were removed. "],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThe Alexandria Library Records (Ms 98) document the library as a separate institution from 1937 onward.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003e\nIt particularly complements this collection in its early decades through its administrative correspondence, board correspondence, minutes, annual reports, and organizational records, including contracts with the Alexandria Library Society.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003e\nThe minutes of the library's executive board (1938-1947) are included in the microfilm version of the library minute books 1794-1947.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eTranscripts of library company lectures 2-18 are available in the library.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003clist type=\"deflist\"\u003e\n      \u003chead\u003eLecture series : [transcripts of the audiotapes made of the scholars invited to speak at these annual lectures]\u003c/head\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #2\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 2\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #3\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 3\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #4\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 4\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #5\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 5\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #6\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 6\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #7\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 7\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #8\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 8\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #9\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 9\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #10\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 10\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #11\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 11\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #12\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 12\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #13\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 13\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #14\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 14\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #15\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 15\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #16\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 16\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #17\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 17\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #18\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 18\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n    \u003c/list\u003e"],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related Materials"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["The Alexandria Library Records (Ms 98) document the library as a separate institution from 1937 onward.","\nIt particularly complements this collection in its early decades through its administrative correspondence, board correspondence, minutes, annual reports, and organizational records, including contracts with the Alexandria Library Society.","\nThe minutes of the library's executive board (1938-1947) are included in the microfilm version of the library minute books 1794-1947.","Transcripts of library company lectures 2-18 are available in the library.","Lecture series : [transcripts of the audiotapes made of the scholars invited to speak at these annual lectures] Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #2 080 LEC 2 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #3 080 LEC 3 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #4 080 LEC 4 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #5 080 LEC 5 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #6 080 LEC 6 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #7 080 LEC 7 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #8 080 LEC 8 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #9 080 LEC 9 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #10 080 LEC 10 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #11 080 LEC 11 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #12 080 LEC 12 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #13 080 LEC 13 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #14 080 LEC 14 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #15 080 LEC 15 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #16 080 LEC 16 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #17 080 LEC 17 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #18 080 LEC 18"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThe collection consists of circulation, subscription, and financial ledgers, annual lecture series documents, catalogues, correspondence, and various organizational documents. Topics include: foundation of the\nAlexandria Library Company, its cycles of growth and decline reflecting the local economy; the formation of the local public library system; and the on-going activities of the Alexandria Library Company, most notably its lecture series.\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Content Description"],"scopecontent_tesim":["The collection consists of circulation, subscription, and financial ledgers, annual lecture series documents, catalogues, correspondence, and various organizational documents. Topics include: foundation of the\nAlexandria Library Company, its cycles of growth and decline reflecting the local economy; the formation of the local public library system; and the on-going activities of the Alexandria Library Company, most notably its lecture series."],"names_coll_ssim":["Alexandria Library (Alexandria, Va.)"],"names_ssim":["Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library","Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)","Alexandria Library (Alexandria, Va.)"],"corpname_ssim":["Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library","Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)","Alexandria Library (Alexandria, Va.)"],"language_ssim":["English"],"descrules_ssm":["Describing Archives: A Content Standard"],"total_component_count_is":147,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-05-01T00:09:43.684Z","bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eIn the 1780s, a discussion group of Alexandria gentlemen called \"The Society for the Promotion of Useful Knowledge\" was formed. In 1794, many of these same individuals gathered to form the nucleus of the Alexandria Library Company (ALC). The ALC was a subscription library modelled after the Philadelphia Library Company, which had also emerged from such a club. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eSociety president Reverend John Muir became president of the ALC, a position he would hold for almost 20 years. Many of the library's founders are known to have been members of local Masonic lodges. Elisha Cullen Dick, who had succeeded George Washington as the leader of Lodge 22, was among the first directors of the ALC as well as the secretary of the earlier Society. The first Librarian was Edward Stabler, the proprietor of an apothecary shop. In 1796, Stabler was replaced by James Kennedy, who served as librarian until 1818. Overlaps and family links between the leadership of the library and other Alexandria institutions remained common over the next century and a half. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eFor a time, the Alexandria Lyceum (founded in 1838) and the ALC shared a physical space as well as similar missions. The Alexandria Lyceum was founded as part of a national movement focused on educational lectures. The union between the two organizations was dissolved in 1844, but the library continued to rent space from the Lyceum. The library was later said to have been in a state of \"suspended animation\" from around 1846 to 1852. In 1852, a \"Young Men's\" group took over under the original charter, publishing a new catalog in 1856. The library continued to operate into the Civil War. It remained in the Lyceum but not without acrimony, which is evident in the Alexandria Gazette in 1860. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn October 1867, an agreement was reached with what was variously referred to as the Alexandria Christian Association and the YMCA for assistance with running the library. The library separated from this organization during the early 1870s. By the second half of the 1870s, the library fell into a decline which the directors blamed on the lack of a published catalog. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eThe first library catalog had been prepared by Kennedy in 1796 and published sometime thereafter. The earliest catalog of which there is an extant copy was published in 1801, followed by another in 1808 of which there are few traces. A more enduring catalog was created in 1815. The 1830s saw publication of a supplement to the 1815 catalog and the creation of a working catalog that would be used into the late 1840s. Normal circulation records end in April 1861 when the library was converted into a military hospital. There are stray entries in May and December before operations resumed on a limited basis in May 1862 and continued at least through that year. Over a thousand volumes were lost during the war. Due to the decline in usage in the 1870s, a new catalog was produced by librarian Emma J. Young in 1872 but never published. After two years with Young's catalog, another was commissioned from Dr. Theo West, which also went unpublished. As a stopgap, handwritten copies were used by patrons. In 1898, a new catalog was created which utilized a decimal system for the first time. The last published catalog was a supplement to the 1912 version. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn the late 1870s, appeals were made to the men of Alexandria for support,. The directors met with another \"Young Men's Library Association\" in 1878 without success, records of operations stop after January 1880.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eThe Gazette reported in January 1881 that the books were now in the custody of the school board, whose membership included William F. Carne, a former library company director and the son of one its former presidents. In May 1887 it reported that Carne, as leader of the board's library committee, was inviting associations wishing to participate in re-opening the library to a meeting at the Peabody school building where the books were held, and explained that he had always intended a reading room to be opened to the public once space was freed up for that purpose.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn June 1887, the Gazette reported that the \"Reading Circle of Washington and Lee Schools\" organized by teachers two years prior and the YMCA would operate the free library during the summer, in the hope that in September \"an effort will be made, with a very fair prospect of success, to re-organize the Library Company.\" Gazette reports in 1890 and 1891 refer to continued efforts by Carne and others to \"re-open\" the library, and in 1892 being part of a \"committee on the project for a free public library,\" but they did not succeed.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn the decades after 1870s librarianship not only professionalized but underwent a rapid gender shift, and apart from the periods in which there was no librarian for financial reasons, no male librarians seem to have been employed until well into the 20th century. Women's library organizations had become common nationally, and along with the philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie played a major role in the growth of public libraries in America starting in the late 19th century.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn September 1897, the Alexandria Library Association led by Virginia Corse received custody of the books then in possession of the school board. With a modest donation from Carnegie, by 1898 the library was back in business, but as a subscription library, it would not become a free public library for almost 40 years. The new library needed a new librarian, and after one or two initial hires, the association found Alice Green (1865-1956), who would serve from 1902-1937 and in a lesser capacity into the mid-1940s. During this period, space for the library was rented from the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC).\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eThe Depression brought financial hardship. As the crisis worsened in early 1931, the association had obtained $1,000 from the city council to form \"a nucleus for the establishment of a public library.\" Discussion of becoming a public library had been common since the 1920s, as the efforts of Carnegie and others had made them the norm nationally. Attempts were made to sell older books and hold fundraisers as subscription fees dried up. There was also a dispute with the UDC over a rent increase in 1933. The library was aided by the wealth of its members, including a $5,000 bequest in 1935 from its long-time treasurer, Margaret L. Smoot.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eMembers built political support both on the council and among the public in the mid-1930s and in 1937 it was agreed that a building would be constructed on the site of the old cemetery of the Society of Friends and that the city government would cover annual expenses of no more than $5,000 for the association to operate a free library. One member of the board would be appointed by the city. The new governing organization was rebranded the Alexandria Library Society.  Agreements were signed in January, and the library opened at the Kate Waller Barrett Branch's current location, 717 Queen Street.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eAnother change after 1937 was the gender composition of the leadership. Men served on the board of the new Society and played prominent roles after 1937. After 1948 they typically occupied the presidency of the organization. Most elections were unanimous, often with women casting most of the votes, but it ceased to be a women's organization. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn 1945 a technicality in the Society's contract with the city was brought to the attention of the board. Namely that the $5,000 the city was obligated to provide each year was not the minimum but rather the maximum contribution, and that the higher appropriations it had been making were illegal. The city took this as an opportunity to demand a contract change beyond the funding formula. Although the men of the city council had representation on the board, the women of the Society were still ultimately running the library, and the Society was asked to allow a majority of the executive board to be appointed by the city, and a minority by the Society. That the city legally \"owned the building and all its contents\" so long as it paid $5,000 per year was also pointed out. The Alexandria Library Society signed the new contract, surrendering control of the library in November 1947. In its reduced role, the Society still elected members to the board and received reports from the librarian. It also retained independent funds that could be used for the benefit of the library. With the library now fully the city's responsibility, the membership was also able to more openly advocate for additional funding.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eAnother longstanding issue at the library was race. The president's 1928 annual report had endorsed becoming a \"free city library,\" but feared that becoming a Carnegie library \"would bring in some elements hitherto unknown and I think undesirable in our Library.\" In the 1930s the library association favored providing segregated facilities, but, after repeated meetings with the city council, failed to achieve even that modest goal. In the 13 March, 1939, minutes, the issue was revisited yet again, but without result. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eFour days later on 17 March 1939, Sergeant George Wilson was turned down for a library card because of his race and Samuel Tucker filed a civil rights lawsuit against the librarian on his behalf. Plans for a segregated facility were dusted off, and new staff was hired so that the librarian could focus on the controversy. On 21 August 1939, several black men organized by Tucker entered the library and followed Wilson's example, but after being refused, seated themselves in the library with books, beginning America's first library sit-in. It ended only after the city manager called the police, and all were arrested. The lawsuit was dismissed on technical grounds, but to prevent a new lawsuit the city approved the Robert H. Robinson branch, which opened in 1940. Tucker refused to accept a card there. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eA major issue in the early 1950s was the push to expand the overcrowded main library serving the white community. The white librarian at the time, who had been hired in a junior capacity during Tucker's campaign in 1939, suggested to the Society that the expansion could be an opportunity to integrate. In the midst of the debates over expansion and additional funding, an opportunity emerged to purchase a neighboring building on the corner of North Columbus and Queen, which was later demolished. This prompted a discussion about the Alexandria Library Society's connection to the original library company. It was decided to change the name from the \"Alexandria Library Society\" to the \"Alexandria Library Company,\" make the appropriate filings with the state government, and reinstate the 1799 charter, which would be revised by the legislature in the 1980s to help obtain tax-exempt status from the IRS.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eThis name change was completed at one of the company's most consequential meetings in February 1956. Every member was asked to sign their name in the minute book to signal their assent. A letter from a local civil rights activist questioning the legality of library segregation was also read, but deemed the province of the library board, which referred the matter back to the company whose reply is not preserved.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eMember Mangum Weeks thereupon raised the question of the future role of the Library Company, and proposed resuming the tradition of annual lectures dating from the Lyceum period using funds from the newly instituted membership dues. This proposal was adopted, and preparing the annual lectures soon became a major focus of the Company. The Library Company continues to appoint members to the board of the Alexandria Library and hold its annual lecture series. It commissioned a new history of the library by William Seale in 2007, which can be found at the Local History and Special Collections Branch.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eChronological listings for both presidents of the board and librarians up to the modern day.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003clist type=\"deflist\"\u003e\n      \u003chead\u003ePresidents of the Library Company and Its Successors\u003c/head\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1794-February 1813\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRev. James Muir\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1813-February 1815\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eHugh Smith\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1815-March 1824\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJohn Roberts\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1824-February 1829\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eHugh Smith\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1829-February 1835\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJohn Richards\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1835-February 1840\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJohn Roberts\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1840-1852\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eElias Harrison\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003e1852-February 1855\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJ. Louis Kinzer\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1855-September 1858\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eFrancis Miller\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1858- February 1859\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRichard L. Carne\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1859-September 1859\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eCaleb S. Hallowell\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1859-February 1860\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam G. Cazenove\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1860-February 1870\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRichard L. Carne\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1870-February 1873\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eK. Kemper\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1873-October 1873\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eSamuel H. Janney\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1873-February 1874\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eSidney C. Neale\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1874-June 1879\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMercer Slaughter\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1897-October 1905\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eVirginia Corse\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJuly 1906-June 1925\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Samuel. L. Monroe\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1925-April 1930\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eLoula Smoot\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eApril 1930-November 1933\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Henry B. Soule, [Jessie E. Soule]\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eDecember 1933-December 1934\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMary Lloyd\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eDecember 1934-December 1936\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eSusan Thomson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eDecember 1936-November 1937\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Louis Scott\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1937-November 1944\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Curtis Backus\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1944-November 1946\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. [Lawrence] Fawcett, [Mary Fawcett]\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1946-November 1947\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eHoward Worth Smith\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1947-October 1948\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e[Miss Anne] Lewis Jones\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1948-October 1949\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMiss Horne\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1949-October 1950\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMr. Stanley King\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1950-December 1951\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMr. [Joseph] Crockett\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eDecember 1951-February 1955\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMr. Robert Moncure\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1955-February 1957\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDr. [W. Bruce] Silcox\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1957-February 1959\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eStanley King\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1959-February 1962\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMangum Weeks\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1962-February 1963\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRichard Bales\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1963-February 1965\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDonald King\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1965-February 1967\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDavid Squires\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1967-February 1969\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eHoward Worth Smith Jr.\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1969-February 1971\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam Francis Smith\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1971-February 1972\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJohn T. Ticer\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1972-February 1974\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDavid M. Abshire\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1974-February 1976\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Merill Beede\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1976-February 1978\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Douglas Lindsey\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1978-February 1980\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eClarke T. Cooper Jr.\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1980-February 1982\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam Seale\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1982-February 1983\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDenys Peter Myers\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1983-February 1985\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam B. Hurd\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1985-February 1986\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eGeorge J. Stansfield\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1986-February 1987\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDr. Ernest A. Connally\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1987-February 1989\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDr. Wilton C. Corkern, Jr.\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1989-March 1991\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames M. Lewis\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1991-March 1992\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Anne Smith Paul\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1992-March 1993\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRichard R. G. Hobson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1993-March 1995\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDabney Waring\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1995-March 1997\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames R. Hobson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1997-March 1998\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRobert C. Reed\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1998-March 2000\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eNeil Horstman\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 2000-March 2002\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eCarroll Johnson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 2002-March 2003\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eThomas C. Brown Jr.\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n    \u003c/list\u003e","\u003clist type=\"deflist\"\u003e\n      \u003chead\u003eLibrarians of Alexandria\u003c/head\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1794-February 1796\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEdward Stabler\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1796-February 1818\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames Kennedy\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1818-August 1826\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam Cranch\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAugust 1826-October 1829\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eW. Samuel Mark\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1829-March 1845\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eGeorge Drinker\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1845-September 1845\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames M. Eaches\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1845-September 1852\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eC.F. Stuart\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1852-April 1853\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eH. W. P. Junius\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1852-April 1853\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eL.? Hunter\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1853\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eOffice Abolished\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1854-October 1855\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eE. M.[Magruder?] Lowe\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1855-September 1858\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eNorval E. Foard\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1858-February 1859\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eS. Scott\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1859-September 1859\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEdward R. Roxbury\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1859-February 1860\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames A. Clarridge\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1860-April 1861\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eCharles R. Burgess (acting)\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eApril 1861-Unknown\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEdwin N. Wise\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1868\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWr. Bushby\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eApril 1870-May 1871\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eAugust Henning\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJuly 1871-March 1872\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eW. F. Stansbury\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1872-August 1873\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEmma J. Young\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1873-March 1876\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEmily English\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1876\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003ePosition Eliminated\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJune 1879\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eR. Pendleton Bruin (unofficial? acting?)\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1900-October 1903\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eF. Olive Lyons\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1903-April 1937 (continued part-time, mentioned up to 1946)\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eAlice Green\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eApril 1937-December 1938\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMiss Beatrice Workman\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJanuary 1939-January 1941\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eKatherine Scoggin (later Martyn)\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1941-June 1948\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eBessie Watson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJuly 1948-June 1969 (hired part-time October 1939, letter of resignation later that month)\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEllen C. Burke\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJuly 1969-October 1992 (librarian from 1958)\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJeanne G. Plitt\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n    \u003c/list\u003e"],"collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","ead_ssi":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","_root_":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","_nest_parent_":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/oai/ALEX/repositories_2_resources_128.xml","aspace_url_ssi":"https://alexlibraryva.libraryhost.com/repositories/2/resources/128","title_ssm":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"title_tesim":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"unitdate_ssm":["1794-2007"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1794-2007"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["MS002","/repositories/2/resources/128"],"text":["MS002","/repositories/2/resources/128","Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)","Libraries -- Subscription Libraries","Lectures and Lecturing","Associations, institutions, etc","Public libraries.","In the 1780s, a discussion group of Alexandria gentlemen called \"The Society for the Promotion of Useful Knowledge\" was formed. In 1794, many of these same individuals gathered to form the nucleus of the Alexandria Library Company (ALC). The ALC was a subscription library modelled after the Philadelphia Library Company, which had also emerged from such a club. ","Society president Reverend John Muir became president of the ALC, a position he would hold for almost 20 years. Many of the library's founders are known to have been members of local Masonic lodges. Elisha Cullen Dick, who had succeeded George Washington as the leader of Lodge 22, was among the first directors of the ALC as well as the secretary of the earlier Society. The first Librarian was Edward Stabler, the proprietor of an apothecary shop. In 1796, Stabler was replaced by James Kennedy, who served as librarian until 1818. Overlaps and family links between the leadership of the library and other Alexandria institutions remained common over the next century and a half. ","For a time, the Alexandria Lyceum (founded in 1838) and the ALC shared a physical space as well as similar missions. The Alexandria Lyceum was founded as part of a national movement focused on educational lectures. The union between the two organizations was dissolved in 1844, but the library continued to rent space from the Lyceum. The library was later said to have been in a state of \"suspended animation\" from around 1846 to 1852. In 1852, a \"Young Men's\" group took over under the original charter, publishing a new catalog in 1856. The library continued to operate into the Civil War. It remained in the Lyceum but not without acrimony, which is evident in the Alexandria Gazette in 1860. ","In October 1867, an agreement was reached with what was variously referred to as the Alexandria Christian Association and the YMCA for assistance with running the library. The library separated from this organization during the early 1870s. By the second half of the 1870s, the library fell into a decline which the directors blamed on the lack of a published catalog. ","The first library catalog had been prepared by Kennedy in 1796 and published sometime thereafter. The earliest catalog of which there is an extant copy was published in 1801, followed by another in 1808 of which there are few traces. A more enduring catalog was created in 1815. The 1830s saw publication of a supplement to the 1815 catalog and the creation of a working catalog that would be used into the late 1840s. Normal circulation records end in April 1861 when the library was converted into a military hospital. There are stray entries in May and December before operations resumed on a limited basis in May 1862 and continued at least through that year. Over a thousand volumes were lost during the war. Due to the decline in usage in the 1870s, a new catalog was produced by librarian Emma J. Young in 1872 but never published. After two years with Young's catalog, another was commissioned from Dr. Theo West, which also went unpublished. As a stopgap, handwritten copies were used by patrons. In 1898, a new catalog was created which utilized a decimal system for the first time. The last published catalog was a supplement to the 1912 version. ","In the late 1870s, appeals were made to the men of Alexandria for support,. The directors met with another \"Young Men's Library Association\" in 1878 without success, records of operations stop after January 1880.","The Gazette reported in January 1881 that the books were now in the custody of the school board, whose membership included William F. Carne, a former library company director and the son of one its former presidents. In May 1887 it reported that Carne, as leader of the board's library committee, was inviting associations wishing to participate in re-opening the library to a meeting at the Peabody school building where the books were held, and explained that he had always intended a reading room to be opened to the public once space was freed up for that purpose.","In June 1887, the Gazette reported that the \"Reading Circle of Washington and Lee Schools\" organized by teachers two years prior and the YMCA would operate the free library during the summer, in the hope that in September \"an effort will be made, with a very fair prospect of success, to re-organize the Library Company.\" Gazette reports in 1890 and 1891 refer to continued efforts by Carne and others to \"re-open\" the library, and in 1892 being part of a \"committee on the project for a free public library,\" but they did not succeed.","In the decades after 1870s librarianship not only professionalized but underwent a rapid gender shift, and apart from the periods in which there was no librarian for financial reasons, no male librarians seem to have been employed until well into the 20th century. Women's library organizations had become common nationally, and along with the philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie played a major role in the growth of public libraries in America starting in the late 19th century.","In September 1897, the Alexandria Library Association led by Virginia Corse received custody of the books then in possession of the school board. With a modest donation from Carnegie, by 1898 the library was back in business, but as a subscription library, it would not become a free public library for almost 40 years. The new library needed a new librarian, and after one or two initial hires, the association found Alice Green (1865-1956), who would serve from 1902-1937 and in a lesser capacity into the mid-1940s. During this period, space for the library was rented from the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC).","The Depression brought financial hardship. As the crisis worsened in early 1931, the association had obtained $1,000 from the city council to form \"a nucleus for the establishment of a public library.\" Discussion of becoming a public library had been common since the 1920s, as the efforts of Carnegie and others had made them the norm nationally. Attempts were made to sell older books and hold fundraisers as subscription fees dried up. There was also a dispute with the UDC over a rent increase in 1933. The library was aided by the wealth of its members, including a $5,000 bequest in 1935 from its long-time treasurer, Margaret L. Smoot.","Members built political support both on the council and among the public in the mid-1930s and in 1937 it was agreed that a building would be constructed on the site of the old cemetery of the Society of Friends and that the city government would cover annual expenses of no more than $5,000 for the association to operate a free library. One member of the board would be appointed by the city. The new governing organization was rebranded the Alexandria Library Society.  Agreements were signed in January, and the library opened at the Kate Waller Barrett Branch's current location, 717 Queen Street.","Another change after 1937 was the gender composition of the leadership. Men served on the board of the new Society and played prominent roles after 1937. After 1948 they typically occupied the presidency of the organization. Most elections were unanimous, often with women casting most of the votes, but it ceased to be a women's organization. ","In 1945 a technicality in the Society's contract with the city was brought to the attention of the board. Namely that the $5,000 the city was obligated to provide each year was not the minimum but rather the maximum contribution, and that the higher appropriations it had been making were illegal. The city took this as an opportunity to demand a contract change beyond the funding formula. Although the men of the city council had representation on the board, the women of the Society were still ultimately running the library, and the Society was asked to allow a majority of the executive board to be appointed by the city, and a minority by the Society. That the city legally \"owned the building and all its contents\" so long as it paid $5,000 per year was also pointed out. The Alexandria Library Society signed the new contract, surrendering control of the library in November 1947. In its reduced role, the Society still elected members to the board and received reports from the librarian. It also retained independent funds that could be used for the benefit of the library. With the library now fully the city's responsibility, the membership was also able to more openly advocate for additional funding.","Another longstanding issue at the library was race. The president's 1928 annual report had endorsed becoming a \"free city library,\" but feared that becoming a Carnegie library \"would bring in some elements hitherto unknown and I think undesirable in our Library.\" In the 1930s the library association favored providing segregated facilities, but, after repeated meetings with the city council, failed to achieve even that modest goal. In the 13 March, 1939, minutes, the issue was revisited yet again, but without result. ","Four days later on 17 March 1939, Sergeant George Wilson was turned down for a library card because of his race and Samuel Tucker filed a civil rights lawsuit against the librarian on his behalf. Plans for a segregated facility were dusted off, and new staff was hired so that the librarian could focus on the controversy. On 21 August 1939, several black men organized by Tucker entered the library and followed Wilson's example, but after being refused, seated themselves in the library with books, beginning America's first library sit-in. It ended only after the city manager called the police, and all were arrested. The lawsuit was dismissed on technical grounds, but to prevent a new lawsuit the city approved the Robert H. Robinson branch, which opened in 1940. Tucker refused to accept a card there. ","A major issue in the early 1950s was the push to expand the overcrowded main library serving the white community. The white librarian at the time, who had been hired in a junior capacity during Tucker's campaign in 1939, suggested to the Society that the expansion could be an opportunity to integrate. In the midst of the debates over expansion and additional funding, an opportunity emerged to purchase a neighboring building on the corner of North Columbus and Queen, which was later demolished. This prompted a discussion about the Alexandria Library Society's connection to the original library company. It was decided to change the name from the \"Alexandria Library Society\" to the \"Alexandria Library Company,\" make the appropriate filings with the state government, and reinstate the 1799 charter, which would be revised by the legislature in the 1980s to help obtain tax-exempt status from the IRS.","This name change was completed at one of the company's most consequential meetings in February 1956. Every member was asked to sign their name in the minute book to signal their assent. A letter from a local civil rights activist questioning the legality of library segregation was also read, but deemed the province of the library board, which referred the matter back to the company whose reply is not preserved.","Member Mangum Weeks thereupon raised the question of the future role of the Library Company, and proposed resuming the tradition of annual lectures dating from the Lyceum period using funds from the newly instituted membership dues. This proposal was adopted, and preparing the annual lectures soon became a major focus of the Company. The Library Company continues to appoint members to the board of the Alexandria Library and hold its annual lecture series. It commissioned a new history of the library by William Seale in 2007, which can be found at the Local History and Special Collections Branch.","Chronological listings for both presidents of the board and librarians up to the modern day.","Presidents of the Library Company and Its Successors February 1794-February 1813 Rev. James Muir February 1813-February 1815 Hugh Smith February 1815-March 1824 John Roberts March 1824-February 1829 Hugh Smith February 1829-February 1835 John Richards February 1835-February 1840 John Roberts February 1840-1852 Elias Harrison 1852-February 1855 J. Louis Kinzer February 1855-September 1858 Francis Miller September 1858- February 1859 Richard L. Carne February 1859-September 1859 Caleb S. Hallowell September 1859-February 1860 William G. Cazenove February 1860-February 1870 Richard L. Carne February 1870-February 1873 K. Kemper February 1873-October 1873 Samuel H. Janney October 1873-February 1874 Sidney C. Neale February 1874-June 1879 Mercer Slaughter September 1897-October 1905 Virginia Corse July 1906-June 1925 Mrs. Samuel. L. Monroe October 1925-April 1930 Loula Smoot April 1930-November 1933 Mrs. Henry B. Soule, [Jessie E. Soule] December 1933-December 1934 Mary Lloyd December 1934-December 1936 Susan Thomson December 1936-November 1937 Mrs. Louis Scott November 1937-November 1944 Mrs. Curtis Backus November 1944-November 1946 Mrs. [Lawrence] Fawcett, [Mary Fawcett] November 1946-November 1947 Howard Worth Smith November 1947-October 1948 [Miss Anne] Lewis Jones October 1948-October 1949 Miss Horne October 1949-October 1950 Mr. Stanley King October 1950-December 1951 Mr. [Joseph] Crockett December 1951-February 1955 Mr. Robert Moncure February 1955-February 1957 Dr. [W. Bruce] Silcox February 1957-February 1959 Stanley King February 1959-February 1962 Mangum Weeks February 1962-February 1963 Richard Bales February 1963-February 1965 Donald King February 1965-February 1967 David Squires February 1967-February 1969 Howard Worth Smith Jr. February 1969-February 1971 William Francis Smith February 1971-February 1972 John T. Ticer February 1972-February 1974 David M. Abshire February 1974-February 1976 Mrs. Merill Beede February 1976-February 1978 Mrs. Douglas Lindsey February 1978-February 1980 Clarke T. Cooper Jr. February 1980-February 1982 William Seale February 1982-February 1983 Denys Peter Myers February 1983-February 1985 William B. Hurd February 1985-February 1986 George J. Stansfield February 1986-February 1987 Dr. Ernest A. Connally February 1987-February 1989 Dr. Wilton C. Corkern, Jr. February 1989-March 1991 James M. Lewis March 1991-March 1992 Mrs. Anne Smith Paul March 1992-March 1993 Richard R. G. Hobson March 1993-March 1995 Dabney Waring March 1995-March 1997 James R. Hobson March 1997-March 1998 Robert C. Reed March 1998-March 2000 Neil Horstman March 2000-March 2002 Carroll Johnson March 2002-March 2003 Thomas C. Brown Jr.","Librarians of Alexandria February 1794-February 1796 Edward Stabler February 1796-February 1818 James Kennedy February 1818-August 1826 William Cranch August 1826-October 1829 W. Samuel Mark October 1829-March 1845 George Drinker March 1845-September 1845 James M. Eaches September 1845-September 1852 C.F. Stuart September 1852-April 1853 H. W. P. Junius September 1852-April 1853 L.? Hunter November 1853 Office Abolished February 1854-October 1855 E. M.[Magruder?] Lowe October 1855-September 1858 Norval E. Foard September 1858-February 1859 S. Scott February 1859-September 1859 Edward R. Roxbury September 1859-February 1860 James A. Clarridge February 1860-April 1861 Charles R. Burgess (acting) April 1861-Unknown Edwin N. Wise March 1868 Wr. Bushby April 1870-May 1871 August Henning July 1871-March 1872 W. F. Stansbury March 1872-August 1873 Emma J. Young October 1873-March 1876 Emily English March 1876 Position Eliminated June 1879 R. Pendleton Bruin (unofficial? acting?) October 1900-October 1903 F. Olive Lyons October 1903-April 1937 (continued part-time, mentioned up to 1946) Alice Green April 1937-December 1938 Miss Beatrice Workman January 1939-January 1941 Katherine Scoggin (later Martyn) February 1941-June 1948 Bessie Watson July 1948-June 1969 (hired part-time October 1939, letter of resignation later that month) Ellen C. Burke July 1969-October 1992 (librarian from 1958) Jeanne G. Plitt","A reprocessing project begun in 2018 incorporated several boxes of previously unprocessed materials dating from the 1960s to the 2000s, with the bulk dating from after 1980. They included many short, overlapping sequences of correspondence, lecture, meeting, and member records which were merged into continuations of established series including primarily correspondence and lectures but also meetings and member correspondence. The \"subject files\" were added to the existing miscellaneous series. ","\nSeveral other changes were also made. A re-examination of the catalog, subscription, and circulation books was undertaken and most were renumbered, described, and relabeled based on primary source research. The 1794-1861 minute book that had been donated back in 1922 was also discovered misfiled in Ms 98 (which covers the library proper since 1937) and was returned to its original collection. Some letters found in minute books were moved to the correspondence series, and their original locations were bookmarked with acid free paper. Photocopies of catalogs were removed. ","The Alexandria Library Records (Ms 98) document the library as a separate institution from 1937 onward.","\nIt particularly complements this collection in its early decades through its administrative correspondence, board correspondence, minutes, annual reports, and organizational records, including contracts with the Alexandria Library Society.","\nThe minutes of the library's executive board (1938-1947) are included in the microfilm version of the library minute books 1794-1947.","Transcripts of library company lectures 2-18 are available in the library.","Lecture series : [transcripts of the audiotapes made of the scholars invited to speak at these annual lectures] Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #2 080 LEC 2 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #3 080 LEC 3 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #4 080 LEC 4 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #5 080 LEC 5 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #6 080 LEC 6 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #7 080 LEC 7 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #8 080 LEC 8 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #9 080 LEC 9 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #10 080 LEC 10 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #11 080 LEC 11 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #12 080 LEC 12 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #13 080 LEC 13 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #14 080 LEC 14 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #15 080 LEC 15 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #16 080 LEC 16 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #17 080 LEC 17 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #18 080 LEC 18","The collection consists of circulation, subscription, and financial ledgers, annual lecture series documents, catalogues, correspondence, and various organizational documents. Topics include: foundation of the\nAlexandria Library Company, its cycles of growth and decline reflecting the local economy; the formation of the local public library system; and the on-going activities of the Alexandria Library Company, most notably its lecture series.","Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library","Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)","Alexandria Library (Alexandria, Va.)","English"],"unitid_tesim":["MS002","/repositories/2/resources/128"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"collection_title_tesim":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"collection_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"repository_ssm":["Alexandria Library"],"repository_ssim":["Alexandria Library"],"geogname_ssm":["Libraries -- Subscription Libraries","Lectures and Lecturing","Associations, institutions, etc"],"geogname_ssim":["Libraries -- Subscription Libraries","Lectures and Lecturing","Associations, institutions, etc"],"creator_ssm":["Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)"],"creator_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)"],"creator_corpname_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)"],"creators_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)"],"places_ssim":["Libraries -- Subscription Libraries","Lectures and Lecturing","Associations, institutions, etc"],"access_subjects_ssim":["Public libraries."],"access_subjects_ssm":["Public libraries."],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"extent_ssm":["8.10 Cubic Feet 13 boxes, 2 oversize boxes, 1 record carton"],"extent_tesim":["8.10 Cubic Feet 13 boxes, 2 oversize boxes, 1 record carton"],"date_range_isim":[1794,1795,1796,1797,1798,1799,1800,1801,1802,1803,1804,1805,1806,1807,1808,1809,1810,1811,1812,1813,1814,1815,1816,1817,1818,1819,1820,1821,1822,1823,1824,1825,1826,1827,1828,1829,1830,1831,1832,1833,1834,1835,1836,1837,1838,1839,1840,1841,1842,1843,1844,1845,1846,1847,1848,1849,1850,1851,1852,1853,1854,1855,1856,1857,1858,1859,1860,1861,1862,1863,1864,1865,1866,1867,1868,1869,1870,1871,1872,1873,1874,1875,1876,1877,1878,1879,1880,1881,1882,1883,1884,1885,1886,1887,1888,1889,1890,1891,1892,1893,1894,1895,1896,1897,1898,1899,1900,1901,1902,1903,1904,1905,1906,1907,1908,1909,1910,1911,1912,1913,1914,1915,1916,1917,1918,1919,1920,1921,1922,1923,1924,1925,1926,1927,1928,1929,1930,1931,1932,1933,1934,1935,1936,1937,1938,1939,1940,1941,1942,1943,1944,1945,1946,1947,1948,1949,1950,1951,1952,1953,1954,1955,1956,1957,1958,1959,1960,1961,1962,1963,1964,1965,1966,1967,1968,1969,1970,1971,1972,1973,1974,1975,1976,1977,1978,1979,1980,1981,1982,1983,1984,1985,1986,1987,1988,1989,1990,1991,1992,1993,1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000,2001,2002,2003,2004,2005,2006,2007],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Biographical / Historical","Presidents and Librarians of the Library"],"bioghist_tesim":["In the 1780s, a discussion group of Alexandria gentlemen called \"The Society for the Promotion of Useful Knowledge\" was formed. In 1794, many of these same individuals gathered to form the nucleus of the Alexandria Library Company (ALC). The ALC was a subscription library modelled after the Philadelphia Library Company, which had also emerged from such a club. ","Society president Reverend John Muir became president of the ALC, a position he would hold for almost 20 years. Many of the library's founders are known to have been members of local Masonic lodges. Elisha Cullen Dick, who had succeeded George Washington as the leader of Lodge 22, was among the first directors of the ALC as well as the secretary of the earlier Society. The first Librarian was Edward Stabler, the proprietor of an apothecary shop. In 1796, Stabler was replaced by James Kennedy, who served as librarian until 1818. Overlaps and family links between the leadership of the library and other Alexandria institutions remained common over the next century and a half. ","For a time, the Alexandria Lyceum (founded in 1838) and the ALC shared a physical space as well as similar missions. The Alexandria Lyceum was founded as part of a national movement focused on educational lectures. The union between the two organizations was dissolved in 1844, but the library continued to rent space from the Lyceum. The library was later said to have been in a state of \"suspended animation\" from around 1846 to 1852. In 1852, a \"Young Men's\" group took over under the original charter, publishing a new catalog in 1856. The library continued to operate into the Civil War. It remained in the Lyceum but not without acrimony, which is evident in the Alexandria Gazette in 1860. ","In October 1867, an agreement was reached with what was variously referred to as the Alexandria Christian Association and the YMCA for assistance with running the library. The library separated from this organization during the early 1870s. By the second half of the 1870s, the library fell into a decline which the directors blamed on the lack of a published catalog. ","The first library catalog had been prepared by Kennedy in 1796 and published sometime thereafter. The earliest catalog of which there is an extant copy was published in 1801, followed by another in 1808 of which there are few traces. A more enduring catalog was created in 1815. The 1830s saw publication of a supplement to the 1815 catalog and the creation of a working catalog that would be used into the late 1840s. Normal circulation records end in April 1861 when the library was converted into a military hospital. There are stray entries in May and December before operations resumed on a limited basis in May 1862 and continued at least through that year. Over a thousand volumes were lost during the war. Due to the decline in usage in the 1870s, a new catalog was produced by librarian Emma J. Young in 1872 but never published. After two years with Young's catalog, another was commissioned from Dr. Theo West, which also went unpublished. As a stopgap, handwritten copies were used by patrons. In 1898, a new catalog was created which utilized a decimal system for the first time. The last published catalog was a supplement to the 1912 version. ","In the late 1870s, appeals were made to the men of Alexandria for support,. The directors met with another \"Young Men's Library Association\" in 1878 without success, records of operations stop after January 1880.","The Gazette reported in January 1881 that the books were now in the custody of the school board, whose membership included William F. Carne, a former library company director and the son of one its former presidents. In May 1887 it reported that Carne, as leader of the board's library committee, was inviting associations wishing to participate in re-opening the library to a meeting at the Peabody school building where the books were held, and explained that he had always intended a reading room to be opened to the public once space was freed up for that purpose.","In June 1887, the Gazette reported that the \"Reading Circle of Washington and Lee Schools\" organized by teachers two years prior and the YMCA would operate the free library during the summer, in the hope that in September \"an effort will be made, with a very fair prospect of success, to re-organize the Library Company.\" Gazette reports in 1890 and 1891 refer to continued efforts by Carne and others to \"re-open\" the library, and in 1892 being part of a \"committee on the project for a free public library,\" but they did not succeed.","In the decades after 1870s librarianship not only professionalized but underwent a rapid gender shift, and apart from the periods in which there was no librarian for financial reasons, no male librarians seem to have been employed until well into the 20th century. Women's library organizations had become common nationally, and along with the philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie played a major role in the growth of public libraries in America starting in the late 19th century.","In September 1897, the Alexandria Library Association led by Virginia Corse received custody of the books then in possession of the school board. With a modest donation from Carnegie, by 1898 the library was back in business, but as a subscription library, it would not become a free public library for almost 40 years. The new library needed a new librarian, and after one or two initial hires, the association found Alice Green (1865-1956), who would serve from 1902-1937 and in a lesser capacity into the mid-1940s. During this period, space for the library was rented from the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC).","The Depression brought financial hardship. As the crisis worsened in early 1931, the association had obtained $1,000 from the city council to form \"a nucleus for the establishment of a public library.\" Discussion of becoming a public library had been common since the 1920s, as the efforts of Carnegie and others had made them the norm nationally. Attempts were made to sell older books and hold fundraisers as subscription fees dried up. There was also a dispute with the UDC over a rent increase in 1933. The library was aided by the wealth of its members, including a $5,000 bequest in 1935 from its long-time treasurer, Margaret L. Smoot.","Members built political support both on the council and among the public in the mid-1930s and in 1937 it was agreed that a building would be constructed on the site of the old cemetery of the Society of Friends and that the city government would cover annual expenses of no more than $5,000 for the association to operate a free library. One member of the board would be appointed by the city. The new governing organization was rebranded the Alexandria Library Society.  Agreements were signed in January, and the library opened at the Kate Waller Barrett Branch's current location, 717 Queen Street.","Another change after 1937 was the gender composition of the leadership. Men served on the board of the new Society and played prominent roles after 1937. After 1948 they typically occupied the presidency of the organization. Most elections were unanimous, often with women casting most of the votes, but it ceased to be a women's organization. ","In 1945 a technicality in the Society's contract with the city was brought to the attention of the board. Namely that the $5,000 the city was obligated to provide each year was not the minimum but rather the maximum contribution, and that the higher appropriations it had been making were illegal. The city took this as an opportunity to demand a contract change beyond the funding formula. Although the men of the city council had representation on the board, the women of the Society were still ultimately running the library, and the Society was asked to allow a majority of the executive board to be appointed by the city, and a minority by the Society. That the city legally \"owned the building and all its contents\" so long as it paid $5,000 per year was also pointed out. The Alexandria Library Society signed the new contract, surrendering control of the library in November 1947. In its reduced role, the Society still elected members to the board and received reports from the librarian. It also retained independent funds that could be used for the benefit of the library. With the library now fully the city's responsibility, the membership was also able to more openly advocate for additional funding.","Another longstanding issue at the library was race. The president's 1928 annual report had endorsed becoming a \"free city library,\" but feared that becoming a Carnegie library \"would bring in some elements hitherto unknown and I think undesirable in our Library.\" In the 1930s the library association favored providing segregated facilities, but, after repeated meetings with the city council, failed to achieve even that modest goal. In the 13 March, 1939, minutes, the issue was revisited yet again, but without result. ","Four days later on 17 March 1939, Sergeant George Wilson was turned down for a library card because of his race and Samuel Tucker filed a civil rights lawsuit against the librarian on his behalf. Plans for a segregated facility were dusted off, and new staff was hired so that the librarian could focus on the controversy. On 21 August 1939, several black men organized by Tucker entered the library and followed Wilson's example, but after being refused, seated themselves in the library with books, beginning America's first library sit-in. It ended only after the city manager called the police, and all were arrested. The lawsuit was dismissed on technical grounds, but to prevent a new lawsuit the city approved the Robert H. Robinson branch, which opened in 1940. Tucker refused to accept a card there. ","A major issue in the early 1950s was the push to expand the overcrowded main library serving the white community. The white librarian at the time, who had been hired in a junior capacity during Tucker's campaign in 1939, suggested to the Society that the expansion could be an opportunity to integrate. In the midst of the debates over expansion and additional funding, an opportunity emerged to purchase a neighboring building on the corner of North Columbus and Queen, which was later demolished. This prompted a discussion about the Alexandria Library Society's connection to the original library company. It was decided to change the name from the \"Alexandria Library Society\" to the \"Alexandria Library Company,\" make the appropriate filings with the state government, and reinstate the 1799 charter, which would be revised by the legislature in the 1980s to help obtain tax-exempt status from the IRS.","This name change was completed at one of the company's most consequential meetings in February 1956. Every member was asked to sign their name in the minute book to signal their assent. A letter from a local civil rights activist questioning the legality of library segregation was also read, but deemed the province of the library board, which referred the matter back to the company whose reply is not preserved.","Member Mangum Weeks thereupon raised the question of the future role of the Library Company, and proposed resuming the tradition of annual lectures dating from the Lyceum period using funds from the newly instituted membership dues. This proposal was adopted, and preparing the annual lectures soon became a major focus of the Company. The Library Company continues to appoint members to the board of the Alexandria Library and hold its annual lecture series. It commissioned a new history of the library by William Seale in 2007, which can be found at the Local History and Special Collections Branch.","Chronological listings for both presidents of the board and librarians up to the modern day.","Presidents of the Library Company and Its Successors February 1794-February 1813 Rev. James Muir February 1813-February 1815 Hugh Smith February 1815-March 1824 John Roberts March 1824-February 1829 Hugh Smith February 1829-February 1835 John Richards February 1835-February 1840 John Roberts February 1840-1852 Elias Harrison 1852-February 1855 J. Louis Kinzer February 1855-September 1858 Francis Miller September 1858- February 1859 Richard L. Carne February 1859-September 1859 Caleb S. Hallowell September 1859-February 1860 William G. Cazenove February 1860-February 1870 Richard L. Carne February 1870-February 1873 K. Kemper February 1873-October 1873 Samuel H. Janney October 1873-February 1874 Sidney C. Neale February 1874-June 1879 Mercer Slaughter September 1897-October 1905 Virginia Corse July 1906-June 1925 Mrs. Samuel. L. Monroe October 1925-April 1930 Loula Smoot April 1930-November 1933 Mrs. Henry B. Soule, [Jessie E. Soule] December 1933-December 1934 Mary Lloyd December 1934-December 1936 Susan Thomson December 1936-November 1937 Mrs. Louis Scott November 1937-November 1944 Mrs. Curtis Backus November 1944-November 1946 Mrs. [Lawrence] Fawcett, [Mary Fawcett] November 1946-November 1947 Howard Worth Smith November 1947-October 1948 [Miss Anne] Lewis Jones October 1948-October 1949 Miss Horne October 1949-October 1950 Mr. Stanley King October 1950-December 1951 Mr. [Joseph] Crockett December 1951-February 1955 Mr. Robert Moncure February 1955-February 1957 Dr. [W. Bruce] Silcox February 1957-February 1959 Stanley King February 1959-February 1962 Mangum Weeks February 1962-February 1963 Richard Bales February 1963-February 1965 Donald King February 1965-February 1967 David Squires February 1967-February 1969 Howard Worth Smith Jr. February 1969-February 1971 William Francis Smith February 1971-February 1972 John T. Ticer February 1972-February 1974 David M. Abshire February 1974-February 1976 Mrs. Merill Beede February 1976-February 1978 Mrs. Douglas Lindsey February 1978-February 1980 Clarke T. Cooper Jr. February 1980-February 1982 William Seale February 1982-February 1983 Denys Peter Myers February 1983-February 1985 William B. Hurd February 1985-February 1986 George J. Stansfield February 1986-February 1987 Dr. Ernest A. Connally February 1987-February 1989 Dr. Wilton C. Corkern, Jr. February 1989-March 1991 James M. Lewis March 1991-March 1992 Mrs. Anne Smith Paul March 1992-March 1993 Richard R. G. Hobson March 1993-March 1995 Dabney Waring March 1995-March 1997 James R. Hobson March 1997-March 1998 Robert C. Reed March 1998-March 2000 Neil Horstman March 2000-March 2002 Carroll Johnson March 2002-March 2003 Thomas C. Brown Jr.","Librarians of Alexandria February 1794-February 1796 Edward Stabler February 1796-February 1818 James Kennedy February 1818-August 1826 William Cranch August 1826-October 1829 W. Samuel Mark October 1829-March 1845 George Drinker March 1845-September 1845 James M. Eaches September 1845-September 1852 C.F. Stuart September 1852-April 1853 H. W. P. Junius September 1852-April 1853 L.? Hunter November 1853 Office Abolished February 1854-October 1855 E. M.[Magruder?] Lowe October 1855-September 1858 Norval E. Foard September 1858-February 1859 S. Scott February 1859-September 1859 Edward R. Roxbury September 1859-February 1860 James A. Clarridge February 1860-April 1861 Charles R. Burgess (acting) April 1861-Unknown Edwin N. Wise March 1868 Wr. Bushby April 1870-May 1871 August Henning July 1871-March 1872 W. F. Stansbury March 1872-August 1873 Emma J. Young October 1873-March 1876 Emily English March 1876 Position Eliminated June 1879 R. Pendleton Bruin (unofficial? acting?) October 1900-October 1903 F. Olive Lyons October 1903-April 1937 (continued part-time, mentioned up to 1946) Alice Green April 1937-December 1938 Miss Beatrice Workman January 1939-January 1941 Katherine Scoggin (later Martyn) February 1941-June 1948 Bessie Watson July 1948-June 1969 (hired part-time October 1939, letter of resignation later that month) Ellen C. Burke July 1969-October 1992 (librarian from 1958) Jeanne G. Plitt"],"otherfindaid_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://alexlibrary.access.preservica.com/archive/sdb%3Acollection|7a4491fe-5b8d-43e9-aa46-69ecce4c0734/\"\u003eClick to view digital materials in this collection\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e"],"otherfindaid_heading_ssm":["Digital Materials"],"otherfindaid_tesim":["Click to view digital materials in this collection"],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e[Item], Alexandria Library Company Records, MS002, Alexandria Library, Local History and Special Collections, Alexandria, Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e"],"prefercite_tesim":["[Item], Alexandria Library Company Records, MS002, Alexandria Library, Local History and Special Collections, Alexandria, Virginia."],"processinfo_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eA reprocessing project begun in 2018 incorporated several boxes of previously unprocessed materials dating from the 1960s to the 2000s, with the bulk dating from after 1980. They included many short, overlapping sequences of correspondence, lecture, meeting, and member records which were merged into continuations of established series including primarily correspondence and lectures but also meetings and member correspondence. The \"subject files\" were added to the existing miscellaneous series. \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nSeveral other changes were also made. A re-examination of the catalog, subscription, and circulation books was undertaken and most were renumbered, described, and relabeled based on primary source research. The 1794-1861 minute book that had been donated back in 1922 was also discovered misfiled in Ms 98 (which covers the library proper since 1937) and was returned to its original collection. Some letters found in minute books were moved to the correspondence series, and their original locations were bookmarked with acid free paper. Photocopies of catalogs were removed. \u003c/p\u003e"],"processinfo_heading_ssm":["Processing Information"],"processinfo_tesim":["A reprocessing project begun in 2018 incorporated several boxes of previously unprocessed materials dating from the 1960s to the 2000s, with the bulk dating from after 1980. They included many short, overlapping sequences of correspondence, lecture, meeting, and member records which were merged into continuations of established series including primarily correspondence and lectures but also meetings and member correspondence. The \"subject files\" were added to the existing miscellaneous series. ","\nSeveral other changes were also made. A re-examination of the catalog, subscription, and circulation books was undertaken and most were renumbered, described, and relabeled based on primary source research. The 1794-1861 minute book that had been donated back in 1922 was also discovered misfiled in Ms 98 (which covers the library proper since 1937) and was returned to its original collection. Some letters found in minute books were moved to the correspondence series, and their original locations were bookmarked with acid free paper. Photocopies of catalogs were removed. "],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThe Alexandria Library Records (Ms 98) document the library as a separate institution from 1937 onward.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003e\nIt particularly complements this collection in its early decades through its administrative correspondence, board correspondence, minutes, annual reports, and organizational records, including contracts with the Alexandria Library Society.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003e\nThe minutes of the library's executive board (1938-1947) are included in the microfilm version of the library minute books 1794-1947.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eTranscripts of library company lectures 2-18 are available in the library.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003clist type=\"deflist\"\u003e\n      \u003chead\u003eLecture series : [transcripts of the audiotapes made of the scholars invited to speak at these annual lectures]\u003c/head\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #2\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 2\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #3\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 3\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #4\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 4\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #5\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 5\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #6\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 6\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #7\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 7\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #8\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 8\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #9\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 9\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #10\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 10\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #11\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 11\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #12\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 12\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #13\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 13\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #14\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 14\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #15\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 15\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #16\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 16\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #17\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 17\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #18\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 18\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n    \u003c/list\u003e"],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related Materials"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["The Alexandria Library Records (Ms 98) document the library as a separate institution from 1937 onward.","\nIt particularly complements this collection in its early decades through its administrative correspondence, board correspondence, minutes, annual reports, and organizational records, including contracts with the Alexandria Library Society.","\nThe minutes of the library's executive board (1938-1947) are included in the microfilm version of the library minute books 1794-1947.","Transcripts of library company lectures 2-18 are available in the library.","Lecture series : [transcripts of the audiotapes made of the scholars invited to speak at these annual lectures] Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #2 080 LEC 2 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #3 080 LEC 3 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #4 080 LEC 4 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #5 080 LEC 5 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #6 080 LEC 6 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #7 080 LEC 7 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #8 080 LEC 8 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #9 080 LEC 9 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #10 080 LEC 10 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #11 080 LEC 11 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #12 080 LEC 12 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #13 080 LEC 13 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #14 080 LEC 14 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #15 080 LEC 15 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #16 080 LEC 16 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #17 080 LEC 17 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #18 080 LEC 18"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThe collection consists of circulation, subscription, and financial ledgers, annual lecture series documents, catalogues, correspondence, and various organizational documents. Topics include: foundation of the\nAlexandria Library Company, its cycles of growth and decline reflecting the local economy; the formation of the local public library system; and the on-going activities of the Alexandria Library Company, most notably its lecture series.\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Content Description"],"scopecontent_tesim":["The collection consists of circulation, subscription, and financial ledgers, annual lecture series documents, catalogues, correspondence, and various organizational documents. Topics include: foundation of the\nAlexandria Library Company, its cycles of growth and decline reflecting the local economy; the formation of the local public library system; and the on-going activities of the Alexandria Library Company, most notably its lecture series."],"names_coll_ssim":["Alexandria Library (Alexandria, Va.)"],"names_ssim":["Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library","Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)","Alexandria Library (Alexandria, Va.)"],"corpname_ssim":["Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library","Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)","Alexandria Library (Alexandria, Va.)"],"language_ssim":["English"],"descrules_ssm":["Describing Archives: A Content Standard"],"total_component_count_is":147,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-05-01T00:09:43.684Z","bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eIn the 1780s, a discussion group of Alexandria gentlemen called \"The Society for the Promotion of Useful Knowledge\" was formed. In 1794, many of these same individuals gathered to form the nucleus of the Alexandria Library Company (ALC). The ALC was a subscription library modelled after the Philadelphia Library Company, which had also emerged from such a club. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eSociety president Reverend John Muir became president of the ALC, a position he would hold for almost 20 years. Many of the library's founders are known to have been members of local Masonic lodges. Elisha Cullen Dick, who had succeeded George Washington as the leader of Lodge 22, was among the first directors of the ALC as well as the secretary of the earlier Society. The first Librarian was Edward Stabler, the proprietor of an apothecary shop. In 1796, Stabler was replaced by James Kennedy, who served as librarian until 1818. Overlaps and family links between the leadership of the library and other Alexandria institutions remained common over the next century and a half. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eFor a time, the Alexandria Lyceum (founded in 1838) and the ALC shared a physical space as well as similar missions. The Alexandria Lyceum was founded as part of a national movement focused on educational lectures. The union between the two organizations was dissolved in 1844, but the library continued to rent space from the Lyceum. The library was later said to have been in a state of \"suspended animation\" from around 1846 to 1852. In 1852, a \"Young Men's\" group took over under the original charter, publishing a new catalog in 1856. The library continued to operate into the Civil War. It remained in the Lyceum but not without acrimony, which is evident in the Alexandria Gazette in 1860. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn October 1867, an agreement was reached with what was variously referred to as the Alexandria Christian Association and the YMCA for assistance with running the library. The library separated from this organization during the early 1870s. By the second half of the 1870s, the library fell into a decline which the directors blamed on the lack of a published catalog. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eThe first library catalog had been prepared by Kennedy in 1796 and published sometime thereafter. The earliest catalog of which there is an extant copy was published in 1801, followed by another in 1808 of which there are few traces. A more enduring catalog was created in 1815. The 1830s saw publication of a supplement to the 1815 catalog and the creation of a working catalog that would be used into the late 1840s. Normal circulation records end in April 1861 when the library was converted into a military hospital. There are stray entries in May and December before operations resumed on a limited basis in May 1862 and continued at least through that year. Over a thousand volumes were lost during the war. Due to the decline in usage in the 1870s, a new catalog was produced by librarian Emma J. Young in 1872 but never published. After two years with Young's catalog, another was commissioned from Dr. Theo West, which also went unpublished. As a stopgap, handwritten copies were used by patrons. In 1898, a new catalog was created which utilized a decimal system for the first time. The last published catalog was a supplement to the 1912 version. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn the late 1870s, appeals were made to the men of Alexandria for support,. The directors met with another \"Young Men's Library Association\" in 1878 without success, records of operations stop after January 1880.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eThe Gazette reported in January 1881 that the books were now in the custody of the school board, whose membership included William F. Carne, a former library company director and the son of one its former presidents. In May 1887 it reported that Carne, as leader of the board's library committee, was inviting associations wishing to participate in re-opening the library to a meeting at the Peabody school building where the books were held, and explained that he had always intended a reading room to be opened to the public once space was freed up for that purpose.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn June 1887, the Gazette reported that the \"Reading Circle of Washington and Lee Schools\" organized by teachers two years prior and the YMCA would operate the free library during the summer, in the hope that in September \"an effort will be made, with a very fair prospect of success, to re-organize the Library Company.\" Gazette reports in 1890 and 1891 refer to continued efforts by Carne and others to \"re-open\" the library, and in 1892 being part of a \"committee on the project for a free public library,\" but they did not succeed.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn the decades after 1870s librarianship not only professionalized but underwent a rapid gender shift, and apart from the periods in which there was no librarian for financial reasons, no male librarians seem to have been employed until well into the 20th century. Women's library organizations had become common nationally, and along with the philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie played a major role in the growth of public libraries in America starting in the late 19th century.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn September 1897, the Alexandria Library Association led by Virginia Corse received custody of the books then in possession of the school board. With a modest donation from Carnegie, by 1898 the library was back in business, but as a subscription library, it would not become a free public library for almost 40 years. The new library needed a new librarian, and after one or two initial hires, the association found Alice Green (1865-1956), who would serve from 1902-1937 and in a lesser capacity into the mid-1940s. During this period, space for the library was rented from the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC).\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eThe Depression brought financial hardship. As the crisis worsened in early 1931, the association had obtained $1,000 from the city council to form \"a nucleus for the establishment of a public library.\" Discussion of becoming a public library had been common since the 1920s, as the efforts of Carnegie and others had made them the norm nationally. Attempts were made to sell older books and hold fundraisers as subscription fees dried up. There was also a dispute with the UDC over a rent increase in 1933. The library was aided by the wealth of its members, including a $5,000 bequest in 1935 from its long-time treasurer, Margaret L. Smoot.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eMembers built political support both on the council and among the public in the mid-1930s and in 1937 it was agreed that a building would be constructed on the site of the old cemetery of the Society of Friends and that the city government would cover annual expenses of no more than $5,000 for the association to operate a free library. One member of the board would be appointed by the city. The new governing organization was rebranded the Alexandria Library Society.  Agreements were signed in January, and the library opened at the Kate Waller Barrett Branch's current location, 717 Queen Street.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eAnother change after 1937 was the gender composition of the leadership. Men served on the board of the new Society and played prominent roles after 1937. After 1948 they typically occupied the presidency of the organization. Most elections were unanimous, often with women casting most of the votes, but it ceased to be a women's organization. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn 1945 a technicality in the Society's contract with the city was brought to the attention of the board. Namely that the $5,000 the city was obligated to provide each year was not the minimum but rather the maximum contribution, and that the higher appropriations it had been making were illegal. The city took this as an opportunity to demand a contract change beyond the funding formula. Although the men of the city council had representation on the board, the women of the Society were still ultimately running the library, and the Society was asked to allow a majority of the executive board to be appointed by the city, and a minority by the Society. That the city legally \"owned the building and all its contents\" so long as it paid $5,000 per year was also pointed out. The Alexandria Library Society signed the new contract, surrendering control of the library in November 1947. In its reduced role, the Society still elected members to the board and received reports from the librarian. It also retained independent funds that could be used for the benefit of the library. With the library now fully the city's responsibility, the membership was also able to more openly advocate for additional funding.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eAnother longstanding issue at the library was race. The president's 1928 annual report had endorsed becoming a \"free city library,\" but feared that becoming a Carnegie library \"would bring in some elements hitherto unknown and I think undesirable in our Library.\" In the 1930s the library association favored providing segregated facilities, but, after repeated meetings with the city council, failed to achieve even that modest goal. In the 13 March, 1939, minutes, the issue was revisited yet again, but without result. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eFour days later on 17 March 1939, Sergeant George Wilson was turned down for a library card because of his race and Samuel Tucker filed a civil rights lawsuit against the librarian on his behalf. Plans for a segregated facility were dusted off, and new staff was hired so that the librarian could focus on the controversy. On 21 August 1939, several black men organized by Tucker entered the library and followed Wilson's example, but after being refused, seated themselves in the library with books, beginning America's first library sit-in. It ended only after the city manager called the police, and all were arrested. The lawsuit was dismissed on technical grounds, but to prevent a new lawsuit the city approved the Robert H. Robinson branch, which opened in 1940. Tucker refused to accept a card there. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eA major issue in the early 1950s was the push to expand the overcrowded main library serving the white community. The white librarian at the time, who had been hired in a junior capacity during Tucker's campaign in 1939, suggested to the Society that the expansion could be an opportunity to integrate. In the midst of the debates over expansion and additional funding, an opportunity emerged to purchase a neighboring building on the corner of North Columbus and Queen, which was later demolished. This prompted a discussion about the Alexandria Library Society's connection to the original library company. It was decided to change the name from the \"Alexandria Library Society\" to the \"Alexandria Library Company,\" make the appropriate filings with the state government, and reinstate the 1799 charter, which would be revised by the legislature in the 1980s to help obtain tax-exempt status from the IRS.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eThis name change was completed at one of the company's most consequential meetings in February 1956. Every member was asked to sign their name in the minute book to signal their assent. A letter from a local civil rights activist questioning the legality of library segregation was also read, but deemed the province of the library board, which referred the matter back to the company whose reply is not preserved.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eMember Mangum Weeks thereupon raised the question of the future role of the Library Company, and proposed resuming the tradition of annual lectures dating from the Lyceum period using funds from the newly instituted membership dues. This proposal was adopted, and preparing the annual lectures soon became a major focus of the Company. The Library Company continues to appoint members to the board of the Alexandria Library and hold its annual lecture series. It commissioned a new history of the library by William Seale in 2007, which can be found at the Local History and Special Collections Branch.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eChronological listings for both presidents of the board and librarians up to the modern day.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003clist type=\"deflist\"\u003e\n      \u003chead\u003ePresidents of the Library Company and Its Successors\u003c/head\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1794-February 1813\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRev. James Muir\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1813-February 1815\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eHugh Smith\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1815-March 1824\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJohn Roberts\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1824-February 1829\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eHugh Smith\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1829-February 1835\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJohn Richards\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1835-February 1840\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJohn Roberts\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1840-1852\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eElias Harrison\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003e1852-February 1855\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJ. Louis Kinzer\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1855-September 1858\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eFrancis Miller\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1858- February 1859\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRichard L. Carne\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1859-September 1859\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eCaleb S. Hallowell\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1859-February 1860\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam G. Cazenove\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1860-February 1870\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRichard L. Carne\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1870-February 1873\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eK. Kemper\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1873-October 1873\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eSamuel H. Janney\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1873-February 1874\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eSidney C. Neale\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1874-June 1879\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMercer Slaughter\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1897-October 1905\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eVirginia Corse\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJuly 1906-June 1925\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Samuel. L. Monroe\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1925-April 1930\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eLoula Smoot\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eApril 1930-November 1933\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Henry B. Soule, [Jessie E. Soule]\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eDecember 1933-December 1934\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMary Lloyd\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eDecember 1934-December 1936\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eSusan Thomson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eDecember 1936-November 1937\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Louis Scott\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1937-November 1944\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Curtis Backus\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1944-November 1946\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. [Lawrence] Fawcett, [Mary Fawcett]\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1946-November 1947\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eHoward Worth Smith\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1947-October 1948\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e[Miss Anne] Lewis Jones\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1948-October 1949\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMiss Horne\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1949-October 1950\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMr. Stanley King\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1950-December 1951\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMr. [Joseph] Crockett\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eDecember 1951-February 1955\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMr. Robert Moncure\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1955-February 1957\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDr. [W. Bruce] Silcox\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1957-February 1959\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eStanley King\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1959-February 1962\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMangum Weeks\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1962-February 1963\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRichard Bales\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1963-February 1965\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDonald King\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1965-February 1967\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDavid Squires\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1967-February 1969\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eHoward Worth Smith Jr.\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1969-February 1971\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam Francis Smith\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1971-February 1972\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJohn T. Ticer\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1972-February 1974\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDavid M. Abshire\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1974-February 1976\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Merill Beede\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1976-February 1978\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Douglas Lindsey\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1978-February 1980\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eClarke T. Cooper Jr.\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1980-February 1982\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam Seale\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1982-February 1983\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDenys Peter Myers\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1983-February 1985\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam B. Hurd\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1985-February 1986\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eGeorge J. Stansfield\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1986-February 1987\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDr. Ernest A. Connally\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1987-February 1989\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDr. Wilton C. Corkern, Jr.\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1989-March 1991\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames M. Lewis\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1991-March 1992\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Anne Smith Paul\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1992-March 1993\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRichard R. G. Hobson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1993-March 1995\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDabney Waring\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1995-March 1997\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames R. Hobson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1997-March 1998\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRobert C. Reed\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1998-March 2000\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eNeil Horstman\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 2000-March 2002\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eCarroll Johnson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 2002-March 2003\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eThomas C. Brown Jr.\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n    \u003c/list\u003e","\u003clist type=\"deflist\"\u003e\n      \u003chead\u003eLibrarians of Alexandria\u003c/head\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1794-February 1796\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEdward Stabler\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1796-February 1818\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames Kennedy\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1818-August 1826\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam Cranch\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAugust 1826-October 1829\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eW. Samuel Mark\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1829-March 1845\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eGeorge Drinker\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1845-September 1845\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames M. Eaches\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1845-September 1852\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eC.F. Stuart\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1852-April 1853\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eH. W. P. Junius\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1852-April 1853\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eL.? Hunter\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1853\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eOffice Abolished\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1854-October 1855\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eE. M.[Magruder?] Lowe\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1855-September 1858\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eNorval E. Foard\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1858-February 1859\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eS. Scott\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1859-September 1859\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEdward R. Roxbury\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1859-February 1860\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames A. Clarridge\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1860-April 1861\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eCharles R. Burgess (acting)\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eApril 1861-Unknown\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEdwin N. Wise\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1868\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWr. Bushby\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eApril 1870-May 1871\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eAugust Henning\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJuly 1871-March 1872\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eW. F. Stansbury\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1872-August 1873\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEmma J. Young\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1873-March 1876\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEmily English\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1876\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003ePosition Eliminated\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJune 1879\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eR. Pendleton Bruin (unofficial? acting?)\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1900-October 1903\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eF. Olive Lyons\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1903-April 1937 (continued part-time, mentioned up to 1946)\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eAlice Green\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eApril 1937-December 1938\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMiss Beatrice Workman\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJanuary 1939-January 1941\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eKatherine Scoggin (later Martyn)\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1941-June 1948\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eBessie Watson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJuly 1948-June 1969 (hired part-time October 1939, letter of resignation later that month)\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEllen C. Burke\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJuly 1969-October 1992 (librarian from 1958)\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJeanne G. Plitt\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n    \u003c/list\u003e"]}]}},"label":"Breadcrumbs"}}},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128"}},{"id":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c04_c07","type":"File","attributes":{"title":"Meeting Minutes (Bound)","breadcrumbs":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c04_c07#breadcrumbs","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":{"ref_ssi":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c04_c07","ref_ssm":["vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c04_c07"],"id":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c04_c07","ead_ssi":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","_root_":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","_nest_parent_":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c04","parent_ssi":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c04","parent_ssim":["vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c04"],"parent_ids_ssim":["vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c04"],"parent_unittitles_ssm":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)","Series IV: Meetings"],"parent_unittitles_tesim":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)","Series IV: Meetings"],"text":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)","Series IV: Meetings","Meeting Minutes (Bound)","English","box 02","folder 028","reel 00037","Reel 00037, beginning of the reel.","Volume ended up with the Leadbeater family in the 1860s but was donated back in 1922. Was moved at one point in Collection 98 (Library Records after 1937) but was moved back to the Library Company Records in 2018.","Filmed 5/1/1969\n\"Alexandria Library Minute Books - 6 Vols\"\nUniversity of Virginia Library Photographic Service","Ms 2-2"],"title_filing_ssi":"Meeting Minutes (Bound)","title_ssm":["Meeting Minutes (Bound)"],"title_tesim":["Meeting Minutes (Bound)"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1794-1861"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1794/1861"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Meeting Minutes (Bound)"],"component_level_isim":[2],"repository_ssim":["Alexandria Library"],"collection_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"child_component_count_isi":0,"level_ssm":["File"],"level_ssim":["File"],"sort_isi":32,"date_range_isim":[1794,1795,1796,1797,1798,1799,1800,1801,1802,1803,1804,1805,1806,1807,1808,1809,1810,1811,1812,1813,1814,1815,1816,1817,1818,1819,1820,1821,1822,1823,1824,1825,1826,1827,1828,1829,1830,1831,1832,1833,1834,1835,1836,1837,1838,1839,1840,1841,1842,1843,1844,1845,1846,1847,1848,1849,1850,1851,1852,1853,1854,1855,1856,1857,1858,1859,1860,1861],"language_ssim":["English"],"containers_ssim":["box 02","folder 028","reel 00037"],"altformavail_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eReel 00037, beginning of the reel.\u003c/p\u003e"],"altformavail_heading_ssm":["Microfilm Copy"],"altformavail_tesim":["Reel 00037, beginning of the reel."],"custodhist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eVolume ended up with the Leadbeater family in the 1860s but was donated back in 1922. Was moved at one point in Collection 98 (Library Records after 1937) but was moved back to the Library Company Records in 2018.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eFilmed 5/1/1969\n\"Alexandria Library Minute Books - 6 Vols\"\nUniversity of Virginia Library Photographic Service\u003c/p\u003e"],"custodhist_heading_ssm":["Filming"],"custodhist_tesim":["Volume ended up with the Leadbeater family in the 1860s but was donated back in 1922. Was moved at one point in Collection 98 (Library Records after 1937) but was moved back to the Library Company Records in 2018.","Filmed 5/1/1969\n\"Alexandria Library Minute Books - 6 Vols\"\nUniversity of Virginia Library Photographic Service"],"originalsloc_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eMs 2-2\u003c/p\u003e"],"originalsloc_heading_ssm":["Original"],"originalsloc_tesim":["Ms 2-2"],"otherfindaid_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e\n  \u003ca href=\"https://alexlibrary.access.preservica.com/archive/sdb%3Acollection|497faa8c-6bf1-4057-8680-39ce21028a8d/\"\u003eClick to view digital materials in this collection\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"otherfindaid_heading_ssm":["Digital Materials"],"otherfindaid_tesim":["Click to view digital materials in this collection"],"_nest_path_":"/components#3/components#6","timestamp":"2026-05-01T00:09:43.684Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","ead_ssi":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","_root_":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","_nest_parent_":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/oai/ALEX/repositories_2_resources_128.xml","aspace_url_ssi":"https://alexlibraryva.libraryhost.com/repositories/2/resources/128","title_ssm":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"title_tesim":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"unitdate_ssm":["1794-2007"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1794-2007"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["MS002","/repositories/2/resources/128"],"text":["MS002","/repositories/2/resources/128","Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)","Libraries -- Subscription Libraries","Lectures and Lecturing","Associations, institutions, etc","Public libraries.","In the 1780s, a discussion group of Alexandria gentlemen called \"The Society for the Promotion of Useful Knowledge\" was formed. In 1794, many of these same individuals gathered to form the nucleus of the Alexandria Library Company (ALC). The ALC was a subscription library modelled after the Philadelphia Library Company, which had also emerged from such a club. ","Society president Reverend John Muir became president of the ALC, a position he would hold for almost 20 years. Many of the library's founders are known to have been members of local Masonic lodges. Elisha Cullen Dick, who had succeeded George Washington as the leader of Lodge 22, was among the first directors of the ALC as well as the secretary of the earlier Society. The first Librarian was Edward Stabler, the proprietor of an apothecary shop. In 1796, Stabler was replaced by James Kennedy, who served as librarian until 1818. Overlaps and family links between the leadership of the library and other Alexandria institutions remained common over the next century and a half. ","For a time, the Alexandria Lyceum (founded in 1838) and the ALC shared a physical space as well as similar missions. The Alexandria Lyceum was founded as part of a national movement focused on educational lectures. The union between the two organizations was dissolved in 1844, but the library continued to rent space from the Lyceum. The library was later said to have been in a state of \"suspended animation\" from around 1846 to 1852. In 1852, a \"Young Men's\" group took over under the original charter, publishing a new catalog in 1856. The library continued to operate into the Civil War. It remained in the Lyceum but not without acrimony, which is evident in the Alexandria Gazette in 1860. ","In October 1867, an agreement was reached with what was variously referred to as the Alexandria Christian Association and the YMCA for assistance with running the library. The library separated from this organization during the early 1870s. By the second half of the 1870s, the library fell into a decline which the directors blamed on the lack of a published catalog. ","The first library catalog had been prepared by Kennedy in 1796 and published sometime thereafter. The earliest catalog of which there is an extant copy was published in 1801, followed by another in 1808 of which there are few traces. A more enduring catalog was created in 1815. The 1830s saw publication of a supplement to the 1815 catalog and the creation of a working catalog that would be used into the late 1840s. Normal circulation records end in April 1861 when the library was converted into a military hospital. There are stray entries in May and December before operations resumed on a limited basis in May 1862 and continued at least through that year. Over a thousand volumes were lost during the war. Due to the decline in usage in the 1870s, a new catalog was produced by librarian Emma J. Young in 1872 but never published. After two years with Young's catalog, another was commissioned from Dr. Theo West, which also went unpublished. As a stopgap, handwritten copies were used by patrons. In 1898, a new catalog was created which utilized a decimal system for the first time. The last published catalog was a supplement to the 1912 version. ","In the late 1870s, appeals were made to the men of Alexandria for support,. The directors met with another \"Young Men's Library Association\" in 1878 without success, records of operations stop after January 1880.","The Gazette reported in January 1881 that the books were now in the custody of the school board, whose membership included William F. Carne, a former library company director and the son of one its former presidents. In May 1887 it reported that Carne, as leader of the board's library committee, was inviting associations wishing to participate in re-opening the library to a meeting at the Peabody school building where the books were held, and explained that he had always intended a reading room to be opened to the public once space was freed up for that purpose.","In June 1887, the Gazette reported that the \"Reading Circle of Washington and Lee Schools\" organized by teachers two years prior and the YMCA would operate the free library during the summer, in the hope that in September \"an effort will be made, with a very fair prospect of success, to re-organize the Library Company.\" Gazette reports in 1890 and 1891 refer to continued efforts by Carne and others to \"re-open\" the library, and in 1892 being part of a \"committee on the project for a free public library,\" but they did not succeed.","In the decades after 1870s librarianship not only professionalized but underwent a rapid gender shift, and apart from the periods in which there was no librarian for financial reasons, no male librarians seem to have been employed until well into the 20th century. Women's library organizations had become common nationally, and along with the philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie played a major role in the growth of public libraries in America starting in the late 19th century.","In September 1897, the Alexandria Library Association led by Virginia Corse received custody of the books then in possession of the school board. With a modest donation from Carnegie, by 1898 the library was back in business, but as a subscription library, it would not become a free public library for almost 40 years. The new library needed a new librarian, and after one or two initial hires, the association found Alice Green (1865-1956), who would serve from 1902-1937 and in a lesser capacity into the mid-1940s. During this period, space for the library was rented from the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC).","The Depression brought financial hardship. As the crisis worsened in early 1931, the association had obtained $1,000 from the city council to form \"a nucleus for the establishment of a public library.\" Discussion of becoming a public library had been common since the 1920s, as the efforts of Carnegie and others had made them the norm nationally. Attempts were made to sell older books and hold fundraisers as subscription fees dried up. There was also a dispute with the UDC over a rent increase in 1933. The library was aided by the wealth of its members, including a $5,000 bequest in 1935 from its long-time treasurer, Margaret L. Smoot.","Members built political support both on the council and among the public in the mid-1930s and in 1937 it was agreed that a building would be constructed on the site of the old cemetery of the Society of Friends and that the city government would cover annual expenses of no more than $5,000 for the association to operate a free library. One member of the board would be appointed by the city. The new governing organization was rebranded the Alexandria Library Society.  Agreements were signed in January, and the library opened at the Kate Waller Barrett Branch's current location, 717 Queen Street.","Another change after 1937 was the gender composition of the leadership. Men served on the board of the new Society and played prominent roles after 1937. After 1948 they typically occupied the presidency of the organization. Most elections were unanimous, often with women casting most of the votes, but it ceased to be a women's organization. ","In 1945 a technicality in the Society's contract with the city was brought to the attention of the board. Namely that the $5,000 the city was obligated to provide each year was not the minimum but rather the maximum contribution, and that the higher appropriations it had been making were illegal. The city took this as an opportunity to demand a contract change beyond the funding formula. Although the men of the city council had representation on the board, the women of the Society were still ultimately running the library, and the Society was asked to allow a majority of the executive board to be appointed by the city, and a minority by the Society. That the city legally \"owned the building and all its contents\" so long as it paid $5,000 per year was also pointed out. The Alexandria Library Society signed the new contract, surrendering control of the library in November 1947. In its reduced role, the Society still elected members to the board and received reports from the librarian. It also retained independent funds that could be used for the benefit of the library. With the library now fully the city's responsibility, the membership was also able to more openly advocate for additional funding.","Another longstanding issue at the library was race. The president's 1928 annual report had endorsed becoming a \"free city library,\" but feared that becoming a Carnegie library \"would bring in some elements hitherto unknown and I think undesirable in our Library.\" In the 1930s the library association favored providing segregated facilities, but, after repeated meetings with the city council, failed to achieve even that modest goal. In the 13 March, 1939, minutes, the issue was revisited yet again, but without result. ","Four days later on 17 March 1939, Sergeant George Wilson was turned down for a library card because of his race and Samuel Tucker filed a civil rights lawsuit against the librarian on his behalf. Plans for a segregated facility were dusted off, and new staff was hired so that the librarian could focus on the controversy. On 21 August 1939, several black men organized by Tucker entered the library and followed Wilson's example, but after being refused, seated themselves in the library with books, beginning America's first library sit-in. It ended only after the city manager called the police, and all were arrested. The lawsuit was dismissed on technical grounds, but to prevent a new lawsuit the city approved the Robert H. Robinson branch, which opened in 1940. Tucker refused to accept a card there. ","A major issue in the early 1950s was the push to expand the overcrowded main library serving the white community. The white librarian at the time, who had been hired in a junior capacity during Tucker's campaign in 1939, suggested to the Society that the expansion could be an opportunity to integrate. In the midst of the debates over expansion and additional funding, an opportunity emerged to purchase a neighboring building on the corner of North Columbus and Queen, which was later demolished. This prompted a discussion about the Alexandria Library Society's connection to the original library company. It was decided to change the name from the \"Alexandria Library Society\" to the \"Alexandria Library Company,\" make the appropriate filings with the state government, and reinstate the 1799 charter, which would be revised by the legislature in the 1980s to help obtain tax-exempt status from the IRS.","This name change was completed at one of the company's most consequential meetings in February 1956. Every member was asked to sign their name in the minute book to signal their assent. A letter from a local civil rights activist questioning the legality of library segregation was also read, but deemed the province of the library board, which referred the matter back to the company whose reply is not preserved.","Member Mangum Weeks thereupon raised the question of the future role of the Library Company, and proposed resuming the tradition of annual lectures dating from the Lyceum period using funds from the newly instituted membership dues. This proposal was adopted, and preparing the annual lectures soon became a major focus of the Company. The Library Company continues to appoint members to the board of the Alexandria Library and hold its annual lecture series. It commissioned a new history of the library by William Seale in 2007, which can be found at the Local History and Special Collections Branch.","Chronological listings for both presidents of the board and librarians up to the modern day.","Presidents of the Library Company and Its Successors February 1794-February 1813 Rev. James Muir February 1813-February 1815 Hugh Smith February 1815-March 1824 John Roberts March 1824-February 1829 Hugh Smith February 1829-February 1835 John Richards February 1835-February 1840 John Roberts February 1840-1852 Elias Harrison 1852-February 1855 J. Louis Kinzer February 1855-September 1858 Francis Miller September 1858- February 1859 Richard L. Carne February 1859-September 1859 Caleb S. Hallowell September 1859-February 1860 William G. Cazenove February 1860-February 1870 Richard L. Carne February 1870-February 1873 K. Kemper February 1873-October 1873 Samuel H. Janney October 1873-February 1874 Sidney C. Neale February 1874-June 1879 Mercer Slaughter September 1897-October 1905 Virginia Corse July 1906-June 1925 Mrs. Samuel. L. Monroe October 1925-April 1930 Loula Smoot April 1930-November 1933 Mrs. Henry B. Soule, [Jessie E. Soule] December 1933-December 1934 Mary Lloyd December 1934-December 1936 Susan Thomson December 1936-November 1937 Mrs. Louis Scott November 1937-November 1944 Mrs. Curtis Backus November 1944-November 1946 Mrs. [Lawrence] Fawcett, [Mary Fawcett] November 1946-November 1947 Howard Worth Smith November 1947-October 1948 [Miss Anne] Lewis Jones October 1948-October 1949 Miss Horne October 1949-October 1950 Mr. Stanley King October 1950-December 1951 Mr. [Joseph] Crockett December 1951-February 1955 Mr. Robert Moncure February 1955-February 1957 Dr. [W. Bruce] Silcox February 1957-February 1959 Stanley King February 1959-February 1962 Mangum Weeks February 1962-February 1963 Richard Bales February 1963-February 1965 Donald King February 1965-February 1967 David Squires February 1967-February 1969 Howard Worth Smith Jr. February 1969-February 1971 William Francis Smith February 1971-February 1972 John T. Ticer February 1972-February 1974 David M. Abshire February 1974-February 1976 Mrs. Merill Beede February 1976-February 1978 Mrs. Douglas Lindsey February 1978-February 1980 Clarke T. Cooper Jr. February 1980-February 1982 William Seale February 1982-February 1983 Denys Peter Myers February 1983-February 1985 William B. Hurd February 1985-February 1986 George J. Stansfield February 1986-February 1987 Dr. Ernest A. Connally February 1987-February 1989 Dr. Wilton C. Corkern, Jr. February 1989-March 1991 James M. Lewis March 1991-March 1992 Mrs. Anne Smith Paul March 1992-March 1993 Richard R. G. Hobson March 1993-March 1995 Dabney Waring March 1995-March 1997 James R. Hobson March 1997-March 1998 Robert C. Reed March 1998-March 2000 Neil Horstman March 2000-March 2002 Carroll Johnson March 2002-March 2003 Thomas C. Brown Jr.","Librarians of Alexandria February 1794-February 1796 Edward Stabler February 1796-February 1818 James Kennedy February 1818-August 1826 William Cranch August 1826-October 1829 W. Samuel Mark October 1829-March 1845 George Drinker March 1845-September 1845 James M. Eaches September 1845-September 1852 C.F. Stuart September 1852-April 1853 H. W. P. Junius September 1852-April 1853 L.? Hunter November 1853 Office Abolished February 1854-October 1855 E. M.[Magruder?] Lowe October 1855-September 1858 Norval E. Foard September 1858-February 1859 S. Scott February 1859-September 1859 Edward R. Roxbury September 1859-February 1860 James A. Clarridge February 1860-April 1861 Charles R. Burgess (acting) April 1861-Unknown Edwin N. Wise March 1868 Wr. Bushby April 1870-May 1871 August Henning July 1871-March 1872 W. F. Stansbury March 1872-August 1873 Emma J. Young October 1873-March 1876 Emily English March 1876 Position Eliminated June 1879 R. Pendleton Bruin (unofficial? acting?) October 1900-October 1903 F. Olive Lyons October 1903-April 1937 (continued part-time, mentioned up to 1946) Alice Green April 1937-December 1938 Miss Beatrice Workman January 1939-January 1941 Katherine Scoggin (later Martyn) February 1941-June 1948 Bessie Watson July 1948-June 1969 (hired part-time October 1939, letter of resignation later that month) Ellen C. Burke July 1969-October 1992 (librarian from 1958) Jeanne G. Plitt","A reprocessing project begun in 2018 incorporated several boxes of previously unprocessed materials dating from the 1960s to the 2000s, with the bulk dating from after 1980. They included many short, overlapping sequences of correspondence, lecture, meeting, and member records which were merged into continuations of established series including primarily correspondence and lectures but also meetings and member correspondence. The \"subject files\" were added to the existing miscellaneous series. ","\nSeveral other changes were also made. A re-examination of the catalog, subscription, and circulation books was undertaken and most were renumbered, described, and relabeled based on primary source research. The 1794-1861 minute book that had been donated back in 1922 was also discovered misfiled in Ms 98 (which covers the library proper since 1937) and was returned to its original collection. Some letters found in minute books were moved to the correspondence series, and their original locations were bookmarked with acid free paper. Photocopies of catalogs were removed. ","The Alexandria Library Records (Ms 98) document the library as a separate institution from 1937 onward.","\nIt particularly complements this collection in its early decades through its administrative correspondence, board correspondence, minutes, annual reports, and organizational records, including contracts with the Alexandria Library Society.","\nThe minutes of the library's executive board (1938-1947) are included in the microfilm version of the library minute books 1794-1947.","Transcripts of library company lectures 2-18 are available in the library.","Lecture series : [transcripts of the audiotapes made of the scholars invited to speak at these annual lectures] Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #2 080 LEC 2 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #3 080 LEC 3 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #4 080 LEC 4 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #5 080 LEC 5 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #6 080 LEC 6 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #7 080 LEC 7 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #8 080 LEC 8 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #9 080 LEC 9 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #10 080 LEC 10 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #11 080 LEC 11 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #12 080 LEC 12 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #13 080 LEC 13 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #14 080 LEC 14 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #15 080 LEC 15 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #16 080 LEC 16 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #17 080 LEC 17 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #18 080 LEC 18","The collection consists of circulation, subscription, and financial ledgers, annual lecture series documents, catalogues, correspondence, and various organizational documents. Topics include: foundation of the\nAlexandria Library Company, its cycles of growth and decline reflecting the local economy; the formation of the local public library system; and the on-going activities of the Alexandria Library Company, most notably its lecture series.","Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library","Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)","Alexandria Library (Alexandria, Va.)","English"],"unitid_tesim":["MS002","/repositories/2/resources/128"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"collection_title_tesim":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"collection_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"repository_ssm":["Alexandria Library"],"repository_ssim":["Alexandria Library"],"geogname_ssm":["Libraries -- Subscription Libraries","Lectures and Lecturing","Associations, institutions, etc"],"geogname_ssim":["Libraries -- Subscription Libraries","Lectures and Lecturing","Associations, institutions, etc"],"creator_ssm":["Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)"],"creator_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)"],"creator_corpname_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)"],"creators_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)"],"places_ssim":["Libraries -- Subscription Libraries","Lectures and Lecturing","Associations, institutions, etc"],"access_subjects_ssim":["Public libraries."],"access_subjects_ssm":["Public libraries."],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"extent_ssm":["8.10 Cubic Feet 13 boxes, 2 oversize boxes, 1 record carton"],"extent_tesim":["8.10 Cubic Feet 13 boxes, 2 oversize boxes, 1 record carton"],"date_range_isim":[1794,1795,1796,1797,1798,1799,1800,1801,1802,1803,1804,1805,1806,1807,1808,1809,1810,1811,1812,1813,1814,1815,1816,1817,1818,1819,1820,1821,1822,1823,1824,1825,1826,1827,1828,1829,1830,1831,1832,1833,1834,1835,1836,1837,1838,1839,1840,1841,1842,1843,1844,1845,1846,1847,1848,1849,1850,1851,1852,1853,1854,1855,1856,1857,1858,1859,1860,1861,1862,1863,1864,1865,1866,1867,1868,1869,1870,1871,1872,1873,1874,1875,1876,1877,1878,1879,1880,1881,1882,1883,1884,1885,1886,1887,1888,1889,1890,1891,1892,1893,1894,1895,1896,1897,1898,1899,1900,1901,1902,1903,1904,1905,1906,1907,1908,1909,1910,1911,1912,1913,1914,1915,1916,1917,1918,1919,1920,1921,1922,1923,1924,1925,1926,1927,1928,1929,1930,1931,1932,1933,1934,1935,1936,1937,1938,1939,1940,1941,1942,1943,1944,1945,1946,1947,1948,1949,1950,1951,1952,1953,1954,1955,1956,1957,1958,1959,1960,1961,1962,1963,1964,1965,1966,1967,1968,1969,1970,1971,1972,1973,1974,1975,1976,1977,1978,1979,1980,1981,1982,1983,1984,1985,1986,1987,1988,1989,1990,1991,1992,1993,1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000,2001,2002,2003,2004,2005,2006,2007],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Biographical / Historical","Presidents and Librarians of the Library"],"bioghist_tesim":["In the 1780s, a discussion group of Alexandria gentlemen called \"The Society for the Promotion of Useful Knowledge\" was formed. In 1794, many of these same individuals gathered to form the nucleus of the Alexandria Library Company (ALC). The ALC was a subscription library modelled after the Philadelphia Library Company, which had also emerged from such a club. ","Society president Reverend John Muir became president of the ALC, a position he would hold for almost 20 years. Many of the library's founders are known to have been members of local Masonic lodges. Elisha Cullen Dick, who had succeeded George Washington as the leader of Lodge 22, was among the first directors of the ALC as well as the secretary of the earlier Society. The first Librarian was Edward Stabler, the proprietor of an apothecary shop. In 1796, Stabler was replaced by James Kennedy, who served as librarian until 1818. Overlaps and family links between the leadership of the library and other Alexandria institutions remained common over the next century and a half. ","For a time, the Alexandria Lyceum (founded in 1838) and the ALC shared a physical space as well as similar missions. The Alexandria Lyceum was founded as part of a national movement focused on educational lectures. The union between the two organizations was dissolved in 1844, but the library continued to rent space from the Lyceum. The library was later said to have been in a state of \"suspended animation\" from around 1846 to 1852. In 1852, a \"Young Men's\" group took over under the original charter, publishing a new catalog in 1856. The library continued to operate into the Civil War. It remained in the Lyceum but not without acrimony, which is evident in the Alexandria Gazette in 1860. ","In October 1867, an agreement was reached with what was variously referred to as the Alexandria Christian Association and the YMCA for assistance with running the library. The library separated from this organization during the early 1870s. By the second half of the 1870s, the library fell into a decline which the directors blamed on the lack of a published catalog. ","The first library catalog had been prepared by Kennedy in 1796 and published sometime thereafter. The earliest catalog of which there is an extant copy was published in 1801, followed by another in 1808 of which there are few traces. A more enduring catalog was created in 1815. The 1830s saw publication of a supplement to the 1815 catalog and the creation of a working catalog that would be used into the late 1840s. Normal circulation records end in April 1861 when the library was converted into a military hospital. There are stray entries in May and December before operations resumed on a limited basis in May 1862 and continued at least through that year. Over a thousand volumes were lost during the war. Due to the decline in usage in the 1870s, a new catalog was produced by librarian Emma J. Young in 1872 but never published. After two years with Young's catalog, another was commissioned from Dr. Theo West, which also went unpublished. As a stopgap, handwritten copies were used by patrons. In 1898, a new catalog was created which utilized a decimal system for the first time. The last published catalog was a supplement to the 1912 version. ","In the late 1870s, appeals were made to the men of Alexandria for support,. The directors met with another \"Young Men's Library Association\" in 1878 without success, records of operations stop after January 1880.","The Gazette reported in January 1881 that the books were now in the custody of the school board, whose membership included William F. Carne, a former library company director and the son of one its former presidents. In May 1887 it reported that Carne, as leader of the board's library committee, was inviting associations wishing to participate in re-opening the library to a meeting at the Peabody school building where the books were held, and explained that he had always intended a reading room to be opened to the public once space was freed up for that purpose.","In June 1887, the Gazette reported that the \"Reading Circle of Washington and Lee Schools\" organized by teachers two years prior and the YMCA would operate the free library during the summer, in the hope that in September \"an effort will be made, with a very fair prospect of success, to re-organize the Library Company.\" Gazette reports in 1890 and 1891 refer to continued efforts by Carne and others to \"re-open\" the library, and in 1892 being part of a \"committee on the project for a free public library,\" but they did not succeed.","In the decades after 1870s librarianship not only professionalized but underwent a rapid gender shift, and apart from the periods in which there was no librarian for financial reasons, no male librarians seem to have been employed until well into the 20th century. Women's library organizations had become common nationally, and along with the philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie played a major role in the growth of public libraries in America starting in the late 19th century.","In September 1897, the Alexandria Library Association led by Virginia Corse received custody of the books then in possession of the school board. With a modest donation from Carnegie, by 1898 the library was back in business, but as a subscription library, it would not become a free public library for almost 40 years. The new library needed a new librarian, and after one or two initial hires, the association found Alice Green (1865-1956), who would serve from 1902-1937 and in a lesser capacity into the mid-1940s. During this period, space for the library was rented from the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC).","The Depression brought financial hardship. As the crisis worsened in early 1931, the association had obtained $1,000 from the city council to form \"a nucleus for the establishment of a public library.\" Discussion of becoming a public library had been common since the 1920s, as the efforts of Carnegie and others had made them the norm nationally. Attempts were made to sell older books and hold fundraisers as subscription fees dried up. There was also a dispute with the UDC over a rent increase in 1933. The library was aided by the wealth of its members, including a $5,000 bequest in 1935 from its long-time treasurer, Margaret L. Smoot.","Members built political support both on the council and among the public in the mid-1930s and in 1937 it was agreed that a building would be constructed on the site of the old cemetery of the Society of Friends and that the city government would cover annual expenses of no more than $5,000 for the association to operate a free library. One member of the board would be appointed by the city. The new governing organization was rebranded the Alexandria Library Society.  Agreements were signed in January, and the library opened at the Kate Waller Barrett Branch's current location, 717 Queen Street.","Another change after 1937 was the gender composition of the leadership. Men served on the board of the new Society and played prominent roles after 1937. After 1948 they typically occupied the presidency of the organization. Most elections were unanimous, often with women casting most of the votes, but it ceased to be a women's organization. ","In 1945 a technicality in the Society's contract with the city was brought to the attention of the board. Namely that the $5,000 the city was obligated to provide each year was not the minimum but rather the maximum contribution, and that the higher appropriations it had been making were illegal. The city took this as an opportunity to demand a contract change beyond the funding formula. Although the men of the city council had representation on the board, the women of the Society were still ultimately running the library, and the Society was asked to allow a majority of the executive board to be appointed by the city, and a minority by the Society. That the city legally \"owned the building and all its contents\" so long as it paid $5,000 per year was also pointed out. The Alexandria Library Society signed the new contract, surrendering control of the library in November 1947. In its reduced role, the Society still elected members to the board and received reports from the librarian. It also retained independent funds that could be used for the benefit of the library. With the library now fully the city's responsibility, the membership was also able to more openly advocate for additional funding.","Another longstanding issue at the library was race. The president's 1928 annual report had endorsed becoming a \"free city library,\" but feared that becoming a Carnegie library \"would bring in some elements hitherto unknown and I think undesirable in our Library.\" In the 1930s the library association favored providing segregated facilities, but, after repeated meetings with the city council, failed to achieve even that modest goal. In the 13 March, 1939, minutes, the issue was revisited yet again, but without result. ","Four days later on 17 March 1939, Sergeant George Wilson was turned down for a library card because of his race and Samuel Tucker filed a civil rights lawsuit against the librarian on his behalf. Plans for a segregated facility were dusted off, and new staff was hired so that the librarian could focus on the controversy. On 21 August 1939, several black men organized by Tucker entered the library and followed Wilson's example, but after being refused, seated themselves in the library with books, beginning America's first library sit-in. It ended only after the city manager called the police, and all were arrested. The lawsuit was dismissed on technical grounds, but to prevent a new lawsuit the city approved the Robert H. Robinson branch, which opened in 1940. Tucker refused to accept a card there. ","A major issue in the early 1950s was the push to expand the overcrowded main library serving the white community. The white librarian at the time, who had been hired in a junior capacity during Tucker's campaign in 1939, suggested to the Society that the expansion could be an opportunity to integrate. In the midst of the debates over expansion and additional funding, an opportunity emerged to purchase a neighboring building on the corner of North Columbus and Queen, which was later demolished. This prompted a discussion about the Alexandria Library Society's connection to the original library company. It was decided to change the name from the \"Alexandria Library Society\" to the \"Alexandria Library Company,\" make the appropriate filings with the state government, and reinstate the 1799 charter, which would be revised by the legislature in the 1980s to help obtain tax-exempt status from the IRS.","This name change was completed at one of the company's most consequential meetings in February 1956. Every member was asked to sign their name in the minute book to signal their assent. A letter from a local civil rights activist questioning the legality of library segregation was also read, but deemed the province of the library board, which referred the matter back to the company whose reply is not preserved.","Member Mangum Weeks thereupon raised the question of the future role of the Library Company, and proposed resuming the tradition of annual lectures dating from the Lyceum period using funds from the newly instituted membership dues. This proposal was adopted, and preparing the annual lectures soon became a major focus of the Company. The Library Company continues to appoint members to the board of the Alexandria Library and hold its annual lecture series. It commissioned a new history of the library by William Seale in 2007, which can be found at the Local History and Special Collections Branch.","Chronological listings for both presidents of the board and librarians up to the modern day.","Presidents of the Library Company and Its Successors February 1794-February 1813 Rev. James Muir February 1813-February 1815 Hugh Smith February 1815-March 1824 John Roberts March 1824-February 1829 Hugh Smith February 1829-February 1835 John Richards February 1835-February 1840 John Roberts February 1840-1852 Elias Harrison 1852-February 1855 J. Louis Kinzer February 1855-September 1858 Francis Miller September 1858- February 1859 Richard L. Carne February 1859-September 1859 Caleb S. Hallowell September 1859-February 1860 William G. Cazenove February 1860-February 1870 Richard L. Carne February 1870-February 1873 K. Kemper February 1873-October 1873 Samuel H. Janney October 1873-February 1874 Sidney C. Neale February 1874-June 1879 Mercer Slaughter September 1897-October 1905 Virginia Corse July 1906-June 1925 Mrs. Samuel. L. Monroe October 1925-April 1930 Loula Smoot April 1930-November 1933 Mrs. Henry B. Soule, [Jessie E. Soule] December 1933-December 1934 Mary Lloyd December 1934-December 1936 Susan Thomson December 1936-November 1937 Mrs. Louis Scott November 1937-November 1944 Mrs. Curtis Backus November 1944-November 1946 Mrs. [Lawrence] Fawcett, [Mary Fawcett] November 1946-November 1947 Howard Worth Smith November 1947-October 1948 [Miss Anne] Lewis Jones October 1948-October 1949 Miss Horne October 1949-October 1950 Mr. Stanley King October 1950-December 1951 Mr. [Joseph] Crockett December 1951-February 1955 Mr. Robert Moncure February 1955-February 1957 Dr. [W. Bruce] Silcox February 1957-February 1959 Stanley King February 1959-February 1962 Mangum Weeks February 1962-February 1963 Richard Bales February 1963-February 1965 Donald King February 1965-February 1967 David Squires February 1967-February 1969 Howard Worth Smith Jr. February 1969-February 1971 William Francis Smith February 1971-February 1972 John T. Ticer February 1972-February 1974 David M. Abshire February 1974-February 1976 Mrs. Merill Beede February 1976-February 1978 Mrs. Douglas Lindsey February 1978-February 1980 Clarke T. Cooper Jr. February 1980-February 1982 William Seale February 1982-February 1983 Denys Peter Myers February 1983-February 1985 William B. Hurd February 1985-February 1986 George J. Stansfield February 1986-February 1987 Dr. Ernest A. Connally February 1987-February 1989 Dr. Wilton C. Corkern, Jr. February 1989-March 1991 James M. Lewis March 1991-March 1992 Mrs. Anne Smith Paul March 1992-March 1993 Richard R. G. Hobson March 1993-March 1995 Dabney Waring March 1995-March 1997 James R. Hobson March 1997-March 1998 Robert C. Reed March 1998-March 2000 Neil Horstman March 2000-March 2002 Carroll Johnson March 2002-March 2003 Thomas C. Brown Jr.","Librarians of Alexandria February 1794-February 1796 Edward Stabler February 1796-February 1818 James Kennedy February 1818-August 1826 William Cranch August 1826-October 1829 W. Samuel Mark October 1829-March 1845 George Drinker March 1845-September 1845 James M. Eaches September 1845-September 1852 C.F. Stuart September 1852-April 1853 H. W. P. Junius September 1852-April 1853 L.? Hunter November 1853 Office Abolished February 1854-October 1855 E. M.[Magruder?] Lowe October 1855-September 1858 Norval E. Foard September 1858-February 1859 S. Scott February 1859-September 1859 Edward R. Roxbury September 1859-February 1860 James A. Clarridge February 1860-April 1861 Charles R. Burgess (acting) April 1861-Unknown Edwin N. Wise March 1868 Wr. Bushby April 1870-May 1871 August Henning July 1871-March 1872 W. F. Stansbury March 1872-August 1873 Emma J. Young October 1873-March 1876 Emily English March 1876 Position Eliminated June 1879 R. Pendleton Bruin (unofficial? acting?) October 1900-October 1903 F. Olive Lyons October 1903-April 1937 (continued part-time, mentioned up to 1946) Alice Green April 1937-December 1938 Miss Beatrice Workman January 1939-January 1941 Katherine Scoggin (later Martyn) February 1941-June 1948 Bessie Watson July 1948-June 1969 (hired part-time October 1939, letter of resignation later that month) Ellen C. Burke July 1969-October 1992 (librarian from 1958) Jeanne G. Plitt"],"otherfindaid_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://alexlibrary.access.preservica.com/archive/sdb%3Acollection|7a4491fe-5b8d-43e9-aa46-69ecce4c0734/\"\u003eClick to view digital materials in this collection\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e"],"otherfindaid_heading_ssm":["Digital Materials"],"otherfindaid_tesim":["Click to view digital materials in this collection"],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e[Item], Alexandria Library Company Records, MS002, Alexandria Library, Local History and Special Collections, Alexandria, Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e"],"prefercite_tesim":["[Item], Alexandria Library Company Records, MS002, Alexandria Library, Local History and Special Collections, Alexandria, Virginia."],"processinfo_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eA reprocessing project begun in 2018 incorporated several boxes of previously unprocessed materials dating from the 1960s to the 2000s, with the bulk dating from after 1980. They included many short, overlapping sequences of correspondence, lecture, meeting, and member records which were merged into continuations of established series including primarily correspondence and lectures but also meetings and member correspondence. The \"subject files\" were added to the existing miscellaneous series. \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nSeveral other changes were also made. A re-examination of the catalog, subscription, and circulation books was undertaken and most were renumbered, described, and relabeled based on primary source research. The 1794-1861 minute book that had been donated back in 1922 was also discovered misfiled in Ms 98 (which covers the library proper since 1937) and was returned to its original collection. Some letters found in minute books were moved to the correspondence series, and their original locations were bookmarked with acid free paper. Photocopies of catalogs were removed. \u003c/p\u003e"],"processinfo_heading_ssm":["Processing Information"],"processinfo_tesim":["A reprocessing project begun in 2018 incorporated several boxes of previously unprocessed materials dating from the 1960s to the 2000s, with the bulk dating from after 1980. They included many short, overlapping sequences of correspondence, lecture, meeting, and member records which were merged into continuations of established series including primarily correspondence and lectures but also meetings and member correspondence. The \"subject files\" were added to the existing miscellaneous series. ","\nSeveral other changes were also made. A re-examination of the catalog, subscription, and circulation books was undertaken and most were renumbered, described, and relabeled based on primary source research. The 1794-1861 minute book that had been donated back in 1922 was also discovered misfiled in Ms 98 (which covers the library proper since 1937) and was returned to its original collection. Some letters found in minute books were moved to the correspondence series, and their original locations were bookmarked with acid free paper. Photocopies of catalogs were removed. "],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThe Alexandria Library Records (Ms 98) document the library as a separate institution from 1937 onward.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003e\nIt particularly complements this collection in its early decades through its administrative correspondence, board correspondence, minutes, annual reports, and organizational records, including contracts with the Alexandria Library Society.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003e\nThe minutes of the library's executive board (1938-1947) are included in the microfilm version of the library minute books 1794-1947.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eTranscripts of library company lectures 2-18 are available in the library.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003clist type=\"deflist\"\u003e\n      \u003chead\u003eLecture series : [transcripts of the audiotapes made of the scholars invited to speak at these annual lectures]\u003c/head\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #2\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 2\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #3\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 3\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #4\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 4\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #5\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 5\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #6\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 6\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #7\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 7\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #8\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 8\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #9\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 9\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #10\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 10\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #11\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 11\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #12\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 12\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #13\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 13\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #14\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 14\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #15\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 15\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #16\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 16\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #17\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 17\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #18\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 18\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n    \u003c/list\u003e"],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related Materials"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["The Alexandria Library Records (Ms 98) document the library as a separate institution from 1937 onward.","\nIt particularly complements this collection in its early decades through its administrative correspondence, board correspondence, minutes, annual reports, and organizational records, including contracts with the Alexandria Library Society.","\nThe minutes of the library's executive board (1938-1947) are included in the microfilm version of the library minute books 1794-1947.","Transcripts of library company lectures 2-18 are available in the library.","Lecture series : [transcripts of the audiotapes made of the scholars invited to speak at these annual lectures] Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #2 080 LEC 2 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #3 080 LEC 3 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #4 080 LEC 4 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #5 080 LEC 5 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #6 080 LEC 6 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #7 080 LEC 7 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #8 080 LEC 8 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #9 080 LEC 9 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #10 080 LEC 10 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #11 080 LEC 11 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #12 080 LEC 12 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #13 080 LEC 13 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #14 080 LEC 14 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #15 080 LEC 15 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #16 080 LEC 16 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #17 080 LEC 17 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #18 080 LEC 18"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThe collection consists of circulation, subscription, and financial ledgers, annual lecture series documents, catalogues, correspondence, and various organizational documents. Topics include: foundation of the\nAlexandria Library Company, its cycles of growth and decline reflecting the local economy; the formation of the local public library system; and the on-going activities of the Alexandria Library Company, most notably its lecture series.\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Content Description"],"scopecontent_tesim":["The collection consists of circulation, subscription, and financial ledgers, annual lecture series documents, catalogues, correspondence, and various organizational documents. Topics include: foundation of the\nAlexandria Library Company, its cycles of growth and decline reflecting the local economy; the formation of the local public library system; and the on-going activities of the Alexandria Library Company, most notably its lecture series."],"names_coll_ssim":["Alexandria Library (Alexandria, Va.)"],"names_ssim":["Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library","Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)","Alexandria Library (Alexandria, Va.)"],"corpname_ssim":["Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library","Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)","Alexandria Library (Alexandria, Va.)"],"language_ssim":["English"],"descrules_ssm":["Describing Archives: A Content Standard"],"total_component_count_is":147,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-05-01T00:09:43.684Z","bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eIn the 1780s, a discussion group of Alexandria gentlemen called \"The Society for the Promotion of Useful Knowledge\" was formed. In 1794, many of these same individuals gathered to form the nucleus of the Alexandria Library Company (ALC). The ALC was a subscription library modelled after the Philadelphia Library Company, which had also emerged from such a club. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eSociety president Reverend John Muir became president of the ALC, a position he would hold for almost 20 years. Many of the library's founders are known to have been members of local Masonic lodges. Elisha Cullen Dick, who had succeeded George Washington as the leader of Lodge 22, was among the first directors of the ALC as well as the secretary of the earlier Society. The first Librarian was Edward Stabler, the proprietor of an apothecary shop. In 1796, Stabler was replaced by James Kennedy, who served as librarian until 1818. Overlaps and family links between the leadership of the library and other Alexandria institutions remained common over the next century and a half. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eFor a time, the Alexandria Lyceum (founded in 1838) and the ALC shared a physical space as well as similar missions. The Alexandria Lyceum was founded as part of a national movement focused on educational lectures. The union between the two organizations was dissolved in 1844, but the library continued to rent space from the Lyceum. The library was later said to have been in a state of \"suspended animation\" from around 1846 to 1852. In 1852, a \"Young Men's\" group took over under the original charter, publishing a new catalog in 1856. The library continued to operate into the Civil War. It remained in the Lyceum but not without acrimony, which is evident in the Alexandria Gazette in 1860. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn October 1867, an agreement was reached with what was variously referred to as the Alexandria Christian Association and the YMCA for assistance with running the library. The library separated from this organization during the early 1870s. By the second half of the 1870s, the library fell into a decline which the directors blamed on the lack of a published catalog. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eThe first library catalog had been prepared by Kennedy in 1796 and published sometime thereafter. The earliest catalog of which there is an extant copy was published in 1801, followed by another in 1808 of which there are few traces. A more enduring catalog was created in 1815. The 1830s saw publication of a supplement to the 1815 catalog and the creation of a working catalog that would be used into the late 1840s. Normal circulation records end in April 1861 when the library was converted into a military hospital. There are stray entries in May and December before operations resumed on a limited basis in May 1862 and continued at least through that year. Over a thousand volumes were lost during the war. Due to the decline in usage in the 1870s, a new catalog was produced by librarian Emma J. Young in 1872 but never published. After two years with Young's catalog, another was commissioned from Dr. Theo West, which also went unpublished. As a stopgap, handwritten copies were used by patrons. In 1898, a new catalog was created which utilized a decimal system for the first time. The last published catalog was a supplement to the 1912 version. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn the late 1870s, appeals were made to the men of Alexandria for support,. The directors met with another \"Young Men's Library Association\" in 1878 without success, records of operations stop after January 1880.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eThe Gazette reported in January 1881 that the books were now in the custody of the school board, whose membership included William F. Carne, a former library company director and the son of one its former presidents. In May 1887 it reported that Carne, as leader of the board's library committee, was inviting associations wishing to participate in re-opening the library to a meeting at the Peabody school building where the books were held, and explained that he had always intended a reading room to be opened to the public once space was freed up for that purpose.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn June 1887, the Gazette reported that the \"Reading Circle of Washington and Lee Schools\" organized by teachers two years prior and the YMCA would operate the free library during the summer, in the hope that in September \"an effort will be made, with a very fair prospect of success, to re-organize the Library Company.\" Gazette reports in 1890 and 1891 refer to continued efforts by Carne and others to \"re-open\" the library, and in 1892 being part of a \"committee on the project for a free public library,\" but they did not succeed.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn the decades after 1870s librarianship not only professionalized but underwent a rapid gender shift, and apart from the periods in which there was no librarian for financial reasons, no male librarians seem to have been employed until well into the 20th century. Women's library organizations had become common nationally, and along with the philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie played a major role in the growth of public libraries in America starting in the late 19th century.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn September 1897, the Alexandria Library Association led by Virginia Corse received custody of the books then in possession of the school board. With a modest donation from Carnegie, by 1898 the library was back in business, but as a subscription library, it would not become a free public library for almost 40 years. The new library needed a new librarian, and after one or two initial hires, the association found Alice Green (1865-1956), who would serve from 1902-1937 and in a lesser capacity into the mid-1940s. During this period, space for the library was rented from the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC).\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eThe Depression brought financial hardship. As the crisis worsened in early 1931, the association had obtained $1,000 from the city council to form \"a nucleus for the establishment of a public library.\" Discussion of becoming a public library had been common since the 1920s, as the efforts of Carnegie and others had made them the norm nationally. Attempts were made to sell older books and hold fundraisers as subscription fees dried up. There was also a dispute with the UDC over a rent increase in 1933. The library was aided by the wealth of its members, including a $5,000 bequest in 1935 from its long-time treasurer, Margaret L. Smoot.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eMembers built political support both on the council and among the public in the mid-1930s and in 1937 it was agreed that a building would be constructed on the site of the old cemetery of the Society of Friends and that the city government would cover annual expenses of no more than $5,000 for the association to operate a free library. One member of the board would be appointed by the city. The new governing organization was rebranded the Alexandria Library Society.  Agreements were signed in January, and the library opened at the Kate Waller Barrett Branch's current location, 717 Queen Street.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eAnother change after 1937 was the gender composition of the leadership. Men served on the board of the new Society and played prominent roles after 1937. After 1948 they typically occupied the presidency of the organization. Most elections were unanimous, often with women casting most of the votes, but it ceased to be a women's organization. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn 1945 a technicality in the Society's contract with the city was brought to the attention of the board. Namely that the $5,000 the city was obligated to provide each year was not the minimum but rather the maximum contribution, and that the higher appropriations it had been making were illegal. The city took this as an opportunity to demand a contract change beyond the funding formula. Although the men of the city council had representation on the board, the women of the Society were still ultimately running the library, and the Society was asked to allow a majority of the executive board to be appointed by the city, and a minority by the Society. That the city legally \"owned the building and all its contents\" so long as it paid $5,000 per year was also pointed out. The Alexandria Library Society signed the new contract, surrendering control of the library in November 1947. In its reduced role, the Society still elected members to the board and received reports from the librarian. It also retained independent funds that could be used for the benefit of the library. With the library now fully the city's responsibility, the membership was also able to more openly advocate for additional funding.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eAnother longstanding issue at the library was race. The president's 1928 annual report had endorsed becoming a \"free city library,\" but feared that becoming a Carnegie library \"would bring in some elements hitherto unknown and I think undesirable in our Library.\" In the 1930s the library association favored providing segregated facilities, but, after repeated meetings with the city council, failed to achieve even that modest goal. In the 13 March, 1939, minutes, the issue was revisited yet again, but without result. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eFour days later on 17 March 1939, Sergeant George Wilson was turned down for a library card because of his race and Samuel Tucker filed a civil rights lawsuit against the librarian on his behalf. Plans for a segregated facility were dusted off, and new staff was hired so that the librarian could focus on the controversy. On 21 August 1939, several black men organized by Tucker entered the library and followed Wilson's example, but after being refused, seated themselves in the library with books, beginning America's first library sit-in. It ended only after the city manager called the police, and all were arrested. The lawsuit was dismissed on technical grounds, but to prevent a new lawsuit the city approved the Robert H. Robinson branch, which opened in 1940. Tucker refused to accept a card there. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eA major issue in the early 1950s was the push to expand the overcrowded main library serving the white community. The white librarian at the time, who had been hired in a junior capacity during Tucker's campaign in 1939, suggested to the Society that the expansion could be an opportunity to integrate. In the midst of the debates over expansion and additional funding, an opportunity emerged to purchase a neighboring building on the corner of North Columbus and Queen, which was later demolished. This prompted a discussion about the Alexandria Library Society's connection to the original library company. It was decided to change the name from the \"Alexandria Library Society\" to the \"Alexandria Library Company,\" make the appropriate filings with the state government, and reinstate the 1799 charter, which would be revised by the legislature in the 1980s to help obtain tax-exempt status from the IRS.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eThis name change was completed at one of the company's most consequential meetings in February 1956. Every member was asked to sign their name in the minute book to signal their assent. A letter from a local civil rights activist questioning the legality of library segregation was also read, but deemed the province of the library board, which referred the matter back to the company whose reply is not preserved.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eMember Mangum Weeks thereupon raised the question of the future role of the Library Company, and proposed resuming the tradition of annual lectures dating from the Lyceum period using funds from the newly instituted membership dues. This proposal was adopted, and preparing the annual lectures soon became a major focus of the Company. The Library Company continues to appoint members to the board of the Alexandria Library and hold its annual lecture series. It commissioned a new history of the library by William Seale in 2007, which can be found at the Local History and Special Collections Branch.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eChronological listings for both presidents of the board and librarians up to the modern day.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003clist type=\"deflist\"\u003e\n      \u003chead\u003ePresidents of the Library Company and Its Successors\u003c/head\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1794-February 1813\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRev. James Muir\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1813-February 1815\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eHugh Smith\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1815-March 1824\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJohn Roberts\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1824-February 1829\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eHugh Smith\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1829-February 1835\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJohn Richards\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1835-February 1840\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJohn Roberts\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1840-1852\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eElias Harrison\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003e1852-February 1855\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJ. Louis Kinzer\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1855-September 1858\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eFrancis Miller\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1858- February 1859\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRichard L. Carne\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1859-September 1859\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eCaleb S. Hallowell\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1859-February 1860\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam G. Cazenove\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1860-February 1870\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRichard L. Carne\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1870-February 1873\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eK. Kemper\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1873-October 1873\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eSamuel H. Janney\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1873-February 1874\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eSidney C. Neale\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1874-June 1879\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMercer Slaughter\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1897-October 1905\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eVirginia Corse\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJuly 1906-June 1925\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Samuel. L. Monroe\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1925-April 1930\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eLoula Smoot\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eApril 1930-November 1933\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Henry B. Soule, [Jessie E. Soule]\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eDecember 1933-December 1934\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMary Lloyd\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eDecember 1934-December 1936\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eSusan Thomson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eDecember 1936-November 1937\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Louis Scott\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1937-November 1944\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Curtis Backus\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1944-November 1946\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. [Lawrence] Fawcett, [Mary Fawcett]\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1946-November 1947\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eHoward Worth Smith\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1947-October 1948\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e[Miss Anne] Lewis Jones\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1948-October 1949\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMiss Horne\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1949-October 1950\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMr. Stanley King\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1950-December 1951\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMr. [Joseph] Crockett\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eDecember 1951-February 1955\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMr. Robert Moncure\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1955-February 1957\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDr. [W. Bruce] Silcox\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1957-February 1959\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eStanley King\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1959-February 1962\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMangum Weeks\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1962-February 1963\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRichard Bales\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1963-February 1965\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDonald King\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1965-February 1967\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDavid Squires\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1967-February 1969\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eHoward Worth Smith Jr.\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1969-February 1971\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam Francis Smith\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1971-February 1972\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJohn T. Ticer\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1972-February 1974\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDavid M. Abshire\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1974-February 1976\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Merill Beede\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1976-February 1978\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Douglas Lindsey\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1978-February 1980\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eClarke T. Cooper Jr.\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1980-February 1982\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam Seale\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1982-February 1983\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDenys Peter Myers\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1983-February 1985\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam B. Hurd\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1985-February 1986\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eGeorge J. Stansfield\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1986-February 1987\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDr. Ernest A. Connally\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1987-February 1989\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDr. Wilton C. Corkern, Jr.\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1989-March 1991\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames M. Lewis\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1991-March 1992\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Anne Smith Paul\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1992-March 1993\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRichard R. G. Hobson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1993-March 1995\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDabney Waring\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1995-March 1997\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames R. Hobson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1997-March 1998\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRobert C. Reed\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1998-March 2000\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eNeil Horstman\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 2000-March 2002\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eCarroll Johnson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 2002-March 2003\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eThomas C. Brown Jr.\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n    \u003c/list\u003e","\u003clist type=\"deflist\"\u003e\n      \u003chead\u003eLibrarians of Alexandria\u003c/head\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1794-February 1796\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEdward Stabler\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1796-February 1818\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames Kennedy\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1818-August 1826\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam Cranch\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAugust 1826-October 1829\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eW. Samuel Mark\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1829-March 1845\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eGeorge Drinker\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1845-September 1845\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames M. Eaches\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1845-September 1852\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eC.F. Stuart\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1852-April 1853\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eH. W. P. Junius\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1852-April 1853\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eL.? Hunter\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1853\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eOffice Abolished\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1854-October 1855\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eE. M.[Magruder?] Lowe\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1855-September 1858\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eNorval E. Foard\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1858-February 1859\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eS. Scott\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1859-September 1859\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEdward R. Roxbury\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1859-February 1860\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames A. Clarridge\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1860-April 1861\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eCharles R. Burgess (acting)\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eApril 1861-Unknown\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEdwin N. Wise\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1868\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWr. Bushby\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eApril 1870-May 1871\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eAugust Henning\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJuly 1871-March 1872\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eW. F. Stansbury\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1872-August 1873\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEmma J. Young\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1873-March 1876\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEmily English\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1876\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003ePosition Eliminated\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJune 1879\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eR. Pendleton Bruin (unofficial? acting?)\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1900-October 1903\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eF. Olive Lyons\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1903-April 1937 (continued part-time, mentioned up to 1946)\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eAlice Green\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eApril 1937-December 1938\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMiss Beatrice Workman\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJanuary 1939-January 1941\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eKatherine Scoggin (later Martyn)\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1941-June 1948\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eBessie Watson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJuly 1948-June 1969 (hired part-time October 1939, letter of resignation later that month)\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEllen C. Burke\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJuly 1969-October 1992 (librarian from 1958)\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJeanne G. Plitt\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n    \u003c/list\u003e"]}]}},"label":"Breadcrumbs"}}},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c04_c07"}},{"id":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c04","type":"Series","attributes":{"title":"Series IV: Meetings","abstract_or_scope":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c04#abstract_or_scope","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"\u003cp\u003eThe meetings series consists chiefly of bound and unbound minutes from the Alexandria Library Company and its successors.\u003c/p\u003e","label":"Abstract Or Scope"}},"breadcrumbs":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c04#breadcrumbs","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":{"ref_ssi":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c04","ref_ssm":["vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c04"],"id":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c04","ead_ssi":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","_root_":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","_nest_parent_":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","parent_ssi":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","parent_ssim":["vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128"],"parent_ids_ssim":["vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128"],"parent_unittitles_ssm":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"parent_unittitles_tesim":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"text":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)","Series IV: Meetings","English","The meetings series consists chiefly of bound and unbound minutes from the Alexandria Library Company and its successors.","\nThe bound minutes cover the early Library Company from 1794 to its last meeting in 1879, the Alexandria Library Association and Library Society from 1897 through its loss of control of the library in the late 1947, and the Society and modern Library Company from 1948 to 1993.","\nAfter 1937, there are two minute books, one for the \"executive board,\" which ran the library, and the other for the Library Society and later Library Company which appointed some of its members. The 1938-1947 executive board minutes are included in the microfilm copy of the older bound volumes, but the original is located in Ms 98.","\nBylaws, agreements, financial, and membership information often appear in the records, as do records of elections. In some periods, annual reports are pasted into the minute books, which like a lot of library business, was printed in the Gazette.","\nThe unbound meeting records cover the modern period of the Library Company and contain minutes, announcements of meetings, and notes, although for the earlier periods the minutes are merely photocopies of the bound volumes as indicated by page numbers."],"title_filing_ssi":"Series IV: Meetings","title_ssm":["Series IV: Meetings"],"title_tesim":["Series IV: Meetings"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1794-2003"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1794/2003"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Series IV: Meetings"],"component_level_isim":[1],"repository_ssim":["Alexandria Library"],"collection_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"child_component_count_isi":13,"level_ssm":["Series"],"level_ssim":["Series"],"sort_isi":25,"date_range_isim":[1794,1795,1796,1797,1798,1799,1800,1801,1802,1803,1804,1805,1806,1807,1808,1809,1810,1811,1812,1813,1814,1815,1816,1817,1818,1819,1820,1821,1822,1823,1824,1825,1826,1827,1828,1829,1830,1831,1832,1833,1834,1835,1836,1837,1838,1839,1840,1841,1842,1843,1844,1845,1846,1847,1848,1849,1850,1851,1852,1853,1854,1855,1856,1857,1858,1859,1860,1861,1862,1863,1864,1865,1866,1867,1868,1869,1870,1871,1872,1873,1874,1875,1876,1877,1878,1879,1880,1881,1882,1883,1884,1885,1886,1887,1888,1889,1890,1891,1892,1893,1894,1895,1896,1897,1898,1899,1900,1901,1902,1903,1904,1905,1906,1907,1908,1909,1910,1911,1912,1913,1914,1915,1916,1917,1918,1919,1920,1921,1922,1923,1924,1925,1926,1927,1928,1929,1930,1931,1932,1933,1934,1935,1936,1937,1938,1939,1940,1941,1942,1943,1944,1945,1946,1947,1948,1949,1950,1951,1952,1953,1954,1955,1956,1957,1958,1959,1960,1961,1962,1963,1964,1965,1966,1967,1968,1969,1970,1971,1972,1973,1974,1975,1976,1977,1978,1979,1980,1981,1982,1983,1984,1985,1986,1987,1988,1989,1990,1991,1992,1993,1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000,2001,2002,2003],"language_ssim":["English"],"otherfindaid_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e\n  \u003ca href=\"https://alexlibrary.access.preservica.com/archive/sdb%3Acollection|6be8ecf3-e13c-4657-a7cb-262a9f1f4a59/\"\u003eClick to view digital materials in this collection\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"otherfindaid_heading_ssm":["Digital Materials"],"otherfindaid_tesim":["Click to view digital materials in this collection"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThe meetings series consists chiefly of bound and unbound minutes from the Alexandria Library Company and its successors.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nThe bound minutes cover the early Library Company from 1794 to its last meeting in 1879, the Alexandria Library Association and Library Society from 1897 through its loss of control of the library in the late 1947, and the Society and modern Library Company from 1948 to 1993.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nAfter 1937, there are two minute books, one for the \"executive board,\" which ran the library, and the other for the Library Society and later Library Company which appointed some of its members. The 1938-1947 executive board minutes are included in the microfilm copy of the older bound volumes, but the original is located in Ms 98.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nBylaws, agreements, financial, and membership information often appear in the records, as do records of elections. In some periods, annual reports are pasted into the minute books, which like a lot of library business, was printed in the Gazette.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nThe unbound meeting records cover the modern period of the Library Company and contain minutes, announcements of meetings, and notes, although for the earlier periods the minutes are merely photocopies of the bound volumes as indicated by page numbers.\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["The meetings series consists chiefly of bound and unbound minutes from the Alexandria Library Company and its successors.","\nThe bound minutes cover the early Library Company from 1794 to its last meeting in 1879, the Alexandria Library Association and Library Society from 1897 through its loss of control of the library in the late 1947, and the Society and modern Library Company from 1948 to 1993.","\nAfter 1937, there are two minute books, one for the \"executive board,\" which ran the library, and the other for the Library Society and later Library Company which appointed some of its members. The 1938-1947 executive board minutes are included in the microfilm copy of the older bound volumes, but the original is located in Ms 98.","\nBylaws, agreements, financial, and membership information often appear in the records, as do records of elections. In some periods, annual reports are pasted into the minute books, which like a lot of library business, was printed in the Gazette.","\nThe unbound meeting records cover the modern period of the Library Company and contain minutes, announcements of meetings, and notes, although for the earlier periods the minutes are merely photocopies of the bound volumes as indicated by page numbers."],"_nest_path_":"/components#3","timestamp":"2026-05-01T00:09:43.684Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","ead_ssi":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","_root_":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","_nest_parent_":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/oai/ALEX/repositories_2_resources_128.xml","aspace_url_ssi":"https://alexlibraryva.libraryhost.com/repositories/2/resources/128","title_ssm":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"title_tesim":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"unitdate_ssm":["1794-2007"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1794-2007"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["MS002","/repositories/2/resources/128"],"text":["MS002","/repositories/2/resources/128","Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)","Libraries -- Subscription Libraries","Lectures and Lecturing","Associations, institutions, etc","Public libraries.","In the 1780s, a discussion group of Alexandria gentlemen called \"The Society for the Promotion of Useful Knowledge\" was formed. In 1794, many of these same individuals gathered to form the nucleus of the Alexandria Library Company (ALC). The ALC was a subscription library modelled after the Philadelphia Library Company, which had also emerged from such a club. ","Society president Reverend John Muir became president of the ALC, a position he would hold for almost 20 years. Many of the library's founders are known to have been members of local Masonic lodges. Elisha Cullen Dick, who had succeeded George Washington as the leader of Lodge 22, was among the first directors of the ALC as well as the secretary of the earlier Society. The first Librarian was Edward Stabler, the proprietor of an apothecary shop. In 1796, Stabler was replaced by James Kennedy, who served as librarian until 1818. Overlaps and family links between the leadership of the library and other Alexandria institutions remained common over the next century and a half. ","For a time, the Alexandria Lyceum (founded in 1838) and the ALC shared a physical space as well as similar missions. The Alexandria Lyceum was founded as part of a national movement focused on educational lectures. The union between the two organizations was dissolved in 1844, but the library continued to rent space from the Lyceum. The library was later said to have been in a state of \"suspended animation\" from around 1846 to 1852. In 1852, a \"Young Men's\" group took over under the original charter, publishing a new catalog in 1856. The library continued to operate into the Civil War. It remained in the Lyceum but not without acrimony, which is evident in the Alexandria Gazette in 1860. ","In October 1867, an agreement was reached with what was variously referred to as the Alexandria Christian Association and the YMCA for assistance with running the library. The library separated from this organization during the early 1870s. By the second half of the 1870s, the library fell into a decline which the directors blamed on the lack of a published catalog. ","The first library catalog had been prepared by Kennedy in 1796 and published sometime thereafter. The earliest catalog of which there is an extant copy was published in 1801, followed by another in 1808 of which there are few traces. A more enduring catalog was created in 1815. The 1830s saw publication of a supplement to the 1815 catalog and the creation of a working catalog that would be used into the late 1840s. Normal circulation records end in April 1861 when the library was converted into a military hospital. There are stray entries in May and December before operations resumed on a limited basis in May 1862 and continued at least through that year. Over a thousand volumes were lost during the war. Due to the decline in usage in the 1870s, a new catalog was produced by librarian Emma J. Young in 1872 but never published. After two years with Young's catalog, another was commissioned from Dr. Theo West, which also went unpublished. As a stopgap, handwritten copies were used by patrons. In 1898, a new catalog was created which utilized a decimal system for the first time. The last published catalog was a supplement to the 1912 version. ","In the late 1870s, appeals were made to the men of Alexandria for support,. The directors met with another \"Young Men's Library Association\" in 1878 without success, records of operations stop after January 1880.","The Gazette reported in January 1881 that the books were now in the custody of the school board, whose membership included William F. Carne, a former library company director and the son of one its former presidents. In May 1887 it reported that Carne, as leader of the board's library committee, was inviting associations wishing to participate in re-opening the library to a meeting at the Peabody school building where the books were held, and explained that he had always intended a reading room to be opened to the public once space was freed up for that purpose.","In June 1887, the Gazette reported that the \"Reading Circle of Washington and Lee Schools\" organized by teachers two years prior and the YMCA would operate the free library during the summer, in the hope that in September \"an effort will be made, with a very fair prospect of success, to re-organize the Library Company.\" Gazette reports in 1890 and 1891 refer to continued efforts by Carne and others to \"re-open\" the library, and in 1892 being part of a \"committee on the project for a free public library,\" but they did not succeed.","In the decades after 1870s librarianship not only professionalized but underwent a rapid gender shift, and apart from the periods in which there was no librarian for financial reasons, no male librarians seem to have been employed until well into the 20th century. Women's library organizations had become common nationally, and along with the philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie played a major role in the growth of public libraries in America starting in the late 19th century.","In September 1897, the Alexandria Library Association led by Virginia Corse received custody of the books then in possession of the school board. With a modest donation from Carnegie, by 1898 the library was back in business, but as a subscription library, it would not become a free public library for almost 40 years. The new library needed a new librarian, and after one or two initial hires, the association found Alice Green (1865-1956), who would serve from 1902-1937 and in a lesser capacity into the mid-1940s. During this period, space for the library was rented from the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC).","The Depression brought financial hardship. As the crisis worsened in early 1931, the association had obtained $1,000 from the city council to form \"a nucleus for the establishment of a public library.\" Discussion of becoming a public library had been common since the 1920s, as the efforts of Carnegie and others had made them the norm nationally. Attempts were made to sell older books and hold fundraisers as subscription fees dried up. There was also a dispute with the UDC over a rent increase in 1933. The library was aided by the wealth of its members, including a $5,000 bequest in 1935 from its long-time treasurer, Margaret L. Smoot.","Members built political support both on the council and among the public in the mid-1930s and in 1937 it was agreed that a building would be constructed on the site of the old cemetery of the Society of Friends and that the city government would cover annual expenses of no more than $5,000 for the association to operate a free library. One member of the board would be appointed by the city. The new governing organization was rebranded the Alexandria Library Society.  Agreements were signed in January, and the library opened at the Kate Waller Barrett Branch's current location, 717 Queen Street.","Another change after 1937 was the gender composition of the leadership. Men served on the board of the new Society and played prominent roles after 1937. After 1948 they typically occupied the presidency of the organization. Most elections were unanimous, often with women casting most of the votes, but it ceased to be a women's organization. ","In 1945 a technicality in the Society's contract with the city was brought to the attention of the board. Namely that the $5,000 the city was obligated to provide each year was not the minimum but rather the maximum contribution, and that the higher appropriations it had been making were illegal. The city took this as an opportunity to demand a contract change beyond the funding formula. Although the men of the city council had representation on the board, the women of the Society were still ultimately running the library, and the Society was asked to allow a majority of the executive board to be appointed by the city, and a minority by the Society. That the city legally \"owned the building and all its contents\" so long as it paid $5,000 per year was also pointed out. The Alexandria Library Society signed the new contract, surrendering control of the library in November 1947. In its reduced role, the Society still elected members to the board and received reports from the librarian. It also retained independent funds that could be used for the benefit of the library. With the library now fully the city's responsibility, the membership was also able to more openly advocate for additional funding.","Another longstanding issue at the library was race. The president's 1928 annual report had endorsed becoming a \"free city library,\" but feared that becoming a Carnegie library \"would bring in some elements hitherto unknown and I think undesirable in our Library.\" In the 1930s the library association favored providing segregated facilities, but, after repeated meetings with the city council, failed to achieve even that modest goal. In the 13 March, 1939, minutes, the issue was revisited yet again, but without result. ","Four days later on 17 March 1939, Sergeant George Wilson was turned down for a library card because of his race and Samuel Tucker filed a civil rights lawsuit against the librarian on his behalf. Plans for a segregated facility were dusted off, and new staff was hired so that the librarian could focus on the controversy. On 21 August 1939, several black men organized by Tucker entered the library and followed Wilson's example, but after being refused, seated themselves in the library with books, beginning America's first library sit-in. It ended only after the city manager called the police, and all were arrested. The lawsuit was dismissed on technical grounds, but to prevent a new lawsuit the city approved the Robert H. Robinson branch, which opened in 1940. Tucker refused to accept a card there. ","A major issue in the early 1950s was the push to expand the overcrowded main library serving the white community. The white librarian at the time, who had been hired in a junior capacity during Tucker's campaign in 1939, suggested to the Society that the expansion could be an opportunity to integrate. In the midst of the debates over expansion and additional funding, an opportunity emerged to purchase a neighboring building on the corner of North Columbus and Queen, which was later demolished. This prompted a discussion about the Alexandria Library Society's connection to the original library company. It was decided to change the name from the \"Alexandria Library Society\" to the \"Alexandria Library Company,\" make the appropriate filings with the state government, and reinstate the 1799 charter, which would be revised by the legislature in the 1980s to help obtain tax-exempt status from the IRS.","This name change was completed at one of the company's most consequential meetings in February 1956. Every member was asked to sign their name in the minute book to signal their assent. A letter from a local civil rights activist questioning the legality of library segregation was also read, but deemed the province of the library board, which referred the matter back to the company whose reply is not preserved.","Member Mangum Weeks thereupon raised the question of the future role of the Library Company, and proposed resuming the tradition of annual lectures dating from the Lyceum period using funds from the newly instituted membership dues. This proposal was adopted, and preparing the annual lectures soon became a major focus of the Company. The Library Company continues to appoint members to the board of the Alexandria Library and hold its annual lecture series. It commissioned a new history of the library by William Seale in 2007, which can be found at the Local History and Special Collections Branch.","Chronological listings for both presidents of the board and librarians up to the modern day.","Presidents of the Library Company and Its Successors February 1794-February 1813 Rev. James Muir February 1813-February 1815 Hugh Smith February 1815-March 1824 John Roberts March 1824-February 1829 Hugh Smith February 1829-February 1835 John Richards February 1835-February 1840 John Roberts February 1840-1852 Elias Harrison 1852-February 1855 J. Louis Kinzer February 1855-September 1858 Francis Miller September 1858- February 1859 Richard L. Carne February 1859-September 1859 Caleb S. Hallowell September 1859-February 1860 William G. Cazenove February 1860-February 1870 Richard L. Carne February 1870-February 1873 K. Kemper February 1873-October 1873 Samuel H. Janney October 1873-February 1874 Sidney C. Neale February 1874-June 1879 Mercer Slaughter September 1897-October 1905 Virginia Corse July 1906-June 1925 Mrs. Samuel. L. Monroe October 1925-April 1930 Loula Smoot April 1930-November 1933 Mrs. Henry B. Soule, [Jessie E. Soule] December 1933-December 1934 Mary Lloyd December 1934-December 1936 Susan Thomson December 1936-November 1937 Mrs. Louis Scott November 1937-November 1944 Mrs. Curtis Backus November 1944-November 1946 Mrs. [Lawrence] Fawcett, [Mary Fawcett] November 1946-November 1947 Howard Worth Smith November 1947-October 1948 [Miss Anne] Lewis Jones October 1948-October 1949 Miss Horne October 1949-October 1950 Mr. Stanley King October 1950-December 1951 Mr. [Joseph] Crockett December 1951-February 1955 Mr. Robert Moncure February 1955-February 1957 Dr. [W. Bruce] Silcox February 1957-February 1959 Stanley King February 1959-February 1962 Mangum Weeks February 1962-February 1963 Richard Bales February 1963-February 1965 Donald King February 1965-February 1967 David Squires February 1967-February 1969 Howard Worth Smith Jr. February 1969-February 1971 William Francis Smith February 1971-February 1972 John T. Ticer February 1972-February 1974 David M. Abshire February 1974-February 1976 Mrs. Merill Beede February 1976-February 1978 Mrs. Douglas Lindsey February 1978-February 1980 Clarke T. Cooper Jr. February 1980-February 1982 William Seale February 1982-February 1983 Denys Peter Myers February 1983-February 1985 William B. Hurd February 1985-February 1986 George J. Stansfield February 1986-February 1987 Dr. Ernest A. Connally February 1987-February 1989 Dr. Wilton C. Corkern, Jr. February 1989-March 1991 James M. Lewis March 1991-March 1992 Mrs. Anne Smith Paul March 1992-March 1993 Richard R. G. Hobson March 1993-March 1995 Dabney Waring March 1995-March 1997 James R. Hobson March 1997-March 1998 Robert C. Reed March 1998-March 2000 Neil Horstman March 2000-March 2002 Carroll Johnson March 2002-March 2003 Thomas C. Brown Jr.","Librarians of Alexandria February 1794-February 1796 Edward Stabler February 1796-February 1818 James Kennedy February 1818-August 1826 William Cranch August 1826-October 1829 W. Samuel Mark October 1829-March 1845 George Drinker March 1845-September 1845 James M. Eaches September 1845-September 1852 C.F. Stuart September 1852-April 1853 H. W. P. Junius September 1852-April 1853 L.? Hunter November 1853 Office Abolished February 1854-October 1855 E. M.[Magruder?] Lowe October 1855-September 1858 Norval E. Foard September 1858-February 1859 S. Scott February 1859-September 1859 Edward R. Roxbury September 1859-February 1860 James A. Clarridge February 1860-April 1861 Charles R. Burgess (acting) April 1861-Unknown Edwin N. Wise March 1868 Wr. Bushby April 1870-May 1871 August Henning July 1871-March 1872 W. F. Stansbury March 1872-August 1873 Emma J. Young October 1873-March 1876 Emily English March 1876 Position Eliminated June 1879 R. Pendleton Bruin (unofficial? acting?) October 1900-October 1903 F. Olive Lyons October 1903-April 1937 (continued part-time, mentioned up to 1946) Alice Green April 1937-December 1938 Miss Beatrice Workman January 1939-January 1941 Katherine Scoggin (later Martyn) February 1941-June 1948 Bessie Watson July 1948-June 1969 (hired part-time October 1939, letter of resignation later that month) Ellen C. Burke July 1969-October 1992 (librarian from 1958) Jeanne G. Plitt","A reprocessing project begun in 2018 incorporated several boxes of previously unprocessed materials dating from the 1960s to the 2000s, with the bulk dating from after 1980. They included many short, overlapping sequences of correspondence, lecture, meeting, and member records which were merged into continuations of established series including primarily correspondence and lectures but also meetings and member correspondence. The \"subject files\" were added to the existing miscellaneous series. ","\nSeveral other changes were also made. A re-examination of the catalog, subscription, and circulation books was undertaken and most were renumbered, described, and relabeled based on primary source research. The 1794-1861 minute book that had been donated back in 1922 was also discovered misfiled in Ms 98 (which covers the library proper since 1937) and was returned to its original collection. Some letters found in minute books were moved to the correspondence series, and their original locations were bookmarked with acid free paper. Photocopies of catalogs were removed. ","The Alexandria Library Records (Ms 98) document the library as a separate institution from 1937 onward.","\nIt particularly complements this collection in its early decades through its administrative correspondence, board correspondence, minutes, annual reports, and organizational records, including contracts with the Alexandria Library Society.","\nThe minutes of the library's executive board (1938-1947) are included in the microfilm version of the library minute books 1794-1947.","Transcripts of library company lectures 2-18 are available in the library.","Lecture series : [transcripts of the audiotapes made of the scholars invited to speak at these annual lectures] Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #2 080 LEC 2 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #3 080 LEC 3 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #4 080 LEC 4 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #5 080 LEC 5 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #6 080 LEC 6 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #7 080 LEC 7 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #8 080 LEC 8 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #9 080 LEC 9 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #10 080 LEC 10 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #11 080 LEC 11 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #12 080 LEC 12 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #13 080 LEC 13 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #14 080 LEC 14 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #15 080 LEC 15 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #16 080 LEC 16 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #17 080 LEC 17 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #18 080 LEC 18","The collection consists of circulation, subscription, and financial ledgers, annual lecture series documents, catalogues, correspondence, and various organizational documents. Topics include: foundation of the\nAlexandria Library Company, its cycles of growth and decline reflecting the local economy; the formation of the local public library system; and the on-going activities of the Alexandria Library Company, most notably its lecture series.","Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library","Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)","Alexandria Library (Alexandria, Va.)","English"],"unitid_tesim":["MS002","/repositories/2/resources/128"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"collection_title_tesim":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"collection_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"repository_ssm":["Alexandria Library"],"repository_ssim":["Alexandria Library"],"geogname_ssm":["Libraries -- Subscription Libraries","Lectures and Lecturing","Associations, institutions, etc"],"geogname_ssim":["Libraries -- Subscription Libraries","Lectures and Lecturing","Associations, institutions, etc"],"creator_ssm":["Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)"],"creator_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)"],"creator_corpname_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)"],"creators_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)"],"places_ssim":["Libraries -- Subscription Libraries","Lectures and Lecturing","Associations, institutions, etc"],"access_subjects_ssim":["Public libraries."],"access_subjects_ssm":["Public libraries."],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"extent_ssm":["8.10 Cubic Feet 13 boxes, 2 oversize boxes, 1 record carton"],"extent_tesim":["8.10 Cubic Feet 13 boxes, 2 oversize boxes, 1 record carton"],"date_range_isim":[1794,1795,1796,1797,1798,1799,1800,1801,1802,1803,1804,1805,1806,1807,1808,1809,1810,1811,1812,1813,1814,1815,1816,1817,1818,1819,1820,1821,1822,1823,1824,1825,1826,1827,1828,1829,1830,1831,1832,1833,1834,1835,1836,1837,1838,1839,1840,1841,1842,1843,1844,1845,1846,1847,1848,1849,1850,1851,1852,1853,1854,1855,1856,1857,1858,1859,1860,1861,1862,1863,1864,1865,1866,1867,1868,1869,1870,1871,1872,1873,1874,1875,1876,1877,1878,1879,1880,1881,1882,1883,1884,1885,1886,1887,1888,1889,1890,1891,1892,1893,1894,1895,1896,1897,1898,1899,1900,1901,1902,1903,1904,1905,1906,1907,1908,1909,1910,1911,1912,1913,1914,1915,1916,1917,1918,1919,1920,1921,1922,1923,1924,1925,1926,1927,1928,1929,1930,1931,1932,1933,1934,1935,1936,1937,1938,1939,1940,1941,1942,1943,1944,1945,1946,1947,1948,1949,1950,1951,1952,1953,1954,1955,1956,1957,1958,1959,1960,1961,1962,1963,1964,1965,1966,1967,1968,1969,1970,1971,1972,1973,1974,1975,1976,1977,1978,1979,1980,1981,1982,1983,1984,1985,1986,1987,1988,1989,1990,1991,1992,1993,1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000,2001,2002,2003,2004,2005,2006,2007],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Biographical / Historical","Presidents and Librarians of the Library"],"bioghist_tesim":["In the 1780s, a discussion group of Alexandria gentlemen called \"The Society for the Promotion of Useful Knowledge\" was formed. In 1794, many of these same individuals gathered to form the nucleus of the Alexandria Library Company (ALC). The ALC was a subscription library modelled after the Philadelphia Library Company, which had also emerged from such a club. ","Society president Reverend John Muir became president of the ALC, a position he would hold for almost 20 years. Many of the library's founders are known to have been members of local Masonic lodges. Elisha Cullen Dick, who had succeeded George Washington as the leader of Lodge 22, was among the first directors of the ALC as well as the secretary of the earlier Society. The first Librarian was Edward Stabler, the proprietor of an apothecary shop. In 1796, Stabler was replaced by James Kennedy, who served as librarian until 1818. Overlaps and family links between the leadership of the library and other Alexandria institutions remained common over the next century and a half. ","For a time, the Alexandria Lyceum (founded in 1838) and the ALC shared a physical space as well as similar missions. The Alexandria Lyceum was founded as part of a national movement focused on educational lectures. The union between the two organizations was dissolved in 1844, but the library continued to rent space from the Lyceum. The library was later said to have been in a state of \"suspended animation\" from around 1846 to 1852. In 1852, a \"Young Men's\" group took over under the original charter, publishing a new catalog in 1856. The library continued to operate into the Civil War. It remained in the Lyceum but not without acrimony, which is evident in the Alexandria Gazette in 1860. ","In October 1867, an agreement was reached with what was variously referred to as the Alexandria Christian Association and the YMCA for assistance with running the library. The library separated from this organization during the early 1870s. By the second half of the 1870s, the library fell into a decline which the directors blamed on the lack of a published catalog. ","The first library catalog had been prepared by Kennedy in 1796 and published sometime thereafter. The earliest catalog of which there is an extant copy was published in 1801, followed by another in 1808 of which there are few traces. A more enduring catalog was created in 1815. The 1830s saw publication of a supplement to the 1815 catalog and the creation of a working catalog that would be used into the late 1840s. Normal circulation records end in April 1861 when the library was converted into a military hospital. There are stray entries in May and December before operations resumed on a limited basis in May 1862 and continued at least through that year. Over a thousand volumes were lost during the war. Due to the decline in usage in the 1870s, a new catalog was produced by librarian Emma J. Young in 1872 but never published. After two years with Young's catalog, another was commissioned from Dr. Theo West, which also went unpublished. As a stopgap, handwritten copies were used by patrons. In 1898, a new catalog was created which utilized a decimal system for the first time. The last published catalog was a supplement to the 1912 version. ","In the late 1870s, appeals were made to the men of Alexandria for support,. The directors met with another \"Young Men's Library Association\" in 1878 without success, records of operations stop after January 1880.","The Gazette reported in January 1881 that the books were now in the custody of the school board, whose membership included William F. Carne, a former library company director and the son of one its former presidents. In May 1887 it reported that Carne, as leader of the board's library committee, was inviting associations wishing to participate in re-opening the library to a meeting at the Peabody school building where the books were held, and explained that he had always intended a reading room to be opened to the public once space was freed up for that purpose.","In June 1887, the Gazette reported that the \"Reading Circle of Washington and Lee Schools\" organized by teachers two years prior and the YMCA would operate the free library during the summer, in the hope that in September \"an effort will be made, with a very fair prospect of success, to re-organize the Library Company.\" Gazette reports in 1890 and 1891 refer to continued efforts by Carne and others to \"re-open\" the library, and in 1892 being part of a \"committee on the project for a free public library,\" but they did not succeed.","In the decades after 1870s librarianship not only professionalized but underwent a rapid gender shift, and apart from the periods in which there was no librarian for financial reasons, no male librarians seem to have been employed until well into the 20th century. Women's library organizations had become common nationally, and along with the philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie played a major role in the growth of public libraries in America starting in the late 19th century.","In September 1897, the Alexandria Library Association led by Virginia Corse received custody of the books then in possession of the school board. With a modest donation from Carnegie, by 1898 the library was back in business, but as a subscription library, it would not become a free public library for almost 40 years. The new library needed a new librarian, and after one or two initial hires, the association found Alice Green (1865-1956), who would serve from 1902-1937 and in a lesser capacity into the mid-1940s. During this period, space for the library was rented from the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC).","The Depression brought financial hardship. As the crisis worsened in early 1931, the association had obtained $1,000 from the city council to form \"a nucleus for the establishment of a public library.\" Discussion of becoming a public library had been common since the 1920s, as the efforts of Carnegie and others had made them the norm nationally. Attempts were made to sell older books and hold fundraisers as subscription fees dried up. There was also a dispute with the UDC over a rent increase in 1933. The library was aided by the wealth of its members, including a $5,000 bequest in 1935 from its long-time treasurer, Margaret L. Smoot.","Members built political support both on the council and among the public in the mid-1930s and in 1937 it was agreed that a building would be constructed on the site of the old cemetery of the Society of Friends and that the city government would cover annual expenses of no more than $5,000 for the association to operate a free library. One member of the board would be appointed by the city. The new governing organization was rebranded the Alexandria Library Society.  Agreements were signed in January, and the library opened at the Kate Waller Barrett Branch's current location, 717 Queen Street.","Another change after 1937 was the gender composition of the leadership. Men served on the board of the new Society and played prominent roles after 1937. After 1948 they typically occupied the presidency of the organization. Most elections were unanimous, often with women casting most of the votes, but it ceased to be a women's organization. ","In 1945 a technicality in the Society's contract with the city was brought to the attention of the board. Namely that the $5,000 the city was obligated to provide each year was not the minimum but rather the maximum contribution, and that the higher appropriations it had been making were illegal. The city took this as an opportunity to demand a contract change beyond the funding formula. Although the men of the city council had representation on the board, the women of the Society were still ultimately running the library, and the Society was asked to allow a majority of the executive board to be appointed by the city, and a minority by the Society. That the city legally \"owned the building and all its contents\" so long as it paid $5,000 per year was also pointed out. The Alexandria Library Society signed the new contract, surrendering control of the library in November 1947. In its reduced role, the Society still elected members to the board and received reports from the librarian. It also retained independent funds that could be used for the benefit of the library. With the library now fully the city's responsibility, the membership was also able to more openly advocate for additional funding.","Another longstanding issue at the library was race. The president's 1928 annual report had endorsed becoming a \"free city library,\" but feared that becoming a Carnegie library \"would bring in some elements hitherto unknown and I think undesirable in our Library.\" In the 1930s the library association favored providing segregated facilities, but, after repeated meetings with the city council, failed to achieve even that modest goal. In the 13 March, 1939, minutes, the issue was revisited yet again, but without result. ","Four days later on 17 March 1939, Sergeant George Wilson was turned down for a library card because of his race and Samuel Tucker filed a civil rights lawsuit against the librarian on his behalf. Plans for a segregated facility were dusted off, and new staff was hired so that the librarian could focus on the controversy. On 21 August 1939, several black men organized by Tucker entered the library and followed Wilson's example, but after being refused, seated themselves in the library with books, beginning America's first library sit-in. It ended only after the city manager called the police, and all were arrested. The lawsuit was dismissed on technical grounds, but to prevent a new lawsuit the city approved the Robert H. Robinson branch, which opened in 1940. Tucker refused to accept a card there. ","A major issue in the early 1950s was the push to expand the overcrowded main library serving the white community. The white librarian at the time, who had been hired in a junior capacity during Tucker's campaign in 1939, suggested to the Society that the expansion could be an opportunity to integrate. In the midst of the debates over expansion and additional funding, an opportunity emerged to purchase a neighboring building on the corner of North Columbus and Queen, which was later demolished. This prompted a discussion about the Alexandria Library Society's connection to the original library company. It was decided to change the name from the \"Alexandria Library Society\" to the \"Alexandria Library Company,\" make the appropriate filings with the state government, and reinstate the 1799 charter, which would be revised by the legislature in the 1980s to help obtain tax-exempt status from the IRS.","This name change was completed at one of the company's most consequential meetings in February 1956. Every member was asked to sign their name in the minute book to signal their assent. A letter from a local civil rights activist questioning the legality of library segregation was also read, but deemed the province of the library board, which referred the matter back to the company whose reply is not preserved.","Member Mangum Weeks thereupon raised the question of the future role of the Library Company, and proposed resuming the tradition of annual lectures dating from the Lyceum period using funds from the newly instituted membership dues. This proposal was adopted, and preparing the annual lectures soon became a major focus of the Company. The Library Company continues to appoint members to the board of the Alexandria Library and hold its annual lecture series. It commissioned a new history of the library by William Seale in 2007, which can be found at the Local History and Special Collections Branch.","Chronological listings for both presidents of the board and librarians up to the modern day.","Presidents of the Library Company and Its Successors February 1794-February 1813 Rev. James Muir February 1813-February 1815 Hugh Smith February 1815-March 1824 John Roberts March 1824-February 1829 Hugh Smith February 1829-February 1835 John Richards February 1835-February 1840 John Roberts February 1840-1852 Elias Harrison 1852-February 1855 J. Louis Kinzer February 1855-September 1858 Francis Miller September 1858- February 1859 Richard L. Carne February 1859-September 1859 Caleb S. Hallowell September 1859-February 1860 William G. Cazenove February 1860-February 1870 Richard L. Carne February 1870-February 1873 K. Kemper February 1873-October 1873 Samuel H. Janney October 1873-February 1874 Sidney C. Neale February 1874-June 1879 Mercer Slaughter September 1897-October 1905 Virginia Corse July 1906-June 1925 Mrs. Samuel. L. Monroe October 1925-April 1930 Loula Smoot April 1930-November 1933 Mrs. Henry B. Soule, [Jessie E. Soule] December 1933-December 1934 Mary Lloyd December 1934-December 1936 Susan Thomson December 1936-November 1937 Mrs. Louis Scott November 1937-November 1944 Mrs. Curtis Backus November 1944-November 1946 Mrs. [Lawrence] Fawcett, [Mary Fawcett] November 1946-November 1947 Howard Worth Smith November 1947-October 1948 [Miss Anne] Lewis Jones October 1948-October 1949 Miss Horne October 1949-October 1950 Mr. Stanley King October 1950-December 1951 Mr. [Joseph] Crockett December 1951-February 1955 Mr. Robert Moncure February 1955-February 1957 Dr. [W. Bruce] Silcox February 1957-February 1959 Stanley King February 1959-February 1962 Mangum Weeks February 1962-February 1963 Richard Bales February 1963-February 1965 Donald King February 1965-February 1967 David Squires February 1967-February 1969 Howard Worth Smith Jr. February 1969-February 1971 William Francis Smith February 1971-February 1972 John T. Ticer February 1972-February 1974 David M. Abshire February 1974-February 1976 Mrs. Merill Beede February 1976-February 1978 Mrs. Douglas Lindsey February 1978-February 1980 Clarke T. Cooper Jr. February 1980-February 1982 William Seale February 1982-February 1983 Denys Peter Myers February 1983-February 1985 William B. Hurd February 1985-February 1986 George J. Stansfield February 1986-February 1987 Dr. Ernest A. Connally February 1987-February 1989 Dr. Wilton C. Corkern, Jr. February 1989-March 1991 James M. Lewis March 1991-March 1992 Mrs. Anne Smith Paul March 1992-March 1993 Richard R. G. Hobson March 1993-March 1995 Dabney Waring March 1995-March 1997 James R. Hobson March 1997-March 1998 Robert C. Reed March 1998-March 2000 Neil Horstman March 2000-March 2002 Carroll Johnson March 2002-March 2003 Thomas C. Brown Jr.","Librarians of Alexandria February 1794-February 1796 Edward Stabler February 1796-February 1818 James Kennedy February 1818-August 1826 William Cranch August 1826-October 1829 W. Samuel Mark October 1829-March 1845 George Drinker March 1845-September 1845 James M. Eaches September 1845-September 1852 C.F. Stuart September 1852-April 1853 H. W. P. Junius September 1852-April 1853 L.? Hunter November 1853 Office Abolished February 1854-October 1855 E. M.[Magruder?] Lowe October 1855-September 1858 Norval E. Foard September 1858-February 1859 S. Scott February 1859-September 1859 Edward R. Roxbury September 1859-February 1860 James A. Clarridge February 1860-April 1861 Charles R. Burgess (acting) April 1861-Unknown Edwin N. Wise March 1868 Wr. Bushby April 1870-May 1871 August Henning July 1871-March 1872 W. F. Stansbury March 1872-August 1873 Emma J. Young October 1873-March 1876 Emily English March 1876 Position Eliminated June 1879 R. Pendleton Bruin (unofficial? acting?) October 1900-October 1903 F. Olive Lyons October 1903-April 1937 (continued part-time, mentioned up to 1946) Alice Green April 1937-December 1938 Miss Beatrice Workman January 1939-January 1941 Katherine Scoggin (later Martyn) February 1941-June 1948 Bessie Watson July 1948-June 1969 (hired part-time October 1939, letter of resignation later that month) Ellen C. Burke July 1969-October 1992 (librarian from 1958) Jeanne G. Plitt"],"otherfindaid_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://alexlibrary.access.preservica.com/archive/sdb%3Acollection|7a4491fe-5b8d-43e9-aa46-69ecce4c0734/\"\u003eClick to view digital materials in this collection\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e"],"otherfindaid_heading_ssm":["Digital Materials"],"otherfindaid_tesim":["Click to view digital materials in this collection"],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e[Item], Alexandria Library Company Records, MS002, Alexandria Library, Local History and Special Collections, Alexandria, Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e"],"prefercite_tesim":["[Item], Alexandria Library Company Records, MS002, Alexandria Library, Local History and Special Collections, Alexandria, Virginia."],"processinfo_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eA reprocessing project begun in 2018 incorporated several boxes of previously unprocessed materials dating from the 1960s to the 2000s, with the bulk dating from after 1980. They included many short, overlapping sequences of correspondence, lecture, meeting, and member records which were merged into continuations of established series including primarily correspondence and lectures but also meetings and member correspondence. The \"subject files\" were added to the existing miscellaneous series. \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nSeveral other changes were also made. A re-examination of the catalog, subscription, and circulation books was undertaken and most were renumbered, described, and relabeled based on primary source research. The 1794-1861 minute book that had been donated back in 1922 was also discovered misfiled in Ms 98 (which covers the library proper since 1937) and was returned to its original collection. Some letters found in minute books were moved to the correspondence series, and their original locations were bookmarked with acid free paper. Photocopies of catalogs were removed. \u003c/p\u003e"],"processinfo_heading_ssm":["Processing Information"],"processinfo_tesim":["A reprocessing project begun in 2018 incorporated several boxes of previously unprocessed materials dating from the 1960s to the 2000s, with the bulk dating from after 1980. They included many short, overlapping sequences of correspondence, lecture, meeting, and member records which were merged into continuations of established series including primarily correspondence and lectures but also meetings and member correspondence. The \"subject files\" were added to the existing miscellaneous series. ","\nSeveral other changes were also made. A re-examination of the catalog, subscription, and circulation books was undertaken and most were renumbered, described, and relabeled based on primary source research. The 1794-1861 minute book that had been donated back in 1922 was also discovered misfiled in Ms 98 (which covers the library proper since 1937) and was returned to its original collection. Some letters found in minute books were moved to the correspondence series, and their original locations were bookmarked with acid free paper. Photocopies of catalogs were removed. "],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThe Alexandria Library Records (Ms 98) document the library as a separate institution from 1937 onward.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003e\nIt particularly complements this collection in its early decades through its administrative correspondence, board correspondence, minutes, annual reports, and organizational records, including contracts with the Alexandria Library Society.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003e\nThe minutes of the library's executive board (1938-1947) are included in the microfilm version of the library minute books 1794-1947.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eTranscripts of library company lectures 2-18 are available in the library.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003clist type=\"deflist\"\u003e\n      \u003chead\u003eLecture series : [transcripts of the audiotapes made of the scholars invited to speak at these annual lectures]\u003c/head\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #2\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 2\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #3\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 3\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #4\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 4\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #5\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 5\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #6\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 6\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #7\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 7\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #8\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 8\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #9\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 9\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #10\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 10\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #11\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 11\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #12\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 12\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #13\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 13\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #14\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 14\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #15\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 15\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #16\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 16\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #17\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 17\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #18\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 18\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n    \u003c/list\u003e"],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related Materials"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["The Alexandria Library Records (Ms 98) document the library as a separate institution from 1937 onward.","\nIt particularly complements this collection in its early decades through its administrative correspondence, board correspondence, minutes, annual reports, and organizational records, including contracts with the Alexandria Library Society.","\nThe minutes of the library's executive board (1938-1947) are included in the microfilm version of the library minute books 1794-1947.","Transcripts of library company lectures 2-18 are available in the library.","Lecture series : [transcripts of the audiotapes made of the scholars invited to speak at these annual lectures] Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #2 080 LEC 2 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #3 080 LEC 3 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #4 080 LEC 4 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #5 080 LEC 5 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #6 080 LEC 6 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #7 080 LEC 7 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #8 080 LEC 8 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #9 080 LEC 9 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #10 080 LEC 10 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #11 080 LEC 11 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #12 080 LEC 12 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #13 080 LEC 13 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #14 080 LEC 14 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #15 080 LEC 15 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #16 080 LEC 16 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #17 080 LEC 17 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #18 080 LEC 18"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThe collection consists of circulation, subscription, and financial ledgers, annual lecture series documents, catalogues, correspondence, and various organizational documents. Topics include: foundation of the\nAlexandria Library Company, its cycles of growth and decline reflecting the local economy; the formation of the local public library system; and the on-going activities of the Alexandria Library Company, most notably its lecture series.\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Content Description"],"scopecontent_tesim":["The collection consists of circulation, subscription, and financial ledgers, annual lecture series documents, catalogues, correspondence, and various organizational documents. Topics include: foundation of the\nAlexandria Library Company, its cycles of growth and decline reflecting the local economy; the formation of the local public library system; and the on-going activities of the Alexandria Library Company, most notably its lecture series."],"names_coll_ssim":["Alexandria Library (Alexandria, Va.)"],"names_ssim":["Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library","Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)","Alexandria Library (Alexandria, Va.)"],"corpname_ssim":["Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library","Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)","Alexandria Library (Alexandria, Va.)"],"language_ssim":["English"],"descrules_ssm":["Describing Archives: A Content Standard"],"total_component_count_is":147,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-05-01T00:09:43.684Z","bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eIn the 1780s, a discussion group of Alexandria gentlemen called \"The Society for the Promotion of Useful Knowledge\" was formed. In 1794, many of these same individuals gathered to form the nucleus of the Alexandria Library Company (ALC). The ALC was a subscription library modelled after the Philadelphia Library Company, which had also emerged from such a club. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eSociety president Reverend John Muir became president of the ALC, a position he would hold for almost 20 years. Many of the library's founders are known to have been members of local Masonic lodges. Elisha Cullen Dick, who had succeeded George Washington as the leader of Lodge 22, was among the first directors of the ALC as well as the secretary of the earlier Society. The first Librarian was Edward Stabler, the proprietor of an apothecary shop. In 1796, Stabler was replaced by James Kennedy, who served as librarian until 1818. Overlaps and family links between the leadership of the library and other Alexandria institutions remained common over the next century and a half. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eFor a time, the Alexandria Lyceum (founded in 1838) and the ALC shared a physical space as well as similar missions. The Alexandria Lyceum was founded as part of a national movement focused on educational lectures. The union between the two organizations was dissolved in 1844, but the library continued to rent space from the Lyceum. The library was later said to have been in a state of \"suspended animation\" from around 1846 to 1852. In 1852, a \"Young Men's\" group took over under the original charter, publishing a new catalog in 1856. The library continued to operate into the Civil War. It remained in the Lyceum but not without acrimony, which is evident in the Alexandria Gazette in 1860. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn October 1867, an agreement was reached with what was variously referred to as the Alexandria Christian Association and the YMCA for assistance with running the library. The library separated from this organization during the early 1870s. By the second half of the 1870s, the library fell into a decline which the directors blamed on the lack of a published catalog. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eThe first library catalog had been prepared by Kennedy in 1796 and published sometime thereafter. The earliest catalog of which there is an extant copy was published in 1801, followed by another in 1808 of which there are few traces. A more enduring catalog was created in 1815. The 1830s saw publication of a supplement to the 1815 catalog and the creation of a working catalog that would be used into the late 1840s. Normal circulation records end in April 1861 when the library was converted into a military hospital. There are stray entries in May and December before operations resumed on a limited basis in May 1862 and continued at least through that year. Over a thousand volumes were lost during the war. Due to the decline in usage in the 1870s, a new catalog was produced by librarian Emma J. Young in 1872 but never published. After two years with Young's catalog, another was commissioned from Dr. Theo West, which also went unpublished. As a stopgap, handwritten copies were used by patrons. In 1898, a new catalog was created which utilized a decimal system for the first time. The last published catalog was a supplement to the 1912 version. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn the late 1870s, appeals were made to the men of Alexandria for support,. The directors met with another \"Young Men's Library Association\" in 1878 without success, records of operations stop after January 1880.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eThe Gazette reported in January 1881 that the books were now in the custody of the school board, whose membership included William F. Carne, a former library company director and the son of one its former presidents. In May 1887 it reported that Carne, as leader of the board's library committee, was inviting associations wishing to participate in re-opening the library to a meeting at the Peabody school building where the books were held, and explained that he had always intended a reading room to be opened to the public once space was freed up for that purpose.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn June 1887, the Gazette reported that the \"Reading Circle of Washington and Lee Schools\" organized by teachers two years prior and the YMCA would operate the free library during the summer, in the hope that in September \"an effort will be made, with a very fair prospect of success, to re-organize the Library Company.\" Gazette reports in 1890 and 1891 refer to continued efforts by Carne and others to \"re-open\" the library, and in 1892 being part of a \"committee on the project for a free public library,\" but they did not succeed.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn the decades after 1870s librarianship not only professionalized but underwent a rapid gender shift, and apart from the periods in which there was no librarian for financial reasons, no male librarians seem to have been employed until well into the 20th century. Women's library organizations had become common nationally, and along with the philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie played a major role in the growth of public libraries in America starting in the late 19th century.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn September 1897, the Alexandria Library Association led by Virginia Corse received custody of the books then in possession of the school board. With a modest donation from Carnegie, by 1898 the library was back in business, but as a subscription library, it would not become a free public library for almost 40 years. The new library needed a new librarian, and after one or two initial hires, the association found Alice Green (1865-1956), who would serve from 1902-1937 and in a lesser capacity into the mid-1940s. During this period, space for the library was rented from the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC).\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eThe Depression brought financial hardship. As the crisis worsened in early 1931, the association had obtained $1,000 from the city council to form \"a nucleus for the establishment of a public library.\" Discussion of becoming a public library had been common since the 1920s, as the efforts of Carnegie and others had made them the norm nationally. Attempts were made to sell older books and hold fundraisers as subscription fees dried up. There was also a dispute with the UDC over a rent increase in 1933. The library was aided by the wealth of its members, including a $5,000 bequest in 1935 from its long-time treasurer, Margaret L. Smoot.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eMembers built political support both on the council and among the public in the mid-1930s and in 1937 it was agreed that a building would be constructed on the site of the old cemetery of the Society of Friends and that the city government would cover annual expenses of no more than $5,000 for the association to operate a free library. One member of the board would be appointed by the city. The new governing organization was rebranded the Alexandria Library Society.  Agreements were signed in January, and the library opened at the Kate Waller Barrett Branch's current location, 717 Queen Street.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eAnother change after 1937 was the gender composition of the leadership. Men served on the board of the new Society and played prominent roles after 1937. After 1948 they typically occupied the presidency of the organization. Most elections were unanimous, often with women casting most of the votes, but it ceased to be a women's organization. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn 1945 a technicality in the Society's contract with the city was brought to the attention of the board. Namely that the $5,000 the city was obligated to provide each year was not the minimum but rather the maximum contribution, and that the higher appropriations it had been making were illegal. The city took this as an opportunity to demand a contract change beyond the funding formula. Although the men of the city council had representation on the board, the women of the Society were still ultimately running the library, and the Society was asked to allow a majority of the executive board to be appointed by the city, and a minority by the Society. That the city legally \"owned the building and all its contents\" so long as it paid $5,000 per year was also pointed out. The Alexandria Library Society signed the new contract, surrendering control of the library in November 1947. In its reduced role, the Society still elected members to the board and received reports from the librarian. It also retained independent funds that could be used for the benefit of the library. With the library now fully the city's responsibility, the membership was also able to more openly advocate for additional funding.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eAnother longstanding issue at the library was race. The president's 1928 annual report had endorsed becoming a \"free city library,\" but feared that becoming a Carnegie library \"would bring in some elements hitherto unknown and I think undesirable in our Library.\" In the 1930s the library association favored providing segregated facilities, but, after repeated meetings with the city council, failed to achieve even that modest goal. In the 13 March, 1939, minutes, the issue was revisited yet again, but without result. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eFour days later on 17 March 1939, Sergeant George Wilson was turned down for a library card because of his race and Samuel Tucker filed a civil rights lawsuit against the librarian on his behalf. Plans for a segregated facility were dusted off, and new staff was hired so that the librarian could focus on the controversy. On 21 August 1939, several black men organized by Tucker entered the library and followed Wilson's example, but after being refused, seated themselves in the library with books, beginning America's first library sit-in. It ended only after the city manager called the police, and all were arrested. The lawsuit was dismissed on technical grounds, but to prevent a new lawsuit the city approved the Robert H. Robinson branch, which opened in 1940. Tucker refused to accept a card there. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eA major issue in the early 1950s was the push to expand the overcrowded main library serving the white community. The white librarian at the time, who had been hired in a junior capacity during Tucker's campaign in 1939, suggested to the Society that the expansion could be an opportunity to integrate. In the midst of the debates over expansion and additional funding, an opportunity emerged to purchase a neighboring building on the corner of North Columbus and Queen, which was later demolished. This prompted a discussion about the Alexandria Library Society's connection to the original library company. It was decided to change the name from the \"Alexandria Library Society\" to the \"Alexandria Library Company,\" make the appropriate filings with the state government, and reinstate the 1799 charter, which would be revised by the legislature in the 1980s to help obtain tax-exempt status from the IRS.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eThis name change was completed at one of the company's most consequential meetings in February 1956. Every member was asked to sign their name in the minute book to signal their assent. A letter from a local civil rights activist questioning the legality of library segregation was also read, but deemed the province of the library board, which referred the matter back to the company whose reply is not preserved.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eMember Mangum Weeks thereupon raised the question of the future role of the Library Company, and proposed resuming the tradition of annual lectures dating from the Lyceum period using funds from the newly instituted membership dues. This proposal was adopted, and preparing the annual lectures soon became a major focus of the Company. The Library Company continues to appoint members to the board of the Alexandria Library and hold its annual lecture series. It commissioned a new history of the library by William Seale in 2007, which can be found at the Local History and Special Collections Branch.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eChronological listings for both presidents of the board and librarians up to the modern day.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003clist type=\"deflist\"\u003e\n      \u003chead\u003ePresidents of the Library Company and Its Successors\u003c/head\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1794-February 1813\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRev. James Muir\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1813-February 1815\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eHugh Smith\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1815-March 1824\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJohn Roberts\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1824-February 1829\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eHugh Smith\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1829-February 1835\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJohn Richards\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1835-February 1840\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJohn Roberts\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1840-1852\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eElias Harrison\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003e1852-February 1855\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJ. Louis Kinzer\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1855-September 1858\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eFrancis Miller\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1858- February 1859\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRichard L. Carne\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1859-September 1859\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eCaleb S. Hallowell\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1859-February 1860\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam G. Cazenove\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1860-February 1870\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRichard L. Carne\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1870-February 1873\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eK. Kemper\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1873-October 1873\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eSamuel H. Janney\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1873-February 1874\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eSidney C. Neale\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1874-June 1879\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMercer Slaughter\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1897-October 1905\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eVirginia Corse\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJuly 1906-June 1925\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Samuel. L. Monroe\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1925-April 1930\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eLoula Smoot\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eApril 1930-November 1933\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Henry B. Soule, [Jessie E. Soule]\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eDecember 1933-December 1934\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMary Lloyd\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eDecember 1934-December 1936\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eSusan Thomson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eDecember 1936-November 1937\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Louis Scott\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1937-November 1944\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Curtis Backus\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1944-November 1946\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. [Lawrence] Fawcett, [Mary Fawcett]\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1946-November 1947\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eHoward Worth Smith\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1947-October 1948\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e[Miss Anne] Lewis Jones\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1948-October 1949\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMiss Horne\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1949-October 1950\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMr. Stanley King\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1950-December 1951\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMr. [Joseph] Crockett\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eDecember 1951-February 1955\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMr. Robert Moncure\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1955-February 1957\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDr. [W. Bruce] Silcox\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1957-February 1959\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eStanley King\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1959-February 1962\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMangum Weeks\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1962-February 1963\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRichard Bales\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1963-February 1965\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDonald King\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1965-February 1967\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDavid Squires\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1967-February 1969\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eHoward Worth Smith Jr.\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1969-February 1971\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam Francis Smith\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1971-February 1972\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJohn T. Ticer\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1972-February 1974\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDavid M. Abshire\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1974-February 1976\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Merill Beede\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1976-February 1978\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Douglas Lindsey\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1978-February 1980\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eClarke T. Cooper Jr.\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1980-February 1982\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam Seale\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1982-February 1983\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDenys Peter Myers\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1983-February 1985\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam B. Hurd\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1985-February 1986\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eGeorge J. Stansfield\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1986-February 1987\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDr. Ernest A. Connally\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1987-February 1989\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDr. Wilton C. Corkern, Jr.\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1989-March 1991\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames M. Lewis\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1991-March 1992\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Anne Smith Paul\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1992-March 1993\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRichard R. G. Hobson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1993-March 1995\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDabney Waring\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1995-March 1997\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames R. Hobson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1997-March 1998\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRobert C. Reed\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1998-March 2000\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eNeil Horstman\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 2000-March 2002\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eCarroll Johnson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 2002-March 2003\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eThomas C. Brown Jr.\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n    \u003c/list\u003e","\u003clist type=\"deflist\"\u003e\n      \u003chead\u003eLibrarians of Alexandria\u003c/head\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1794-February 1796\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEdward Stabler\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1796-February 1818\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames Kennedy\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1818-August 1826\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam Cranch\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAugust 1826-October 1829\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eW. Samuel Mark\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1829-March 1845\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eGeorge Drinker\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1845-September 1845\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames M. Eaches\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1845-September 1852\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eC.F. Stuart\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1852-April 1853\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eH. W. P. Junius\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1852-April 1853\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eL.? Hunter\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1853\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eOffice Abolished\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1854-October 1855\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eE. M.[Magruder?] Lowe\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1855-September 1858\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eNorval E. Foard\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1858-February 1859\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eS. Scott\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1859-September 1859\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEdward R. Roxbury\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1859-February 1860\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames A. Clarridge\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1860-April 1861\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eCharles R. Burgess (acting)\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eApril 1861-Unknown\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEdwin N. Wise\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1868\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWr. Bushby\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eApril 1870-May 1871\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eAugust Henning\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJuly 1871-March 1872\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eW. F. Stansbury\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1872-August 1873\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEmma J. Young\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1873-March 1876\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEmily English\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1876\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003ePosition Eliminated\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJune 1879\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eR. Pendleton Bruin (unofficial? acting?)\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1900-October 1903\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eF. Olive Lyons\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1903-April 1937 (continued part-time, mentioned up to 1946)\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eAlice Green\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eApril 1937-December 1938\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMiss Beatrice Workman\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJanuary 1939-January 1941\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eKatherine Scoggin (later Martyn)\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1941-June 1948\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eBessie Watson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJuly 1948-June 1969 (hired part-time October 1939, letter of resignation later that month)\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEllen C. Burke\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJuly 1969-October 1992 (librarian from 1958)\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJeanne G. Plitt\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n    \u003c/list\u003e"]}]}},"label":"Breadcrumbs"}}},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c04"}},{"id":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c06","type":"Series","attributes":{"title":"Series VI: Subscription Records","abstract_or_scope":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c06#abstract_or_scope","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"\u003cp\u003eThe subscription series consists of bound volumes of records documenting the subscribers of the company while doubling as ledgers for many of the financial transactions of the pre-Lyceum period (1794-1839), with gaps between volumes. Apart from the minutes, the volumes contain the only information on the subscribers of the late 1790s, for which there is a gap in the circulation records.\u003c/p\u003e","label":"Abstract Or Scope"}},"breadcrumbs":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c06#breadcrumbs","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":{"ref_ssi":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c06","ref_ssm":["vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c06"],"id":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c06","ead_ssi":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","_root_":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","_nest_parent_":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","parent_ssi":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","parent_ssim":["vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128"],"parent_ids_ssim":["vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128"],"parent_unittitles_ssm":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"parent_unittitles_tesim":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"text":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)","Series VI: Subscription Records","English","The accounting records in the subscription books shifted back and forth between two systems, one listing transactions chronologically and the other listing them under the names of individuals.","\nWith the exception of the 1826-1854 book, all entries are characterized by double-entry bookkeeping, with the left side page documenting money going out (\"to\"), and the right hand page documenting money coming in (\"by\"), this can be confusing as bills for subscriptions seem at times to have been listed in the outgoing section.","\nMost of the books begin with indexes of numbered names in no clear order. The same numbers appear in columns toward the right of the accounts pages, just before the amounts, apparently signifying people and groups with which the transactions were undertaken. These numbers should not be confused with the columns on the left indicating the calendar day. They were dropped around 1826.","\nPayments under the names of individuals appear in the first part of the 1794-1799 volume, the latter parts of the 1799-1809 and 1809-1819 volumes, and throughout the bulk of the two volumes covering 1820-1828.","The initial combination of financial and subscription records likely reflected the company's initial dependence on subscription fees, in contrast to the later subscription library in the city that relied more on donors. This recordkeeping system appears to have been a casualty of the merger with the Lyceum, which became official in early 1840.","\nAs the physical volume in use at that time was still mostly blank, it was repeatedly repurposed, first for additional circulation records (until these too lapsed) and later for a \"list of Stockholders and the amount due from each for the year commencing the 13th February 1854,\" which likely relates to the revitalization of the company after its agreement with the Young Men's group. The agreement required the men to find 100 subscribers, and the list was likely prepared for the annual meeting originally scheduled for 20 February (a week after the date on the list), at which it was decided to void the shares of individuals who had not paid.","The subscription series consists of bound volumes of records documenting the subscribers of the company while doubling as ledgers for many of the financial transactions of the pre-Lyceum period (1794-1839), with gaps between volumes. Apart from the minutes, the volumes contain the only information on the subscribers of the late 1790s, for which there is a gap in the circulation records.","\nThere are also additional financial records from 1826-1839 and a list of subscribers, paid and not, from 1854. These appear in the same volume (see historical note), along with the circulation records for 1846-1848 in between.","\nThe stubs of printed subscription certificates from 1874-1879 are also included in this series. Each contains an identifying number, the name of a subscriber, and a dollar amount, accompanied in some cases by dates or other notations. A few of the completed patron slips are also in this volume, including dates and the signature of the treasurer."],"title_filing_ssi":"Series VI: Subscription Records","title_ssm":["Series VI: Subscription Records"],"title_tesim":["Series VI: Subscription Records"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1794-1879"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1794/1879"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Series VI: Subscription Records"],"component_level_isim":[1],"repository_ssim":["Alexandria Library"],"collection_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"child_component_count_isi":7,"level_ssm":["Series"],"level_ssim":["Series"],"sort_isi":48,"date_range_isim":[1794,1795,1796,1797,1798,1799,1800,1801,1802,1803,1804,1805,1806,1807,1808,1809,1810,1811,1812,1813,1814,1815,1816,1817,1818,1819,1820,1821,1822,1823,1824,1825,1826,1827,1828,1829,1830,1831,1832,1833,1834,1835,1836,1837,1838,1839,1840,1841,1842,1843,1844,1845,1846,1847,1848,1849,1850,1851,1852,1853,1854,1855,1856,1857,1858,1859,1860,1861,1862,1863,1864,1865,1866,1867,1868,1869,1870,1871,1872,1873,1874,1875,1876,1877,1878,1879],"language_ssim":["English"],"arrangement_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThe accounting records in the subscription books shifted back and forth between two systems, one listing transactions chronologically and the other listing them under the names of individuals.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nWith the exception of the 1826-1854 book, all entries are characterized by double-entry bookkeeping, with the left side page documenting money going out (\"to\"), and the right hand page documenting money coming in (\"by\"), this can be confusing as bills for subscriptions seem at times to have been listed in the outgoing section.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nMost of the books begin with indexes of numbered names in no clear order. The same numbers appear in columns toward the right of the accounts pages, just before the amounts, apparently signifying people and groups with which the transactions were undertaken. These numbers should not be confused with the columns on the left indicating the calendar day. They were dropped around 1826.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nPayments under the names of individuals appear in the first part of the 1794-1799 volume, the latter parts of the 1799-1809 and 1809-1819 volumes, and throughout the bulk of the two volumes covering 1820-1828.\u003c/p\u003e"],"arrangement_heading_ssm":["Arrangement"],"arrangement_tesim":["The accounting records in the subscription books shifted back and forth between two systems, one listing transactions chronologically and the other listing them under the names of individuals.","\nWith the exception of the 1826-1854 book, all entries are characterized by double-entry bookkeeping, with the left side page documenting money going out (\"to\"), and the right hand page documenting money coming in (\"by\"), this can be confusing as bills for subscriptions seem at times to have been listed in the outgoing section.","\nMost of the books begin with indexes of numbered names in no clear order. The same numbers appear in columns toward the right of the accounts pages, just before the amounts, apparently signifying people and groups with which the transactions were undertaken. These numbers should not be confused with the columns on the left indicating the calendar day. They were dropped around 1826.","\nPayments under the names of individuals appear in the first part of the 1794-1799 volume, the latter parts of the 1799-1809 and 1809-1819 volumes, and throughout the bulk of the two volumes covering 1820-1828."],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThe initial combination of financial and subscription records likely reflected the company's initial dependence on subscription fees, in contrast to the later subscription library in the city that relied more on donors. This recordkeeping system appears to have been a casualty of the merger with the Lyceum, which became official in early 1840.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nAs the physical volume in use at that time was still mostly blank, it was repeatedly repurposed, first for additional circulation records (until these too lapsed) and later for a \"list of Stockholders and the amount due from each for the year commencing the 13th February 1854,\" which likely relates to the revitalization of the company after its agreement with the Young Men's group. The agreement required the men to find 100 subscribers, and the list was likely prepared for the annual meeting originally scheduled for 20 February (a week after the date on the list), at which it was decided to void the shares of individuals who had not paid.\u003c/p\u003e"],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Historical Note"],"bioghist_tesim":["The initial combination of financial and subscription records likely reflected the company's initial dependence on subscription fees, in contrast to the later subscription library in the city that relied more on donors. This recordkeeping system appears to have been a casualty of the merger with the Lyceum, which became official in early 1840.","\nAs the physical volume in use at that time was still mostly blank, it was repeatedly repurposed, first for additional circulation records (until these too lapsed) and later for a \"list of Stockholders and the amount due from each for the year commencing the 13th February 1854,\" which likely relates to the revitalization of the company after its agreement with the Young Men's group. The agreement required the men to find 100 subscribers, and the list was likely prepared for the annual meeting originally scheduled for 20 February (a week after the date on the list), at which it was decided to void the shares of individuals who had not paid."],"otherfindaid_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e\n  \u003ca href=\"https://alexlibrary.access.preservica.com/archive/sdb%3Acollection|453efb51-92e1-4f4c-b18d-fa7a15c12d01/\"\u003eClick to view digital materials in this collection\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"otherfindaid_heading_ssm":["Digital Materials"],"otherfindaid_tesim":["Click to view digital materials in this collection"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThe subscription series consists of bound volumes of records documenting the subscribers of the company while doubling as ledgers for many of the financial transactions of the pre-Lyceum period (1794-1839), with gaps between volumes. Apart from the minutes, the volumes contain the only information on the subscribers of the late 1790s, for which there is a gap in the circulation records.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nThere are also additional financial records from 1826-1839 and a list of subscribers, paid and not, from 1854. These appear in the same volume (see historical note), along with the circulation records for 1846-1848 in between.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nThe stubs of printed subscription certificates from 1874-1879 are also included in this series. Each contains an identifying number, the name of a subscriber, and a dollar amount, accompanied in some cases by dates or other notations. A few of the completed patron slips are also in this volume, including dates and the signature of the treasurer.\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["The subscription series consists of bound volumes of records documenting the subscribers of the company while doubling as ledgers for many of the financial transactions of the pre-Lyceum period (1794-1839), with gaps between volumes. Apart from the minutes, the volumes contain the only information on the subscribers of the late 1790s, for which there is a gap in the circulation records.","\nThere are also additional financial records from 1826-1839 and a list of subscribers, paid and not, from 1854. These appear in the same volume (see historical note), along with the circulation records for 1846-1848 in between.","\nThe stubs of printed subscription certificates from 1874-1879 are also included in this series. Each contains an identifying number, the name of a subscriber, and a dollar amount, accompanied in some cases by dates or other notations. A few of the completed patron slips are also in this volume, including dates and the signature of the treasurer."],"_nest_path_":"/components#5","timestamp":"2026-05-01T00:09:43.684Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","ead_ssi":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","_root_":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","_nest_parent_":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/oai/ALEX/repositories_2_resources_128.xml","aspace_url_ssi":"https://alexlibraryva.libraryhost.com/repositories/2/resources/128","title_ssm":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"title_tesim":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"unitdate_ssm":["1794-2007"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1794-2007"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["MS002","/repositories/2/resources/128"],"text":["MS002","/repositories/2/resources/128","Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)","Libraries -- Subscription Libraries","Lectures and Lecturing","Associations, institutions, etc","Public libraries.","In the 1780s, a discussion group of Alexandria gentlemen called \"The Society for the Promotion of Useful Knowledge\" was formed. In 1794, many of these same individuals gathered to form the nucleus of the Alexandria Library Company (ALC). The ALC was a subscription library modelled after the Philadelphia Library Company, which had also emerged from such a club. ","Society president Reverend John Muir became president of the ALC, a position he would hold for almost 20 years. Many of the library's founders are known to have been members of local Masonic lodges. Elisha Cullen Dick, who had succeeded George Washington as the leader of Lodge 22, was among the first directors of the ALC as well as the secretary of the earlier Society. The first Librarian was Edward Stabler, the proprietor of an apothecary shop. In 1796, Stabler was replaced by James Kennedy, who served as librarian until 1818. Overlaps and family links between the leadership of the library and other Alexandria institutions remained common over the next century and a half. ","For a time, the Alexandria Lyceum (founded in 1838) and the ALC shared a physical space as well as similar missions. The Alexandria Lyceum was founded as part of a national movement focused on educational lectures. The union between the two organizations was dissolved in 1844, but the library continued to rent space from the Lyceum. The library was later said to have been in a state of \"suspended animation\" from around 1846 to 1852. In 1852, a \"Young Men's\" group took over under the original charter, publishing a new catalog in 1856. The library continued to operate into the Civil War. It remained in the Lyceum but not without acrimony, which is evident in the Alexandria Gazette in 1860. ","In October 1867, an agreement was reached with what was variously referred to as the Alexandria Christian Association and the YMCA for assistance with running the library. The library separated from this organization during the early 1870s. By the second half of the 1870s, the library fell into a decline which the directors blamed on the lack of a published catalog. ","The first library catalog had been prepared by Kennedy in 1796 and published sometime thereafter. The earliest catalog of which there is an extant copy was published in 1801, followed by another in 1808 of which there are few traces. A more enduring catalog was created in 1815. The 1830s saw publication of a supplement to the 1815 catalog and the creation of a working catalog that would be used into the late 1840s. Normal circulation records end in April 1861 when the library was converted into a military hospital. There are stray entries in May and December before operations resumed on a limited basis in May 1862 and continued at least through that year. Over a thousand volumes were lost during the war. Due to the decline in usage in the 1870s, a new catalog was produced by librarian Emma J. Young in 1872 but never published. After two years with Young's catalog, another was commissioned from Dr. Theo West, which also went unpublished. As a stopgap, handwritten copies were used by patrons. In 1898, a new catalog was created which utilized a decimal system for the first time. The last published catalog was a supplement to the 1912 version. ","In the late 1870s, appeals were made to the men of Alexandria for support,. The directors met with another \"Young Men's Library Association\" in 1878 without success, records of operations stop after January 1880.","The Gazette reported in January 1881 that the books were now in the custody of the school board, whose membership included William F. Carne, a former library company director and the son of one its former presidents. In May 1887 it reported that Carne, as leader of the board's library committee, was inviting associations wishing to participate in re-opening the library to a meeting at the Peabody school building where the books were held, and explained that he had always intended a reading room to be opened to the public once space was freed up for that purpose.","In June 1887, the Gazette reported that the \"Reading Circle of Washington and Lee Schools\" organized by teachers two years prior and the YMCA would operate the free library during the summer, in the hope that in September \"an effort will be made, with a very fair prospect of success, to re-organize the Library Company.\" Gazette reports in 1890 and 1891 refer to continued efforts by Carne and others to \"re-open\" the library, and in 1892 being part of a \"committee on the project for a free public library,\" but they did not succeed.","In the decades after 1870s librarianship not only professionalized but underwent a rapid gender shift, and apart from the periods in which there was no librarian for financial reasons, no male librarians seem to have been employed until well into the 20th century. Women's library organizations had become common nationally, and along with the philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie played a major role in the growth of public libraries in America starting in the late 19th century.","In September 1897, the Alexandria Library Association led by Virginia Corse received custody of the books then in possession of the school board. With a modest donation from Carnegie, by 1898 the library was back in business, but as a subscription library, it would not become a free public library for almost 40 years. The new library needed a new librarian, and after one or two initial hires, the association found Alice Green (1865-1956), who would serve from 1902-1937 and in a lesser capacity into the mid-1940s. During this period, space for the library was rented from the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC).","The Depression brought financial hardship. As the crisis worsened in early 1931, the association had obtained $1,000 from the city council to form \"a nucleus for the establishment of a public library.\" Discussion of becoming a public library had been common since the 1920s, as the efforts of Carnegie and others had made them the norm nationally. Attempts were made to sell older books and hold fundraisers as subscription fees dried up. There was also a dispute with the UDC over a rent increase in 1933. The library was aided by the wealth of its members, including a $5,000 bequest in 1935 from its long-time treasurer, Margaret L. Smoot.","Members built political support both on the council and among the public in the mid-1930s and in 1937 it was agreed that a building would be constructed on the site of the old cemetery of the Society of Friends and that the city government would cover annual expenses of no more than $5,000 for the association to operate a free library. One member of the board would be appointed by the city. The new governing organization was rebranded the Alexandria Library Society.  Agreements were signed in January, and the library opened at the Kate Waller Barrett Branch's current location, 717 Queen Street.","Another change after 1937 was the gender composition of the leadership. Men served on the board of the new Society and played prominent roles after 1937. After 1948 they typically occupied the presidency of the organization. Most elections were unanimous, often with women casting most of the votes, but it ceased to be a women's organization. ","In 1945 a technicality in the Society's contract with the city was brought to the attention of the board. Namely that the $5,000 the city was obligated to provide each year was not the minimum but rather the maximum contribution, and that the higher appropriations it had been making were illegal. The city took this as an opportunity to demand a contract change beyond the funding formula. Although the men of the city council had representation on the board, the women of the Society were still ultimately running the library, and the Society was asked to allow a majority of the executive board to be appointed by the city, and a minority by the Society. That the city legally \"owned the building and all its contents\" so long as it paid $5,000 per year was also pointed out. The Alexandria Library Society signed the new contract, surrendering control of the library in November 1947. In its reduced role, the Society still elected members to the board and received reports from the librarian. It also retained independent funds that could be used for the benefit of the library. With the library now fully the city's responsibility, the membership was also able to more openly advocate for additional funding.","Another longstanding issue at the library was race. The president's 1928 annual report had endorsed becoming a \"free city library,\" but feared that becoming a Carnegie library \"would bring in some elements hitherto unknown and I think undesirable in our Library.\" In the 1930s the library association favored providing segregated facilities, but, after repeated meetings with the city council, failed to achieve even that modest goal. In the 13 March, 1939, minutes, the issue was revisited yet again, but without result. ","Four days later on 17 March 1939, Sergeant George Wilson was turned down for a library card because of his race and Samuel Tucker filed a civil rights lawsuit against the librarian on his behalf. Plans for a segregated facility were dusted off, and new staff was hired so that the librarian could focus on the controversy. On 21 August 1939, several black men organized by Tucker entered the library and followed Wilson's example, but after being refused, seated themselves in the library with books, beginning America's first library sit-in. It ended only after the city manager called the police, and all were arrested. The lawsuit was dismissed on technical grounds, but to prevent a new lawsuit the city approved the Robert H. Robinson branch, which opened in 1940. Tucker refused to accept a card there. ","A major issue in the early 1950s was the push to expand the overcrowded main library serving the white community. The white librarian at the time, who had been hired in a junior capacity during Tucker's campaign in 1939, suggested to the Society that the expansion could be an opportunity to integrate. In the midst of the debates over expansion and additional funding, an opportunity emerged to purchase a neighboring building on the corner of North Columbus and Queen, which was later demolished. This prompted a discussion about the Alexandria Library Society's connection to the original library company. It was decided to change the name from the \"Alexandria Library Society\" to the \"Alexandria Library Company,\" make the appropriate filings with the state government, and reinstate the 1799 charter, which would be revised by the legislature in the 1980s to help obtain tax-exempt status from the IRS.","This name change was completed at one of the company's most consequential meetings in February 1956. Every member was asked to sign their name in the minute book to signal their assent. A letter from a local civil rights activist questioning the legality of library segregation was also read, but deemed the province of the library board, which referred the matter back to the company whose reply is not preserved.","Member Mangum Weeks thereupon raised the question of the future role of the Library Company, and proposed resuming the tradition of annual lectures dating from the Lyceum period using funds from the newly instituted membership dues. This proposal was adopted, and preparing the annual lectures soon became a major focus of the Company. The Library Company continues to appoint members to the board of the Alexandria Library and hold its annual lecture series. It commissioned a new history of the library by William Seale in 2007, which can be found at the Local History and Special Collections Branch.","Chronological listings for both presidents of the board and librarians up to the modern day.","Presidents of the Library Company and Its Successors February 1794-February 1813 Rev. James Muir February 1813-February 1815 Hugh Smith February 1815-March 1824 John Roberts March 1824-February 1829 Hugh Smith February 1829-February 1835 John Richards February 1835-February 1840 John Roberts February 1840-1852 Elias Harrison 1852-February 1855 J. Louis Kinzer February 1855-September 1858 Francis Miller September 1858- February 1859 Richard L. Carne February 1859-September 1859 Caleb S. Hallowell September 1859-February 1860 William G. Cazenove February 1860-February 1870 Richard L. Carne February 1870-February 1873 K. Kemper February 1873-October 1873 Samuel H. Janney October 1873-February 1874 Sidney C. Neale February 1874-June 1879 Mercer Slaughter September 1897-October 1905 Virginia Corse July 1906-June 1925 Mrs. Samuel. L. Monroe October 1925-April 1930 Loula Smoot April 1930-November 1933 Mrs. Henry B. Soule, [Jessie E. Soule] December 1933-December 1934 Mary Lloyd December 1934-December 1936 Susan Thomson December 1936-November 1937 Mrs. Louis Scott November 1937-November 1944 Mrs. Curtis Backus November 1944-November 1946 Mrs. [Lawrence] Fawcett, [Mary Fawcett] November 1946-November 1947 Howard Worth Smith November 1947-October 1948 [Miss Anne] Lewis Jones October 1948-October 1949 Miss Horne October 1949-October 1950 Mr. Stanley King October 1950-December 1951 Mr. [Joseph] Crockett December 1951-February 1955 Mr. Robert Moncure February 1955-February 1957 Dr. [W. Bruce] Silcox February 1957-February 1959 Stanley King February 1959-February 1962 Mangum Weeks February 1962-February 1963 Richard Bales February 1963-February 1965 Donald King February 1965-February 1967 David Squires February 1967-February 1969 Howard Worth Smith Jr. February 1969-February 1971 William Francis Smith February 1971-February 1972 John T. Ticer February 1972-February 1974 David M. Abshire February 1974-February 1976 Mrs. Merill Beede February 1976-February 1978 Mrs. Douglas Lindsey February 1978-February 1980 Clarke T. Cooper Jr. February 1980-February 1982 William Seale February 1982-February 1983 Denys Peter Myers February 1983-February 1985 William B. Hurd February 1985-February 1986 George J. Stansfield February 1986-February 1987 Dr. Ernest A. Connally February 1987-February 1989 Dr. Wilton C. Corkern, Jr. February 1989-March 1991 James M. Lewis March 1991-March 1992 Mrs. Anne Smith Paul March 1992-March 1993 Richard R. G. Hobson March 1993-March 1995 Dabney Waring March 1995-March 1997 James R. Hobson March 1997-March 1998 Robert C. Reed March 1998-March 2000 Neil Horstman March 2000-March 2002 Carroll Johnson March 2002-March 2003 Thomas C. Brown Jr.","Librarians of Alexandria February 1794-February 1796 Edward Stabler February 1796-February 1818 James Kennedy February 1818-August 1826 William Cranch August 1826-October 1829 W. Samuel Mark October 1829-March 1845 George Drinker March 1845-September 1845 James M. Eaches September 1845-September 1852 C.F. Stuart September 1852-April 1853 H. W. P. Junius September 1852-April 1853 L.? Hunter November 1853 Office Abolished February 1854-October 1855 E. M.[Magruder?] Lowe October 1855-September 1858 Norval E. Foard September 1858-February 1859 S. Scott February 1859-September 1859 Edward R. Roxbury September 1859-February 1860 James A. Clarridge February 1860-April 1861 Charles R. Burgess (acting) April 1861-Unknown Edwin N. Wise March 1868 Wr. Bushby April 1870-May 1871 August Henning July 1871-March 1872 W. F. Stansbury March 1872-August 1873 Emma J. Young October 1873-March 1876 Emily English March 1876 Position Eliminated June 1879 R. Pendleton Bruin (unofficial? acting?) October 1900-October 1903 F. Olive Lyons October 1903-April 1937 (continued part-time, mentioned up to 1946) Alice Green April 1937-December 1938 Miss Beatrice Workman January 1939-January 1941 Katherine Scoggin (later Martyn) February 1941-June 1948 Bessie Watson July 1948-June 1969 (hired part-time October 1939, letter of resignation later that month) Ellen C. Burke July 1969-October 1992 (librarian from 1958) Jeanne G. Plitt","A reprocessing project begun in 2018 incorporated several boxes of previously unprocessed materials dating from the 1960s to the 2000s, with the bulk dating from after 1980. They included many short, overlapping sequences of correspondence, lecture, meeting, and member records which were merged into continuations of established series including primarily correspondence and lectures but also meetings and member correspondence. The \"subject files\" were added to the existing miscellaneous series. ","\nSeveral other changes were also made. A re-examination of the catalog, subscription, and circulation books was undertaken and most were renumbered, described, and relabeled based on primary source research. The 1794-1861 minute book that had been donated back in 1922 was also discovered misfiled in Ms 98 (which covers the library proper since 1937) and was returned to its original collection. Some letters found in minute books were moved to the correspondence series, and their original locations were bookmarked with acid free paper. Photocopies of catalogs were removed. ","The Alexandria Library Records (Ms 98) document the library as a separate institution from 1937 onward.","\nIt particularly complements this collection in its early decades through its administrative correspondence, board correspondence, minutes, annual reports, and organizational records, including contracts with the Alexandria Library Society.","\nThe minutes of the library's executive board (1938-1947) are included in the microfilm version of the library minute books 1794-1947.","Transcripts of library company lectures 2-18 are available in the library.","Lecture series : [transcripts of the audiotapes made of the scholars invited to speak at these annual lectures] Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #2 080 LEC 2 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #3 080 LEC 3 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #4 080 LEC 4 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #5 080 LEC 5 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #6 080 LEC 6 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #7 080 LEC 7 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #8 080 LEC 8 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #9 080 LEC 9 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #10 080 LEC 10 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #11 080 LEC 11 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #12 080 LEC 12 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #13 080 LEC 13 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #14 080 LEC 14 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #15 080 LEC 15 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #16 080 LEC 16 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #17 080 LEC 17 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #18 080 LEC 18","The collection consists of circulation, subscription, and financial ledgers, annual lecture series documents, catalogues, correspondence, and various organizational documents. Topics include: foundation of the\nAlexandria Library Company, its cycles of growth and decline reflecting the local economy; the formation of the local public library system; and the on-going activities of the Alexandria Library Company, most notably its lecture series.","Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library","Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)","Alexandria Library (Alexandria, Va.)","English"],"unitid_tesim":["MS002","/repositories/2/resources/128"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"collection_title_tesim":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"collection_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"repository_ssm":["Alexandria Library"],"repository_ssim":["Alexandria Library"],"geogname_ssm":["Libraries -- Subscription Libraries","Lectures and Lecturing","Associations, institutions, etc"],"geogname_ssim":["Libraries -- Subscription Libraries","Lectures and Lecturing","Associations, institutions, etc"],"creator_ssm":["Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)"],"creator_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)"],"creator_corpname_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)"],"creators_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)"],"places_ssim":["Libraries -- Subscription Libraries","Lectures and Lecturing","Associations, institutions, etc"],"access_subjects_ssim":["Public libraries."],"access_subjects_ssm":["Public libraries."],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"extent_ssm":["8.10 Cubic Feet 13 boxes, 2 oversize boxes, 1 record carton"],"extent_tesim":["8.10 Cubic Feet 13 boxes, 2 oversize boxes, 1 record carton"],"date_range_isim":[1794,1795,1796,1797,1798,1799,1800,1801,1802,1803,1804,1805,1806,1807,1808,1809,1810,1811,1812,1813,1814,1815,1816,1817,1818,1819,1820,1821,1822,1823,1824,1825,1826,1827,1828,1829,1830,1831,1832,1833,1834,1835,1836,1837,1838,1839,1840,1841,1842,1843,1844,1845,1846,1847,1848,1849,1850,1851,1852,1853,1854,1855,1856,1857,1858,1859,1860,1861,1862,1863,1864,1865,1866,1867,1868,1869,1870,1871,1872,1873,1874,1875,1876,1877,1878,1879,1880,1881,1882,1883,1884,1885,1886,1887,1888,1889,1890,1891,1892,1893,1894,1895,1896,1897,1898,1899,1900,1901,1902,1903,1904,1905,1906,1907,1908,1909,1910,1911,1912,1913,1914,1915,1916,1917,1918,1919,1920,1921,1922,1923,1924,1925,1926,1927,1928,1929,1930,1931,1932,1933,1934,1935,1936,1937,1938,1939,1940,1941,1942,1943,1944,1945,1946,1947,1948,1949,1950,1951,1952,1953,1954,1955,1956,1957,1958,1959,1960,1961,1962,1963,1964,1965,1966,1967,1968,1969,1970,1971,1972,1973,1974,1975,1976,1977,1978,1979,1980,1981,1982,1983,1984,1985,1986,1987,1988,1989,1990,1991,1992,1993,1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000,2001,2002,2003,2004,2005,2006,2007],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Biographical / Historical","Presidents and Librarians of the Library"],"bioghist_tesim":["In the 1780s, a discussion group of Alexandria gentlemen called \"The Society for the Promotion of Useful Knowledge\" was formed. In 1794, many of these same individuals gathered to form the nucleus of the Alexandria Library Company (ALC). The ALC was a subscription library modelled after the Philadelphia Library Company, which had also emerged from such a club. ","Society president Reverend John Muir became president of the ALC, a position he would hold for almost 20 years. Many of the library's founders are known to have been members of local Masonic lodges. Elisha Cullen Dick, who had succeeded George Washington as the leader of Lodge 22, was among the first directors of the ALC as well as the secretary of the earlier Society. The first Librarian was Edward Stabler, the proprietor of an apothecary shop. In 1796, Stabler was replaced by James Kennedy, who served as librarian until 1818. Overlaps and family links between the leadership of the library and other Alexandria institutions remained common over the next century and a half. ","For a time, the Alexandria Lyceum (founded in 1838) and the ALC shared a physical space as well as similar missions. The Alexandria Lyceum was founded as part of a national movement focused on educational lectures. The union between the two organizations was dissolved in 1844, but the library continued to rent space from the Lyceum. The library was later said to have been in a state of \"suspended animation\" from around 1846 to 1852. In 1852, a \"Young Men's\" group took over under the original charter, publishing a new catalog in 1856. The library continued to operate into the Civil War. It remained in the Lyceum but not without acrimony, which is evident in the Alexandria Gazette in 1860. ","In October 1867, an agreement was reached with what was variously referred to as the Alexandria Christian Association and the YMCA for assistance with running the library. The library separated from this organization during the early 1870s. By the second half of the 1870s, the library fell into a decline which the directors blamed on the lack of a published catalog. ","The first library catalog had been prepared by Kennedy in 1796 and published sometime thereafter. The earliest catalog of which there is an extant copy was published in 1801, followed by another in 1808 of which there are few traces. A more enduring catalog was created in 1815. The 1830s saw publication of a supplement to the 1815 catalog and the creation of a working catalog that would be used into the late 1840s. Normal circulation records end in April 1861 when the library was converted into a military hospital. There are stray entries in May and December before operations resumed on a limited basis in May 1862 and continued at least through that year. Over a thousand volumes were lost during the war. Due to the decline in usage in the 1870s, a new catalog was produced by librarian Emma J. Young in 1872 but never published. After two years with Young's catalog, another was commissioned from Dr. Theo West, which also went unpublished. As a stopgap, handwritten copies were used by patrons. In 1898, a new catalog was created which utilized a decimal system for the first time. The last published catalog was a supplement to the 1912 version. ","In the late 1870s, appeals were made to the men of Alexandria for support,. The directors met with another \"Young Men's Library Association\" in 1878 without success, records of operations stop after January 1880.","The Gazette reported in January 1881 that the books were now in the custody of the school board, whose membership included William F. Carne, a former library company director and the son of one its former presidents. In May 1887 it reported that Carne, as leader of the board's library committee, was inviting associations wishing to participate in re-opening the library to a meeting at the Peabody school building where the books were held, and explained that he had always intended a reading room to be opened to the public once space was freed up for that purpose.","In June 1887, the Gazette reported that the \"Reading Circle of Washington and Lee Schools\" organized by teachers two years prior and the YMCA would operate the free library during the summer, in the hope that in September \"an effort will be made, with a very fair prospect of success, to re-organize the Library Company.\" Gazette reports in 1890 and 1891 refer to continued efforts by Carne and others to \"re-open\" the library, and in 1892 being part of a \"committee on the project for a free public library,\" but they did not succeed.","In the decades after 1870s librarianship not only professionalized but underwent a rapid gender shift, and apart from the periods in which there was no librarian for financial reasons, no male librarians seem to have been employed until well into the 20th century. Women's library organizations had become common nationally, and along with the philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie played a major role in the growth of public libraries in America starting in the late 19th century.","In September 1897, the Alexandria Library Association led by Virginia Corse received custody of the books then in possession of the school board. With a modest donation from Carnegie, by 1898 the library was back in business, but as a subscription library, it would not become a free public library for almost 40 years. The new library needed a new librarian, and after one or two initial hires, the association found Alice Green (1865-1956), who would serve from 1902-1937 and in a lesser capacity into the mid-1940s. During this period, space for the library was rented from the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC).","The Depression brought financial hardship. As the crisis worsened in early 1931, the association had obtained $1,000 from the city council to form \"a nucleus for the establishment of a public library.\" Discussion of becoming a public library had been common since the 1920s, as the efforts of Carnegie and others had made them the norm nationally. Attempts were made to sell older books and hold fundraisers as subscription fees dried up. There was also a dispute with the UDC over a rent increase in 1933. The library was aided by the wealth of its members, including a $5,000 bequest in 1935 from its long-time treasurer, Margaret L. Smoot.","Members built political support both on the council and among the public in the mid-1930s and in 1937 it was agreed that a building would be constructed on the site of the old cemetery of the Society of Friends and that the city government would cover annual expenses of no more than $5,000 for the association to operate a free library. One member of the board would be appointed by the city. The new governing organization was rebranded the Alexandria Library Society.  Agreements were signed in January, and the library opened at the Kate Waller Barrett Branch's current location, 717 Queen Street.","Another change after 1937 was the gender composition of the leadership. Men served on the board of the new Society and played prominent roles after 1937. After 1948 they typically occupied the presidency of the organization. Most elections were unanimous, often with women casting most of the votes, but it ceased to be a women's organization. ","In 1945 a technicality in the Society's contract with the city was brought to the attention of the board. Namely that the $5,000 the city was obligated to provide each year was not the minimum but rather the maximum contribution, and that the higher appropriations it had been making were illegal. The city took this as an opportunity to demand a contract change beyond the funding formula. Although the men of the city council had representation on the board, the women of the Society were still ultimately running the library, and the Society was asked to allow a majority of the executive board to be appointed by the city, and a minority by the Society. That the city legally \"owned the building and all its contents\" so long as it paid $5,000 per year was also pointed out. The Alexandria Library Society signed the new contract, surrendering control of the library in November 1947. In its reduced role, the Society still elected members to the board and received reports from the librarian. It also retained independent funds that could be used for the benefit of the library. With the library now fully the city's responsibility, the membership was also able to more openly advocate for additional funding.","Another longstanding issue at the library was race. The president's 1928 annual report had endorsed becoming a \"free city library,\" but feared that becoming a Carnegie library \"would bring in some elements hitherto unknown and I think undesirable in our Library.\" In the 1930s the library association favored providing segregated facilities, but, after repeated meetings with the city council, failed to achieve even that modest goal. In the 13 March, 1939, minutes, the issue was revisited yet again, but without result. ","Four days later on 17 March 1939, Sergeant George Wilson was turned down for a library card because of his race and Samuel Tucker filed a civil rights lawsuit against the librarian on his behalf. Plans for a segregated facility were dusted off, and new staff was hired so that the librarian could focus on the controversy. On 21 August 1939, several black men organized by Tucker entered the library and followed Wilson's example, but after being refused, seated themselves in the library with books, beginning America's first library sit-in. It ended only after the city manager called the police, and all were arrested. The lawsuit was dismissed on technical grounds, but to prevent a new lawsuit the city approved the Robert H. Robinson branch, which opened in 1940. Tucker refused to accept a card there. ","A major issue in the early 1950s was the push to expand the overcrowded main library serving the white community. The white librarian at the time, who had been hired in a junior capacity during Tucker's campaign in 1939, suggested to the Society that the expansion could be an opportunity to integrate. In the midst of the debates over expansion and additional funding, an opportunity emerged to purchase a neighboring building on the corner of North Columbus and Queen, which was later demolished. This prompted a discussion about the Alexandria Library Society's connection to the original library company. It was decided to change the name from the \"Alexandria Library Society\" to the \"Alexandria Library Company,\" make the appropriate filings with the state government, and reinstate the 1799 charter, which would be revised by the legislature in the 1980s to help obtain tax-exempt status from the IRS.","This name change was completed at one of the company's most consequential meetings in February 1956. Every member was asked to sign their name in the minute book to signal their assent. A letter from a local civil rights activist questioning the legality of library segregation was also read, but deemed the province of the library board, which referred the matter back to the company whose reply is not preserved.","Member Mangum Weeks thereupon raised the question of the future role of the Library Company, and proposed resuming the tradition of annual lectures dating from the Lyceum period using funds from the newly instituted membership dues. This proposal was adopted, and preparing the annual lectures soon became a major focus of the Company. The Library Company continues to appoint members to the board of the Alexandria Library and hold its annual lecture series. It commissioned a new history of the library by William Seale in 2007, which can be found at the Local History and Special Collections Branch.","Chronological listings for both presidents of the board and librarians up to the modern day.","Presidents of the Library Company and Its Successors February 1794-February 1813 Rev. James Muir February 1813-February 1815 Hugh Smith February 1815-March 1824 John Roberts March 1824-February 1829 Hugh Smith February 1829-February 1835 John Richards February 1835-February 1840 John Roberts February 1840-1852 Elias Harrison 1852-February 1855 J. Louis Kinzer February 1855-September 1858 Francis Miller September 1858- February 1859 Richard L. Carne February 1859-September 1859 Caleb S. Hallowell September 1859-February 1860 William G. Cazenove February 1860-February 1870 Richard L. Carne February 1870-February 1873 K. Kemper February 1873-October 1873 Samuel H. Janney October 1873-February 1874 Sidney C. Neale February 1874-June 1879 Mercer Slaughter September 1897-October 1905 Virginia Corse July 1906-June 1925 Mrs. Samuel. L. Monroe October 1925-April 1930 Loula Smoot April 1930-November 1933 Mrs. Henry B. Soule, [Jessie E. Soule] December 1933-December 1934 Mary Lloyd December 1934-December 1936 Susan Thomson December 1936-November 1937 Mrs. Louis Scott November 1937-November 1944 Mrs. Curtis Backus November 1944-November 1946 Mrs. [Lawrence] Fawcett, [Mary Fawcett] November 1946-November 1947 Howard Worth Smith November 1947-October 1948 [Miss Anne] Lewis Jones October 1948-October 1949 Miss Horne October 1949-October 1950 Mr. Stanley King October 1950-December 1951 Mr. [Joseph] Crockett December 1951-February 1955 Mr. Robert Moncure February 1955-February 1957 Dr. [W. Bruce] Silcox February 1957-February 1959 Stanley King February 1959-February 1962 Mangum Weeks February 1962-February 1963 Richard Bales February 1963-February 1965 Donald King February 1965-February 1967 David Squires February 1967-February 1969 Howard Worth Smith Jr. February 1969-February 1971 William Francis Smith February 1971-February 1972 John T. Ticer February 1972-February 1974 David M. Abshire February 1974-February 1976 Mrs. Merill Beede February 1976-February 1978 Mrs. Douglas Lindsey February 1978-February 1980 Clarke T. Cooper Jr. February 1980-February 1982 William Seale February 1982-February 1983 Denys Peter Myers February 1983-February 1985 William B. Hurd February 1985-February 1986 George J. Stansfield February 1986-February 1987 Dr. Ernest A. Connally February 1987-February 1989 Dr. Wilton C. Corkern, Jr. February 1989-March 1991 James M. Lewis March 1991-March 1992 Mrs. Anne Smith Paul March 1992-March 1993 Richard R. G. Hobson March 1993-March 1995 Dabney Waring March 1995-March 1997 James R. Hobson March 1997-March 1998 Robert C. Reed March 1998-March 2000 Neil Horstman March 2000-March 2002 Carroll Johnson March 2002-March 2003 Thomas C. Brown Jr.","Librarians of Alexandria February 1794-February 1796 Edward Stabler February 1796-February 1818 James Kennedy February 1818-August 1826 William Cranch August 1826-October 1829 W. Samuel Mark October 1829-March 1845 George Drinker March 1845-September 1845 James M. Eaches September 1845-September 1852 C.F. Stuart September 1852-April 1853 H. W. P. Junius September 1852-April 1853 L.? Hunter November 1853 Office Abolished February 1854-October 1855 E. M.[Magruder?] Lowe October 1855-September 1858 Norval E. Foard September 1858-February 1859 S. Scott February 1859-September 1859 Edward R. Roxbury September 1859-February 1860 James A. Clarridge February 1860-April 1861 Charles R. Burgess (acting) April 1861-Unknown Edwin N. Wise March 1868 Wr. Bushby April 1870-May 1871 August Henning July 1871-March 1872 W. F. Stansbury March 1872-August 1873 Emma J. Young October 1873-March 1876 Emily English March 1876 Position Eliminated June 1879 R. Pendleton Bruin (unofficial? acting?) October 1900-October 1903 F. Olive Lyons October 1903-April 1937 (continued part-time, mentioned up to 1946) Alice Green April 1937-December 1938 Miss Beatrice Workman January 1939-January 1941 Katherine Scoggin (later Martyn) February 1941-June 1948 Bessie Watson July 1948-June 1969 (hired part-time October 1939, letter of resignation later that month) Ellen C. Burke July 1969-October 1992 (librarian from 1958) Jeanne G. Plitt"],"otherfindaid_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://alexlibrary.access.preservica.com/archive/sdb%3Acollection|7a4491fe-5b8d-43e9-aa46-69ecce4c0734/\"\u003eClick to view digital materials in this collection\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e"],"otherfindaid_heading_ssm":["Digital Materials"],"otherfindaid_tesim":["Click to view digital materials in this collection"],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e[Item], Alexandria Library Company Records, MS002, Alexandria Library, Local History and Special Collections, Alexandria, Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e"],"prefercite_tesim":["[Item], Alexandria Library Company Records, MS002, Alexandria Library, Local History and Special Collections, Alexandria, Virginia."],"processinfo_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eA reprocessing project begun in 2018 incorporated several boxes of previously unprocessed materials dating from the 1960s to the 2000s, with the bulk dating from after 1980. They included many short, overlapping sequences of correspondence, lecture, meeting, and member records which were merged into continuations of established series including primarily correspondence and lectures but also meetings and member correspondence. The \"subject files\" were added to the existing miscellaneous series. \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nSeveral other changes were also made. A re-examination of the catalog, subscription, and circulation books was undertaken and most were renumbered, described, and relabeled based on primary source research. The 1794-1861 minute book that had been donated back in 1922 was also discovered misfiled in Ms 98 (which covers the library proper since 1937) and was returned to its original collection. Some letters found in minute books were moved to the correspondence series, and their original locations were bookmarked with acid free paper. Photocopies of catalogs were removed. \u003c/p\u003e"],"processinfo_heading_ssm":["Processing Information"],"processinfo_tesim":["A reprocessing project begun in 2018 incorporated several boxes of previously unprocessed materials dating from the 1960s to the 2000s, with the bulk dating from after 1980. They included many short, overlapping sequences of correspondence, lecture, meeting, and member records which were merged into continuations of established series including primarily correspondence and lectures but also meetings and member correspondence. The \"subject files\" were added to the existing miscellaneous series. ","\nSeveral other changes were also made. A re-examination of the catalog, subscription, and circulation books was undertaken and most were renumbered, described, and relabeled based on primary source research. The 1794-1861 minute book that had been donated back in 1922 was also discovered misfiled in Ms 98 (which covers the library proper since 1937) and was returned to its original collection. Some letters found in minute books were moved to the correspondence series, and their original locations were bookmarked with acid free paper. Photocopies of catalogs were removed. "],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThe Alexandria Library Records (Ms 98) document the library as a separate institution from 1937 onward.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003e\nIt particularly complements this collection in its early decades through its administrative correspondence, board correspondence, minutes, annual reports, and organizational records, including contracts with the Alexandria Library Society.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003e\nThe minutes of the library's executive board (1938-1947) are included in the microfilm version of the library minute books 1794-1947.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eTranscripts of library company lectures 2-18 are available in the library.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003clist type=\"deflist\"\u003e\n      \u003chead\u003eLecture series : [transcripts of the audiotapes made of the scholars invited to speak at these annual lectures]\u003c/head\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #2\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 2\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #3\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 3\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #4\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 4\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #5\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 5\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #6\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 6\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #7\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 7\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #8\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 8\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #9\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 9\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #10\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 10\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #11\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 11\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #12\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 12\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #13\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 13\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #14\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 14\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #15\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 15\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #16\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 16\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #17\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 17\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #18\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 18\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n    \u003c/list\u003e"],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related Materials"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["The Alexandria Library Records (Ms 98) document the library as a separate institution from 1937 onward.","\nIt particularly complements this collection in its early decades through its administrative correspondence, board correspondence, minutes, annual reports, and organizational records, including contracts with the Alexandria Library Society.","\nThe minutes of the library's executive board (1938-1947) are included in the microfilm version of the library minute books 1794-1947.","Transcripts of library company lectures 2-18 are available in the library.","Lecture series : [transcripts of the audiotapes made of the scholars invited to speak at these annual lectures] Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #2 080 LEC 2 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #3 080 LEC 3 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #4 080 LEC 4 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #5 080 LEC 5 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #6 080 LEC 6 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #7 080 LEC 7 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #8 080 LEC 8 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #9 080 LEC 9 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #10 080 LEC 10 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #11 080 LEC 11 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #12 080 LEC 12 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #13 080 LEC 13 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #14 080 LEC 14 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #15 080 LEC 15 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #16 080 LEC 16 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #17 080 LEC 17 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #18 080 LEC 18"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThe collection consists of circulation, subscription, and financial ledgers, annual lecture series documents, catalogues, correspondence, and various organizational documents. Topics include: foundation of the\nAlexandria Library Company, its cycles of growth and decline reflecting the local economy; the formation of the local public library system; and the on-going activities of the Alexandria Library Company, most notably its lecture series.\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Content Description"],"scopecontent_tesim":["The collection consists of circulation, subscription, and financial ledgers, annual lecture series documents, catalogues, correspondence, and various organizational documents. Topics include: foundation of the\nAlexandria Library Company, its cycles of growth and decline reflecting the local economy; the formation of the local public library system; and the on-going activities of the Alexandria Library Company, most notably its lecture series."],"names_coll_ssim":["Alexandria Library (Alexandria, Va.)"],"names_ssim":["Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library","Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)","Alexandria Library (Alexandria, Va.)"],"corpname_ssim":["Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library","Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)","Alexandria Library (Alexandria, Va.)"],"language_ssim":["English"],"descrules_ssm":["Describing Archives: A Content Standard"],"total_component_count_is":147,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-05-01T00:09:43.684Z","bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eIn the 1780s, a discussion group of Alexandria gentlemen called \"The Society for the Promotion of Useful Knowledge\" was formed. In 1794, many of these same individuals gathered to form the nucleus of the Alexandria Library Company (ALC). The ALC was a subscription library modelled after the Philadelphia Library Company, which had also emerged from such a club. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eSociety president Reverend John Muir became president of the ALC, a position he would hold for almost 20 years. Many of the library's founders are known to have been members of local Masonic lodges. Elisha Cullen Dick, who had succeeded George Washington as the leader of Lodge 22, was among the first directors of the ALC as well as the secretary of the earlier Society. The first Librarian was Edward Stabler, the proprietor of an apothecary shop. In 1796, Stabler was replaced by James Kennedy, who served as librarian until 1818. Overlaps and family links between the leadership of the library and other Alexandria institutions remained common over the next century and a half. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eFor a time, the Alexandria Lyceum (founded in 1838) and the ALC shared a physical space as well as similar missions. The Alexandria Lyceum was founded as part of a national movement focused on educational lectures. The union between the two organizations was dissolved in 1844, but the library continued to rent space from the Lyceum. The library was later said to have been in a state of \"suspended animation\" from around 1846 to 1852. In 1852, a \"Young Men's\" group took over under the original charter, publishing a new catalog in 1856. The library continued to operate into the Civil War. It remained in the Lyceum but not without acrimony, which is evident in the Alexandria Gazette in 1860. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn October 1867, an agreement was reached with what was variously referred to as the Alexandria Christian Association and the YMCA for assistance with running the library. The library separated from this organization during the early 1870s. By the second half of the 1870s, the library fell into a decline which the directors blamed on the lack of a published catalog. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eThe first library catalog had been prepared by Kennedy in 1796 and published sometime thereafter. The earliest catalog of which there is an extant copy was published in 1801, followed by another in 1808 of which there are few traces. A more enduring catalog was created in 1815. The 1830s saw publication of a supplement to the 1815 catalog and the creation of a working catalog that would be used into the late 1840s. Normal circulation records end in April 1861 when the library was converted into a military hospital. There are stray entries in May and December before operations resumed on a limited basis in May 1862 and continued at least through that year. Over a thousand volumes were lost during the war. Due to the decline in usage in the 1870s, a new catalog was produced by librarian Emma J. Young in 1872 but never published. After two years with Young's catalog, another was commissioned from Dr. Theo West, which also went unpublished. As a stopgap, handwritten copies were used by patrons. In 1898, a new catalog was created which utilized a decimal system for the first time. The last published catalog was a supplement to the 1912 version. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn the late 1870s, appeals were made to the men of Alexandria for support,. The directors met with another \"Young Men's Library Association\" in 1878 without success, records of operations stop after January 1880.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eThe Gazette reported in January 1881 that the books were now in the custody of the school board, whose membership included William F. Carne, a former library company director and the son of one its former presidents. In May 1887 it reported that Carne, as leader of the board's library committee, was inviting associations wishing to participate in re-opening the library to a meeting at the Peabody school building where the books were held, and explained that he had always intended a reading room to be opened to the public once space was freed up for that purpose.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn June 1887, the Gazette reported that the \"Reading Circle of Washington and Lee Schools\" organized by teachers two years prior and the YMCA would operate the free library during the summer, in the hope that in September \"an effort will be made, with a very fair prospect of success, to re-organize the Library Company.\" Gazette reports in 1890 and 1891 refer to continued efforts by Carne and others to \"re-open\" the library, and in 1892 being part of a \"committee on the project for a free public library,\" but they did not succeed.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn the decades after 1870s librarianship not only professionalized but underwent a rapid gender shift, and apart from the periods in which there was no librarian for financial reasons, no male librarians seem to have been employed until well into the 20th century. Women's library organizations had become common nationally, and along with the philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie played a major role in the growth of public libraries in America starting in the late 19th century.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn September 1897, the Alexandria Library Association led by Virginia Corse received custody of the books then in possession of the school board. With a modest donation from Carnegie, by 1898 the library was back in business, but as a subscription library, it would not become a free public library for almost 40 years. The new library needed a new librarian, and after one or two initial hires, the association found Alice Green (1865-1956), who would serve from 1902-1937 and in a lesser capacity into the mid-1940s. During this period, space for the library was rented from the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC).\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eThe Depression brought financial hardship. As the crisis worsened in early 1931, the association had obtained $1,000 from the city council to form \"a nucleus for the establishment of a public library.\" Discussion of becoming a public library had been common since the 1920s, as the efforts of Carnegie and others had made them the norm nationally. Attempts were made to sell older books and hold fundraisers as subscription fees dried up. There was also a dispute with the UDC over a rent increase in 1933. The library was aided by the wealth of its members, including a $5,000 bequest in 1935 from its long-time treasurer, Margaret L. Smoot.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eMembers built political support both on the council and among the public in the mid-1930s and in 1937 it was agreed that a building would be constructed on the site of the old cemetery of the Society of Friends and that the city government would cover annual expenses of no more than $5,000 for the association to operate a free library. One member of the board would be appointed by the city. The new governing organization was rebranded the Alexandria Library Society.  Agreements were signed in January, and the library opened at the Kate Waller Barrett Branch's current location, 717 Queen Street.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eAnother change after 1937 was the gender composition of the leadership. Men served on the board of the new Society and played prominent roles after 1937. After 1948 they typically occupied the presidency of the organization. Most elections were unanimous, often with women casting most of the votes, but it ceased to be a women's organization. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn 1945 a technicality in the Society's contract with the city was brought to the attention of the board. Namely that the $5,000 the city was obligated to provide each year was not the minimum but rather the maximum contribution, and that the higher appropriations it had been making were illegal. The city took this as an opportunity to demand a contract change beyond the funding formula. Although the men of the city council had representation on the board, the women of the Society were still ultimately running the library, and the Society was asked to allow a majority of the executive board to be appointed by the city, and a minority by the Society. That the city legally \"owned the building and all its contents\" so long as it paid $5,000 per year was also pointed out. The Alexandria Library Society signed the new contract, surrendering control of the library in November 1947. In its reduced role, the Society still elected members to the board and received reports from the librarian. It also retained independent funds that could be used for the benefit of the library. With the library now fully the city's responsibility, the membership was also able to more openly advocate for additional funding.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eAnother longstanding issue at the library was race. The president's 1928 annual report had endorsed becoming a \"free city library,\" but feared that becoming a Carnegie library \"would bring in some elements hitherto unknown and I think undesirable in our Library.\" In the 1930s the library association favored providing segregated facilities, but, after repeated meetings with the city council, failed to achieve even that modest goal. In the 13 March, 1939, minutes, the issue was revisited yet again, but without result. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eFour days later on 17 March 1939, Sergeant George Wilson was turned down for a library card because of his race and Samuel Tucker filed a civil rights lawsuit against the librarian on his behalf. Plans for a segregated facility were dusted off, and new staff was hired so that the librarian could focus on the controversy. On 21 August 1939, several black men organized by Tucker entered the library and followed Wilson's example, but after being refused, seated themselves in the library with books, beginning America's first library sit-in. It ended only after the city manager called the police, and all were arrested. The lawsuit was dismissed on technical grounds, but to prevent a new lawsuit the city approved the Robert H. Robinson branch, which opened in 1940. Tucker refused to accept a card there. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eA major issue in the early 1950s was the push to expand the overcrowded main library serving the white community. The white librarian at the time, who had been hired in a junior capacity during Tucker's campaign in 1939, suggested to the Society that the expansion could be an opportunity to integrate. In the midst of the debates over expansion and additional funding, an opportunity emerged to purchase a neighboring building on the corner of North Columbus and Queen, which was later demolished. This prompted a discussion about the Alexandria Library Society's connection to the original library company. It was decided to change the name from the \"Alexandria Library Society\" to the \"Alexandria Library Company,\" make the appropriate filings with the state government, and reinstate the 1799 charter, which would be revised by the legislature in the 1980s to help obtain tax-exempt status from the IRS.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eThis name change was completed at one of the company's most consequential meetings in February 1956. Every member was asked to sign their name in the minute book to signal their assent. A letter from a local civil rights activist questioning the legality of library segregation was also read, but deemed the province of the library board, which referred the matter back to the company whose reply is not preserved.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eMember Mangum Weeks thereupon raised the question of the future role of the Library Company, and proposed resuming the tradition of annual lectures dating from the Lyceum period using funds from the newly instituted membership dues. This proposal was adopted, and preparing the annual lectures soon became a major focus of the Company. The Library Company continues to appoint members to the board of the Alexandria Library and hold its annual lecture series. It commissioned a new history of the library by William Seale in 2007, which can be found at the Local History and Special Collections Branch.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eChronological listings for both presidents of the board and librarians up to the modern day.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003clist type=\"deflist\"\u003e\n      \u003chead\u003ePresidents of the Library Company and Its Successors\u003c/head\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1794-February 1813\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRev. James Muir\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1813-February 1815\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eHugh Smith\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1815-March 1824\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJohn Roberts\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1824-February 1829\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eHugh Smith\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1829-February 1835\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJohn Richards\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1835-February 1840\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJohn Roberts\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1840-1852\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eElias Harrison\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003e1852-February 1855\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJ. Louis Kinzer\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1855-September 1858\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eFrancis Miller\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1858- February 1859\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRichard L. Carne\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1859-September 1859\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eCaleb S. Hallowell\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1859-February 1860\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam G. Cazenove\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1860-February 1870\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRichard L. Carne\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1870-February 1873\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eK. Kemper\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1873-October 1873\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eSamuel H. Janney\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1873-February 1874\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eSidney C. Neale\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1874-June 1879\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMercer Slaughter\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1897-October 1905\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eVirginia Corse\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJuly 1906-June 1925\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Samuel. L. Monroe\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1925-April 1930\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eLoula Smoot\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eApril 1930-November 1933\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Henry B. Soule, [Jessie E. Soule]\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eDecember 1933-December 1934\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMary Lloyd\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eDecember 1934-December 1936\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eSusan Thomson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eDecember 1936-November 1937\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Louis Scott\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1937-November 1944\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Curtis Backus\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1944-November 1946\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. [Lawrence] Fawcett, [Mary Fawcett]\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1946-November 1947\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eHoward Worth Smith\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1947-October 1948\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e[Miss Anne] Lewis Jones\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1948-October 1949\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMiss Horne\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1949-October 1950\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMr. Stanley King\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1950-December 1951\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMr. [Joseph] Crockett\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eDecember 1951-February 1955\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMr. Robert Moncure\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1955-February 1957\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDr. [W. Bruce] Silcox\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1957-February 1959\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eStanley King\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1959-February 1962\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMangum Weeks\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1962-February 1963\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRichard Bales\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1963-February 1965\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDonald King\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1965-February 1967\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDavid Squires\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1967-February 1969\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eHoward Worth Smith Jr.\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1969-February 1971\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam Francis Smith\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1971-February 1972\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJohn T. Ticer\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1972-February 1974\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDavid M. Abshire\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1974-February 1976\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Merill Beede\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1976-February 1978\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Douglas Lindsey\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1978-February 1980\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eClarke T. Cooper Jr.\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1980-February 1982\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam Seale\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1982-February 1983\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDenys Peter Myers\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1983-February 1985\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam B. Hurd\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1985-February 1986\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eGeorge J. Stansfield\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1986-February 1987\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDr. Ernest A. Connally\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1987-February 1989\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDr. Wilton C. Corkern, Jr.\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1989-March 1991\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames M. Lewis\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1991-March 1992\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Anne Smith Paul\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1992-March 1993\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRichard R. G. Hobson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1993-March 1995\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDabney Waring\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1995-March 1997\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames R. Hobson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1997-March 1998\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRobert C. Reed\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1998-March 2000\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eNeil Horstman\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 2000-March 2002\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eCarroll Johnson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 2002-March 2003\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eThomas C. Brown Jr.\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n    \u003c/list\u003e","\u003clist type=\"deflist\"\u003e\n      \u003chead\u003eLibrarians of Alexandria\u003c/head\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1794-February 1796\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEdward Stabler\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1796-February 1818\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames Kennedy\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1818-August 1826\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam Cranch\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAugust 1826-October 1829\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eW. Samuel Mark\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1829-March 1845\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eGeorge Drinker\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1845-September 1845\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames M. Eaches\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1845-September 1852\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eC.F. Stuart\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1852-April 1853\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eH. W. P. Junius\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1852-April 1853\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eL.? Hunter\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1853\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eOffice Abolished\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1854-October 1855\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eE. M.[Magruder?] Lowe\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1855-September 1858\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eNorval E. Foard\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1858-February 1859\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eS. Scott\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1859-September 1859\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEdward R. Roxbury\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1859-February 1860\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames A. Clarridge\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1860-April 1861\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eCharles R. Burgess (acting)\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eApril 1861-Unknown\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEdwin N. Wise\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1868\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWr. Bushby\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eApril 1870-May 1871\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eAugust Henning\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJuly 1871-March 1872\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eW. F. Stansbury\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1872-August 1873\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEmma J. Young\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1873-March 1876\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEmily English\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1876\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003ePosition Eliminated\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJune 1879\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eR. Pendleton Bruin (unofficial? acting?)\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1900-October 1903\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eF. Olive Lyons\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1903-April 1937 (continued part-time, mentioned up to 1946)\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eAlice Green\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eApril 1937-December 1938\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMiss Beatrice Workman\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJanuary 1939-January 1941\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eKatherine Scoggin (later Martyn)\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1941-June 1948\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eBessie Watson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJuly 1948-June 1969 (hired part-time October 1939, letter of resignation later that month)\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEllen C. Burke\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJuly 1969-October 1992 (librarian from 1958)\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJeanne G. Plitt\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n    \u003c/list\u003e"]}]}},"label":"Breadcrumbs"}}},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c06"}},{"id":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c11","type":"Series","attributes":{"title":"Series XI: Circulation Records","abstract_or_scope":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c11#abstract_or_scope","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"\u003cp\u003eThe circulation records consist of bound volumes containing lists of books checked out. They typically list the name of the subscriber, the date, and some method of identifying the work along with various other details. For much of its history, the old library company identified books only by number, although titles and combinations of numbers and titles began appearing around 1845, with titles becoming commonplace after 1858.\u003c/p\u003e","label":"Abstract Or Scope"}},"breadcrumbs":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c11#breadcrumbs","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":{"ref_ssi":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c11","ref_ssm":["vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c11"],"id":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c11","ead_ssi":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","_root_":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","_nest_parent_":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","parent_ssi":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","parent_ssim":["vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128"],"parent_ids_ssim":["vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128"],"parent_unittitles_ssm":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"parent_unittitles_tesim":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"text":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)","Series XI: Circulation Records","English","The original circulation book of 1794-1795 contains two different systems for tracking loans and borrowers. The columns of the initial system included, from left-to-right: patron name, the time the book was out, book number, and book size. Each book size had its own column, which from left-to-right were folio, \"4-to\" (quarto), \"8-vo\" (octavio), \"12-mo\" (duodecimo or twelvemo), and \"16-mo\" (sextodecimo or sixteenmo).","\nThis method was abandoned, and subsequently an attempt was made to record circulation by subscriber. Each subscriber was assigned a number and accorded a set of pages bearing that number instead of page numbers. An index of them appears at the back with some names crossed out. They are not in alphabetical order on the whole, and may represent the order in which they become subscribers. The left-hand pages list the books taken out and the right-hand pages represent returns. As such, similar years and dates are repeated on both sides.","\nBy the start of the 1801-1805 records, the library \nhad switched to a chronological format, which was flexible enough to accommodate increases in the number of subscribers and variations in their degree of patronage but at the cost of making an individual's activity more difficult to isolate. Columns consisted of: patron, title number and volume number, date and day of the week, date returned, and the number of days late and fine (if any).","\nThis remained standard through 1834 with minor variations, like the addition of a date at the top of the page in the 1814-1818 volume, which lasted into the 1830s, and a key for marks indicating returns and renewals in the 1822-1824 volume.","\nThe 1841-1848 volume introduced a new system which separated each set of records into daily sections, with a heading for each day. The columns from left-to-right provided: title number, patron name, returned date, and subject section; the latter being a feature of the working catalog in use at the time.","\nAbbreviated titles started to appear near the end of June 1845, with some of them being numbered and others not. By July 1845, a majority of the entries were like that. This method disappeared and reappeared over the years that followed.","\nBetween September 1846 and September 1848 the circulation records were kept in the second part of an account book (see notes for the subscription series). The subject system continued during this period under a new organization of columns, consisting of: subject, number (within subject), patron name (with volume number), and finally a column with either a note saying \"return,\" a date, or often a blank field.","\nThe 1857-1858 volume has alphabetical tabs on which patrons are recorded chronologically under the first letter of their name. The columns are also different. From left-to-right they include:  date, patron name (including institutions), title number, and return date. The year is given at the top. In place of a return note, some fields contain other notes like \"mistake\" or \"transferred to Roxbury,\" which are open to interpretation. Titles resume appearing in place of numbers in mid-1858.","\nThe volume covering 1862-1868 shows considerable variation. Initially it featured columns on the left with headings for each day followed by the patron name, while on the right the columns showed the title number and return date. Starting on September 27, 1859 (page 114), the left-hand column was divided between patron name and title, while the columns for title number and return date on the right remained in place. From March 1860 (page 127) to March 1861 (page 175) it returned to the earlier format.","\nThe 1870-1871 volume introduced the columns that would be standard for most of the remainder of the series ending in 1880. They consisted of checkout date, patron name, book title, title number, and return date. The exception was a period beginning in May 1871 and ending on 1 January 1872 of the 1871-1872 volume. During that period, the records provided sections by patron name, with columns for checkout date, title, and return date. There were no title numbers during that period. The arrangement of names was partially alphabetized, possibly reflecting the addition of new names to an originally alphabetical arrangement.","\nIt can be difficult to tell what year it is in some of the later volumes. In the 1872-1874 volume year breaks occur on pages 113 (1873) and 292 (1874). In the 1874-1880 volume they occur on pages 137 (1875), 275 (1876), 345 (1877), 375 (1878), 434 (1879), and 454 (1880).","The circulation records began with the original library company in 1794 and continued until its collapse in 1880. Some of the gaps in the records reflect periods during which its activity was disrupted.","\nDuring the War of 1812, British forces arrived in Alexandria on 29 August 1814 and remained there until 2 September. The library normally closed on Sundays, and remained closed from Sunday 28 August through Tuesday 30 August. It opened from 31 August to 2 September, during which time only four books circulated.","\nThe library was also affected by the Civil War. Hostilities between the Union and Confederacy began at Fort Sumter on 12 April 1861. A vote on Virginia secession was held on 17 April and ratified by a referendum on 23 May. Alexandria was occupied by Union forces the following day. Confederate forces had briefly made use of the Lyceum building housing the library, but it later served as a hospital for the Union. Some books were moved out but others were not.","\nIt is unclear were the library operated from in 1861 and 1862, but it did operate. There was a significant reduction in circulation leading up to the war, dropping to a single entry for 22 April 1861. Solitary patrons were recorded for 18th and 30th of May, and an individual withdrew a book every day through 21-25 December, although the May and December entries are in a different hand and initially broke with the format. In early June 1862 however, the library resumed semi-regular hours, usually opening only Tuesday and Thursday but occasionally other days. Records continue into mid-October, after which two pages are missing from the book before it resumes in 1868. Returns are dated as late as December 1862, and it is unclear when the library ceased operations.","\nAttempts to preserve the library in the late 1870s were unsuccessful, and the number of pages per year charts its decline and eventual failure over the second half of the decade.","Many of the books have damaged bindings or missing covers. The 1801-1805 volume has both problems, while the 1809-1811 is missing a page and the front cover. The 1814-1816 is also missing pages, as is the 1858-1868 volume for the crucial period of 1862-1863.","The circulation records consist of bound volumes containing lists of books checked out. They typically list the name of the subscriber, the date, and some method of identifying the work along with various other details. For much of its history, the old library company identified books only by number, although titles and combinations of numbers and titles began appearing around 1845, with titles becoming commonplace after 1858.","\nThe catalogs can be used reliably for only some of the numerical listings due to additions following the publication of rapidly outdated catalogs and changes in numbering that preceded new ones. They are relevant to some of the numbers for 1801-1807, 1815-1848, 1856-1862, and 1874-1879 (see catalog series notes and below). Because of possible renumbering, the 1801 catalog cannot be relied upon for records prior to its implementation nor after the point in 1807-1808 when its successor went into effect. Since there is no way to know if the 1815 catalog was an extension of the 1808 or if it was the first to change the numbering from the 1801, it likewise cannot be trusted prior to its implementation.","\nThe 1815 and its supplement were used for a longer period and the 1834-1848 catalog used it as a base, despite altering its system of arrangement for later materials and leaving about 30 numbers unclear due to renumbering. The 1856 printed and 1858-1860 working catalogs cover much of the same material and are usable into the Civil War. Notably, the 1856 is available online in a searchable format. It was arranged to be browsed, while the working catalog is arranged by number only. The 1876 copy of the catalog implemented in July 1874 is missing the letters O-P, but is otherwise usable for the last few years of circulation records.","\nEven when numbers cannot be identified, useful information can be inferred from changes in the numbering system and preferences for numbers from particular periods, such as for new acquisitions. One can also use the records to quantify the level of patronage as a whole in various periods. There are no circulation records at the book level from the Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937) and later, although summary reports of circulation became common during the modern period and were often noted in minutes and annual reports.","\nThere are significant gaps in the circulation records, which nominally cover the period from November 1794 to January 1880. These come in several different types. Some of them appear to indicate missing volumes, including July 1795-June 1801, May 1811-February 1814, January 1835-Feburary 1841, September 1848-October 1858, and 1868-1870, but there are also gaps of a few months between volumes in 1805, 1824, 1846, 1871, and 1874. Additionally, there is a month of pages missing from the middle of 1831, and two pages are missing after October 1862, even though returns were noted as late December, before resuming in April 1868 (on the Civil War see the historical note for this series).","\nTitle numbers began at around 200, gradually rising to over 5,000 before the Civil War. After the war, numbers ran below 1,000 for the most part, before changing to numbers over 5,000 again on 4 December 1873 (p.279) and then dropping to lower numbers on 10 July 1874 (p.69), with some titles in the 5000s being renumbered to the 3000s.","\nMany of volumes contain lists of books in their front or back matter, usually including both titles and numbers. This is one of the only sources for matching that information for some periods of the library's history and includes the only reference to the 1808 catalog outside the minutes. They include lists of missing books (the 1822-1824 volume), books sent to be bound (1824-1828 and 1828-1831) and of the Waverly Novels (1822-1824).","\nChanges in the hand recording the information signal personnel changes, and many of the volumes were inscribed with the names of librarians or members of the company, occasionally accompanied by other kinds of scribbling as in 1814-1816, 1831-1834, and especially 1858-1868. There is also some doodling, which appears inside the covers in a modest way in the 1814-1816 volume and far more extensively in the 1841-1848 and 1858-1868 ones. The 1841-1848 also contains doodles among the actual circulation records.","\nFor the columns and specific information that varied over time see the arrangement note for this series."],"title_filing_ssi":"Series XI: Circulation Records","title_ssm":["Series XI: Circulation Records"],"title_tesim":["Series XI: Circulation Records"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1794-1879"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1794/1879"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Series XI: Circulation Records"],"component_level_isim":[1],"repository_ssim":["Alexandria Library"],"collection_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"child_component_count_isi":19,"level_ssm":["Series"],"level_ssim":["Series"],"sort_isi":128,"date_range_isim":[1794,1795,1796,1797,1798,1799,1800,1801,1802,1803,1804,1805,1806,1807,1808,1809,1810,1811,1812,1813,1814,1815,1816,1817,1818,1819,1820,1821,1822,1823,1824,1825,1826,1827,1828,1829,1830,1831,1832,1833,1834,1835,1836,1837,1838,1839,1840,1841,1842,1843,1844,1845,1846,1847,1848,1849,1850,1851,1852,1853,1854,1855,1856,1857,1858,1859,1860,1861,1862,1863,1864,1865,1866,1867,1868,1869,1870,1871,1872,1873,1874,1875,1876,1877,1878,1879],"language_ssim":["English"],"arrangement_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThe original circulation book of 1794-1795 contains two different systems for tracking loans and borrowers. The columns of the initial system included, from left-to-right: patron name, the time the book was out, book number, and book size. Each book size had its own column, which from left-to-right were folio, \"4-to\" (quarto), \"8-vo\" (octavio), \"12-mo\" (duodecimo or twelvemo), and \"16-mo\" (sextodecimo or sixteenmo).\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nThis method was abandoned, and subsequently an attempt was made to record circulation by subscriber. Each subscriber was assigned a number and accorded a set of pages bearing that number instead of page numbers. An index of them appears at the back with some names crossed out. They are not in alphabetical order on the whole, and may represent the order in which they become subscribers. The left-hand pages list the books taken out and the right-hand pages represent returns. As such, similar years and dates are repeated on both sides.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nBy the start of the 1801-1805 records, the library \nhad switched to a chronological format, which was flexible enough to accommodate increases in the number of subscribers and variations in their degree of patronage but at the cost of making an individual's activity more difficult to isolate. Columns consisted of: patron, title number and volume number, date and day of the week, date returned, and the number of days late and fine (if any).\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nThis remained standard through 1834 with minor variations, like the addition of a date at the top of the page in the 1814-1818 volume, which lasted into the 1830s, and a key for marks indicating returns and renewals in the 1822-1824 volume.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nThe 1841-1848 volume introduced a new system which separated each set of records into daily sections, with a heading for each day. The columns from left-to-right provided: title number, patron name, returned date, and subject section; the latter being a feature of the working catalog in use at the time.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nAbbreviated titles started to appear near the end of June 1845, with some of them being numbered and others not. By July 1845, a majority of the entries were like that. This method disappeared and reappeared over the years that followed.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nBetween September 1846 and September 1848 the circulation records were kept in the second part of an account book (see notes for the subscription series). The subject system continued during this period under a new organization of columns, consisting of: subject, number (within subject), patron name (with volume number), and finally a column with either a note saying \"return,\" a date, or often a blank field.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nThe 1857-1858 volume has alphabetical tabs on which patrons are recorded chronologically under the first letter of their name. The columns are also different. From left-to-right they include:  date, patron name (including institutions), title number, and return date. The year is given at the top. In place of a return note, some fields contain other notes like \"mistake\" or \"transferred to Roxbury,\" which are open to interpretation. Titles resume appearing in place of numbers in mid-1858.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nThe volume covering 1862-1868 shows considerable variation. Initially it featured columns on the left with headings for each day followed by the patron name, while on the right the columns showed the title number and return date. Starting on September 27, 1859 (page 114), the left-hand column was divided between patron name and title, while the columns for title number and return date on the right remained in place. From March 1860 (page 127) to March 1861 (page 175) it returned to the earlier format.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nThe 1870-1871 volume introduced the columns that would be standard for most of the remainder of the series ending in 1880. They consisted of checkout date, patron name, book title, title number, and return date. The exception was a period beginning in May 1871 and ending on 1 January 1872 of the 1871-1872 volume. During that period, the records provided sections by patron name, with columns for checkout date, title, and return date. There were no title numbers during that period. The arrangement of names was partially alphabetized, possibly reflecting the addition of new names to an originally alphabetical arrangement.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nIt can be difficult to tell what year it is in some of the later volumes. In the 1872-1874 volume year breaks occur on pages 113 (1873) and 292 (1874). In the 1874-1880 volume they occur on pages 137 (1875), 275 (1876), 345 (1877), 375 (1878), 434 (1879), and 454 (1880).\u003c/p\u003e"],"arrangement_heading_ssm":["Arrangement"],"arrangement_tesim":["The original circulation book of 1794-1795 contains two different systems for tracking loans and borrowers. The columns of the initial system included, from left-to-right: patron name, the time the book was out, book number, and book size. Each book size had its own column, which from left-to-right were folio, \"4-to\" (quarto), \"8-vo\" (octavio), \"12-mo\" (duodecimo or twelvemo), and \"16-mo\" (sextodecimo or sixteenmo).","\nThis method was abandoned, and subsequently an attempt was made to record circulation by subscriber. Each subscriber was assigned a number and accorded a set of pages bearing that number instead of page numbers. An index of them appears at the back with some names crossed out. They are not in alphabetical order on the whole, and may represent the order in which they become subscribers. The left-hand pages list the books taken out and the right-hand pages represent returns. As such, similar years and dates are repeated on both sides.","\nBy the start of the 1801-1805 records, the library \nhad switched to a chronological format, which was flexible enough to accommodate increases in the number of subscribers and variations in their degree of patronage but at the cost of making an individual's activity more difficult to isolate. Columns consisted of: patron, title number and volume number, date and day of the week, date returned, and the number of days late and fine (if any).","\nThis remained standard through 1834 with minor variations, like the addition of a date at the top of the page in the 1814-1818 volume, which lasted into the 1830s, and a key for marks indicating returns and renewals in the 1822-1824 volume.","\nThe 1841-1848 volume introduced a new system which separated each set of records into daily sections, with a heading for each day. The columns from left-to-right provided: title number, patron name, returned date, and subject section; the latter being a feature of the working catalog in use at the time.","\nAbbreviated titles started to appear near the end of June 1845, with some of them being numbered and others not. By July 1845, a majority of the entries were like that. This method disappeared and reappeared over the years that followed.","\nBetween September 1846 and September 1848 the circulation records were kept in the second part of an account book (see notes for the subscription series). The subject system continued during this period under a new organization of columns, consisting of: subject, number (within subject), patron name (with volume number), and finally a column with either a note saying \"return,\" a date, or often a blank field.","\nThe 1857-1858 volume has alphabetical tabs on which patrons are recorded chronologically under the first letter of their name. The columns are also different. From left-to-right they include:  date, patron name (including institutions), title number, and return date. The year is given at the top. In place of a return note, some fields contain other notes like \"mistake\" or \"transferred to Roxbury,\" which are open to interpretation. Titles resume appearing in place of numbers in mid-1858.","\nThe volume covering 1862-1868 shows considerable variation. Initially it featured columns on the left with headings for each day followed by the patron name, while on the right the columns showed the title number and return date. Starting on September 27, 1859 (page 114), the left-hand column was divided between patron name and title, while the columns for title number and return date on the right remained in place. From March 1860 (page 127) to March 1861 (page 175) it returned to the earlier format.","\nThe 1870-1871 volume introduced the columns that would be standard for most of the remainder of the series ending in 1880. They consisted of checkout date, patron name, book title, title number, and return date. The exception was a period beginning in May 1871 and ending on 1 January 1872 of the 1871-1872 volume. During that period, the records provided sections by patron name, with columns for checkout date, title, and return date. There were no title numbers during that period. The arrangement of names was partially alphabetized, possibly reflecting the addition of new names to an originally alphabetical arrangement.","\nIt can be difficult to tell what year it is in some of the later volumes. In the 1872-1874 volume year breaks occur on pages 113 (1873) and 292 (1874). In the 1874-1880 volume they occur on pages 137 (1875), 275 (1876), 345 (1877), 375 (1878), 434 (1879), and 454 (1880)."],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThe circulation records began with the original library company in 1794 and continued until its collapse in 1880. Some of the gaps in the records reflect periods during which its activity was disrupted.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nDuring the War of 1812, British forces arrived in Alexandria on 29 August 1814 and remained there until 2 September. The library normally closed on Sundays, and remained closed from Sunday 28 August through Tuesday 30 August. It opened from 31 August to 2 September, during which time only four books circulated.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nThe library was also affected by the Civil War. Hostilities between the Union and Confederacy began at Fort Sumter on 12 April 1861. A vote on Virginia secession was held on 17 April and ratified by a referendum on 23 May. Alexandria was occupied by Union forces the following day. Confederate forces had briefly made use of the Lyceum building housing the library, but it later served as a hospital for the Union. Some books were moved out but others were not.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nIt is unclear were the library operated from in 1861 and 1862, but it did operate. There was a significant reduction in circulation leading up to the war, dropping to a single entry for 22 April 1861. Solitary patrons were recorded for 18th and 30th of May, and an individual withdrew a book every day through 21-25 December, although the May and December entries are in a different hand and initially broke with the format. In early June 1862 however, the library resumed semi-regular hours, usually opening only Tuesday and Thursday but occasionally other days. Records continue into mid-October, after which two pages are missing from the book before it resumes in 1868. Returns are dated as late as December 1862, and it is unclear when the library ceased operations.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nAttempts to preserve the library in the late 1870s were unsuccessful, and the number of pages per year charts its decline and eventual failure over the second half of the decade.\u003c/p\u003e"],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Historical Note"],"bioghist_tesim":["The circulation records began with the original library company in 1794 and continued until its collapse in 1880. Some of the gaps in the records reflect periods during which its activity was disrupted.","\nDuring the War of 1812, British forces arrived in Alexandria on 29 August 1814 and remained there until 2 September. The library normally closed on Sundays, and remained closed from Sunday 28 August through Tuesday 30 August. It opened from 31 August to 2 September, during which time only four books circulated.","\nThe library was also affected by the Civil War. Hostilities between the Union and Confederacy began at Fort Sumter on 12 April 1861. A vote on Virginia secession was held on 17 April and ratified by a referendum on 23 May. Alexandria was occupied by Union forces the following day. Confederate forces had briefly made use of the Lyceum building housing the library, but it later served as a hospital for the Union. Some books were moved out but others were not.","\nIt is unclear were the library operated from in 1861 and 1862, but it did operate. There was a significant reduction in circulation leading up to the war, dropping to a single entry for 22 April 1861. Solitary patrons were recorded for 18th and 30th of May, and an individual withdrew a book every day through 21-25 December, although the May and December entries are in a different hand and initially broke with the format. In early June 1862 however, the library resumed semi-regular hours, usually opening only Tuesday and Thursday but occasionally other days. Records continue into mid-October, after which two pages are missing from the book before it resumes in 1868. Returns are dated as late as December 1862, and it is unclear when the library ceased operations.","\nAttempts to preserve the library in the late 1870s were unsuccessful, and the number of pages per year charts its decline and eventual failure over the second half of the decade."],"phystech_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eMany of the books have damaged bindings or missing covers. The 1801-1805 volume has both problems, while the 1809-1811 is missing a page and the front cover. The 1814-1816 is also missing pages, as is the 1858-1868 volume for the crucial period of 1862-1863.\u003c/p\u003e"],"phystech_heading_ssm":["Preservation Issues"],"phystech_tesim":["Many of the books have damaged bindings or missing covers. The 1801-1805 volume has both problems, while the 1809-1811 is missing a page and the front cover. The 1814-1816 is also missing pages, as is the 1858-1868 volume for the crucial period of 1862-1863."],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThe circulation records consist of bound volumes containing lists of books checked out. They typically list the name of the subscriber, the date, and some method of identifying the work along with various other details. For much of its history, the old library company identified books only by number, although titles and combinations of numbers and titles began appearing around 1845, with titles becoming commonplace after 1858.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nThe catalogs can be used reliably for only some of the numerical listings due to additions following the publication of rapidly outdated catalogs and changes in numbering that preceded new ones. They are relevant to some of the numbers for 1801-1807, 1815-1848, 1856-1862, and 1874-1879 (see catalog series notes and below). Because of possible renumbering, the 1801 catalog cannot be relied upon for records prior to its implementation nor after the point in 1807-1808 when its successor went into effect. Since there is no way to know if the 1815 catalog was an extension of the 1808 or if it was the first to change the numbering from the 1801, it likewise cannot be trusted prior to its implementation.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nThe 1815 and its supplement were used for a longer period and the 1834-1848 catalog used it as a base, despite altering its system of arrangement for later materials and leaving about 30 numbers unclear due to renumbering. The 1856 printed and 1858-1860 working catalogs cover much of the same material and are usable into the Civil War. Notably, the 1856 is available online in a searchable format. It was arranged to be browsed, while the working catalog is arranged by number only. The 1876 copy of the catalog implemented in July 1874 is missing the letters O-P, but is otherwise usable for the last few years of circulation records.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nEven when numbers cannot be identified, useful information can be inferred from changes in the numbering system and preferences for numbers from particular periods, such as for new acquisitions. One can also use the records to quantify the level of patronage as a whole in various periods. There are no circulation records at the book level from the Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937) and later, although summary reports of circulation became common during the modern period and were often noted in minutes and annual reports.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nThere are significant gaps in the circulation records, which nominally cover the period from November 1794 to January 1880. These come in several different types. Some of them appear to indicate missing volumes, including July 1795-June 1801, May 1811-February 1814, January 1835-Feburary 1841, September 1848-October 1858, and 1868-1870, but there are also gaps of a few months between volumes in 1805, 1824, 1846, 1871, and 1874. Additionally, there is a month of pages missing from the middle of 1831, and two pages are missing after October 1862, even though returns were noted as late December, before resuming in April 1868 (on the Civil War see the historical note for this series).\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nTitle numbers began at around 200, gradually rising to over 5,000 before the Civil War. After the war, numbers ran below 1,000 for the most part, before changing to numbers over 5,000 again on 4 December 1873 (p.279) and then dropping to lower numbers on 10 July 1874 (p.69), with some titles in the 5000s being renumbered to the 3000s.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nMany of volumes contain lists of books in their front or back matter, usually including both titles and numbers. This is one of the only sources for matching that information for some periods of the library's history and includes the only reference to the 1808 catalog outside the minutes. They include lists of missing books (the 1822-1824 volume), books sent to be bound (1824-1828 and 1828-1831) and of the Waverly Novels (1822-1824).\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nChanges in the hand recording the information signal personnel changes, and many of the volumes were inscribed with the names of librarians or members of the company, occasionally accompanied by other kinds of scribbling as in 1814-1816, 1831-1834, and especially 1858-1868. There is also some doodling, which appears inside the covers in a modest way in the 1814-1816 volume and far more extensively in the 1841-1848 and 1858-1868 ones. The 1841-1848 also contains doodles among the actual circulation records.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nFor the columns and specific information that varied over time see the arrangement note for this series.\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["The circulation records consist of bound volumes containing lists of books checked out. They typically list the name of the subscriber, the date, and some method of identifying the work along with various other details. For much of its history, the old library company identified books only by number, although titles and combinations of numbers and titles began appearing around 1845, with titles becoming commonplace after 1858.","\nThe catalogs can be used reliably for only some of the numerical listings due to additions following the publication of rapidly outdated catalogs and changes in numbering that preceded new ones. They are relevant to some of the numbers for 1801-1807, 1815-1848, 1856-1862, and 1874-1879 (see catalog series notes and below). Because of possible renumbering, the 1801 catalog cannot be relied upon for records prior to its implementation nor after the point in 1807-1808 when its successor went into effect. Since there is no way to know if the 1815 catalog was an extension of the 1808 or if it was the first to change the numbering from the 1801, it likewise cannot be trusted prior to its implementation.","\nThe 1815 and its supplement were used for a longer period and the 1834-1848 catalog used it as a base, despite altering its system of arrangement for later materials and leaving about 30 numbers unclear due to renumbering. The 1856 printed and 1858-1860 working catalogs cover much of the same material and are usable into the Civil War. Notably, the 1856 is available online in a searchable format. It was arranged to be browsed, while the working catalog is arranged by number only. The 1876 copy of the catalog implemented in July 1874 is missing the letters O-P, but is otherwise usable for the last few years of circulation records.","\nEven when numbers cannot be identified, useful information can be inferred from changes in the numbering system and preferences for numbers from particular periods, such as for new acquisitions. One can also use the records to quantify the level of patronage as a whole in various periods. There are no circulation records at the book level from the Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937) and later, although summary reports of circulation became common during the modern period and were often noted in minutes and annual reports.","\nThere are significant gaps in the circulation records, which nominally cover the period from November 1794 to January 1880. These come in several different types. Some of them appear to indicate missing volumes, including July 1795-June 1801, May 1811-February 1814, January 1835-Feburary 1841, September 1848-October 1858, and 1868-1870, but there are also gaps of a few months between volumes in 1805, 1824, 1846, 1871, and 1874. Additionally, there is a month of pages missing from the middle of 1831, and two pages are missing after October 1862, even though returns were noted as late December, before resuming in April 1868 (on the Civil War see the historical note for this series).","\nTitle numbers began at around 200, gradually rising to over 5,000 before the Civil War. After the war, numbers ran below 1,000 for the most part, before changing to numbers over 5,000 again on 4 December 1873 (p.279) and then dropping to lower numbers on 10 July 1874 (p.69), with some titles in the 5000s being renumbered to the 3000s.","\nMany of volumes contain lists of books in their front or back matter, usually including both titles and numbers. This is one of the only sources for matching that information for some periods of the library's history and includes the only reference to the 1808 catalog outside the minutes. They include lists of missing books (the 1822-1824 volume), books sent to be bound (1824-1828 and 1828-1831) and of the Waverly Novels (1822-1824).","\nChanges in the hand recording the information signal personnel changes, and many of the volumes were inscribed with the names of librarians or members of the company, occasionally accompanied by other kinds of scribbling as in 1814-1816, 1831-1834, and especially 1858-1868. There is also some doodling, which appears inside the covers in a modest way in the 1814-1816 volume and far more extensively in the 1841-1848 and 1858-1868 ones. The 1841-1848 also contains doodles among the actual circulation records.","\nFor the columns and specific information that varied over time see the arrangement note for this series."],"_nest_path_":"/components#10","timestamp":"2026-05-01T00:09:43.684Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","ead_ssi":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","_root_":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","_nest_parent_":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/oai/ALEX/repositories_2_resources_128.xml","aspace_url_ssi":"https://alexlibraryva.libraryhost.com/repositories/2/resources/128","title_ssm":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"title_tesim":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"unitdate_ssm":["1794-2007"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1794-2007"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["MS002","/repositories/2/resources/128"],"text":["MS002","/repositories/2/resources/128","Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)","Libraries -- Subscription Libraries","Lectures and Lecturing","Associations, institutions, etc","Public libraries.","In the 1780s, a discussion group of Alexandria gentlemen called \"The Society for the Promotion of Useful Knowledge\" was formed. In 1794, many of these same individuals gathered to form the nucleus of the Alexandria Library Company (ALC). The ALC was a subscription library modelled after the Philadelphia Library Company, which had also emerged from such a club. ","Society president Reverend John Muir became president of the ALC, a position he would hold for almost 20 years. Many of the library's founders are known to have been members of local Masonic lodges. Elisha Cullen Dick, who had succeeded George Washington as the leader of Lodge 22, was among the first directors of the ALC as well as the secretary of the earlier Society. The first Librarian was Edward Stabler, the proprietor of an apothecary shop. In 1796, Stabler was replaced by James Kennedy, who served as librarian until 1818. Overlaps and family links between the leadership of the library and other Alexandria institutions remained common over the next century and a half. ","For a time, the Alexandria Lyceum (founded in 1838) and the ALC shared a physical space as well as similar missions. The Alexandria Lyceum was founded as part of a national movement focused on educational lectures. The union between the two organizations was dissolved in 1844, but the library continued to rent space from the Lyceum. The library was later said to have been in a state of \"suspended animation\" from around 1846 to 1852. In 1852, a \"Young Men's\" group took over under the original charter, publishing a new catalog in 1856. The library continued to operate into the Civil War. It remained in the Lyceum but not without acrimony, which is evident in the Alexandria Gazette in 1860. ","In October 1867, an agreement was reached with what was variously referred to as the Alexandria Christian Association and the YMCA for assistance with running the library. The library separated from this organization during the early 1870s. By the second half of the 1870s, the library fell into a decline which the directors blamed on the lack of a published catalog. ","The first library catalog had been prepared by Kennedy in 1796 and published sometime thereafter. The earliest catalog of which there is an extant copy was published in 1801, followed by another in 1808 of which there are few traces. A more enduring catalog was created in 1815. The 1830s saw publication of a supplement to the 1815 catalog and the creation of a working catalog that would be used into the late 1840s. Normal circulation records end in April 1861 when the library was converted into a military hospital. There are stray entries in May and December before operations resumed on a limited basis in May 1862 and continued at least through that year. Over a thousand volumes were lost during the war. Due to the decline in usage in the 1870s, a new catalog was produced by librarian Emma J. Young in 1872 but never published. After two years with Young's catalog, another was commissioned from Dr. Theo West, which also went unpublished. As a stopgap, handwritten copies were used by patrons. In 1898, a new catalog was created which utilized a decimal system for the first time. The last published catalog was a supplement to the 1912 version. ","In the late 1870s, appeals were made to the men of Alexandria for support,. The directors met with another \"Young Men's Library Association\" in 1878 without success, records of operations stop after January 1880.","The Gazette reported in January 1881 that the books were now in the custody of the school board, whose membership included William F. Carne, a former library company director and the son of one its former presidents. In May 1887 it reported that Carne, as leader of the board's library committee, was inviting associations wishing to participate in re-opening the library to a meeting at the Peabody school building where the books were held, and explained that he had always intended a reading room to be opened to the public once space was freed up for that purpose.","In June 1887, the Gazette reported that the \"Reading Circle of Washington and Lee Schools\" organized by teachers two years prior and the YMCA would operate the free library during the summer, in the hope that in September \"an effort will be made, with a very fair prospect of success, to re-organize the Library Company.\" Gazette reports in 1890 and 1891 refer to continued efforts by Carne and others to \"re-open\" the library, and in 1892 being part of a \"committee on the project for a free public library,\" but they did not succeed.","In the decades after 1870s librarianship not only professionalized but underwent a rapid gender shift, and apart from the periods in which there was no librarian for financial reasons, no male librarians seem to have been employed until well into the 20th century. Women's library organizations had become common nationally, and along with the philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie played a major role in the growth of public libraries in America starting in the late 19th century.","In September 1897, the Alexandria Library Association led by Virginia Corse received custody of the books then in possession of the school board. With a modest donation from Carnegie, by 1898 the library was back in business, but as a subscription library, it would not become a free public library for almost 40 years. The new library needed a new librarian, and after one or two initial hires, the association found Alice Green (1865-1956), who would serve from 1902-1937 and in a lesser capacity into the mid-1940s. During this period, space for the library was rented from the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC).","The Depression brought financial hardship. As the crisis worsened in early 1931, the association had obtained $1,000 from the city council to form \"a nucleus for the establishment of a public library.\" Discussion of becoming a public library had been common since the 1920s, as the efforts of Carnegie and others had made them the norm nationally. Attempts were made to sell older books and hold fundraisers as subscription fees dried up. There was also a dispute with the UDC over a rent increase in 1933. The library was aided by the wealth of its members, including a $5,000 bequest in 1935 from its long-time treasurer, Margaret L. Smoot.","Members built political support both on the council and among the public in the mid-1930s and in 1937 it was agreed that a building would be constructed on the site of the old cemetery of the Society of Friends and that the city government would cover annual expenses of no more than $5,000 for the association to operate a free library. One member of the board would be appointed by the city. The new governing organization was rebranded the Alexandria Library Society.  Agreements were signed in January, and the library opened at the Kate Waller Barrett Branch's current location, 717 Queen Street.","Another change after 1937 was the gender composition of the leadership. Men served on the board of the new Society and played prominent roles after 1937. After 1948 they typically occupied the presidency of the organization. Most elections were unanimous, often with women casting most of the votes, but it ceased to be a women's organization. ","In 1945 a technicality in the Society's contract with the city was brought to the attention of the board. Namely that the $5,000 the city was obligated to provide each year was not the minimum but rather the maximum contribution, and that the higher appropriations it had been making were illegal. The city took this as an opportunity to demand a contract change beyond the funding formula. Although the men of the city council had representation on the board, the women of the Society were still ultimately running the library, and the Society was asked to allow a majority of the executive board to be appointed by the city, and a minority by the Society. That the city legally \"owned the building and all its contents\" so long as it paid $5,000 per year was also pointed out. The Alexandria Library Society signed the new contract, surrendering control of the library in November 1947. In its reduced role, the Society still elected members to the board and received reports from the librarian. It also retained independent funds that could be used for the benefit of the library. With the library now fully the city's responsibility, the membership was also able to more openly advocate for additional funding.","Another longstanding issue at the library was race. The president's 1928 annual report had endorsed becoming a \"free city library,\" but feared that becoming a Carnegie library \"would bring in some elements hitherto unknown and I think undesirable in our Library.\" In the 1930s the library association favored providing segregated facilities, but, after repeated meetings with the city council, failed to achieve even that modest goal. In the 13 March, 1939, minutes, the issue was revisited yet again, but without result. ","Four days later on 17 March 1939, Sergeant George Wilson was turned down for a library card because of his race and Samuel Tucker filed a civil rights lawsuit against the librarian on his behalf. Plans for a segregated facility were dusted off, and new staff was hired so that the librarian could focus on the controversy. On 21 August 1939, several black men organized by Tucker entered the library and followed Wilson's example, but after being refused, seated themselves in the library with books, beginning America's first library sit-in. It ended only after the city manager called the police, and all were arrested. The lawsuit was dismissed on technical grounds, but to prevent a new lawsuit the city approved the Robert H. Robinson branch, which opened in 1940. Tucker refused to accept a card there. ","A major issue in the early 1950s was the push to expand the overcrowded main library serving the white community. The white librarian at the time, who had been hired in a junior capacity during Tucker's campaign in 1939, suggested to the Society that the expansion could be an opportunity to integrate. In the midst of the debates over expansion and additional funding, an opportunity emerged to purchase a neighboring building on the corner of North Columbus and Queen, which was later demolished. This prompted a discussion about the Alexandria Library Society's connection to the original library company. It was decided to change the name from the \"Alexandria Library Society\" to the \"Alexandria Library Company,\" make the appropriate filings with the state government, and reinstate the 1799 charter, which would be revised by the legislature in the 1980s to help obtain tax-exempt status from the IRS.","This name change was completed at one of the company's most consequential meetings in February 1956. Every member was asked to sign their name in the minute book to signal their assent. A letter from a local civil rights activist questioning the legality of library segregation was also read, but deemed the province of the library board, which referred the matter back to the company whose reply is not preserved.","Member Mangum Weeks thereupon raised the question of the future role of the Library Company, and proposed resuming the tradition of annual lectures dating from the Lyceum period using funds from the newly instituted membership dues. This proposal was adopted, and preparing the annual lectures soon became a major focus of the Company. The Library Company continues to appoint members to the board of the Alexandria Library and hold its annual lecture series. It commissioned a new history of the library by William Seale in 2007, which can be found at the Local History and Special Collections Branch.","Chronological listings for both presidents of the board and librarians up to the modern day.","Presidents of the Library Company and Its Successors February 1794-February 1813 Rev. James Muir February 1813-February 1815 Hugh Smith February 1815-March 1824 John Roberts March 1824-February 1829 Hugh Smith February 1829-February 1835 John Richards February 1835-February 1840 John Roberts February 1840-1852 Elias Harrison 1852-February 1855 J. Louis Kinzer February 1855-September 1858 Francis Miller September 1858- February 1859 Richard L. Carne February 1859-September 1859 Caleb S. Hallowell September 1859-February 1860 William G. Cazenove February 1860-February 1870 Richard L. Carne February 1870-February 1873 K. Kemper February 1873-October 1873 Samuel H. Janney October 1873-February 1874 Sidney C. Neale February 1874-June 1879 Mercer Slaughter September 1897-October 1905 Virginia Corse July 1906-June 1925 Mrs. Samuel. L. Monroe October 1925-April 1930 Loula Smoot April 1930-November 1933 Mrs. Henry B. Soule, [Jessie E. Soule] December 1933-December 1934 Mary Lloyd December 1934-December 1936 Susan Thomson December 1936-November 1937 Mrs. Louis Scott November 1937-November 1944 Mrs. Curtis Backus November 1944-November 1946 Mrs. [Lawrence] Fawcett, [Mary Fawcett] November 1946-November 1947 Howard Worth Smith November 1947-October 1948 [Miss Anne] Lewis Jones October 1948-October 1949 Miss Horne October 1949-October 1950 Mr. Stanley King October 1950-December 1951 Mr. [Joseph] Crockett December 1951-February 1955 Mr. Robert Moncure February 1955-February 1957 Dr. [W. Bruce] Silcox February 1957-February 1959 Stanley King February 1959-February 1962 Mangum Weeks February 1962-February 1963 Richard Bales February 1963-February 1965 Donald King February 1965-February 1967 David Squires February 1967-February 1969 Howard Worth Smith Jr. February 1969-February 1971 William Francis Smith February 1971-February 1972 John T. Ticer February 1972-February 1974 David M. Abshire February 1974-February 1976 Mrs. Merill Beede February 1976-February 1978 Mrs. Douglas Lindsey February 1978-February 1980 Clarke T. Cooper Jr. February 1980-February 1982 William Seale February 1982-February 1983 Denys Peter Myers February 1983-February 1985 William B. Hurd February 1985-February 1986 George J. Stansfield February 1986-February 1987 Dr. Ernest A. Connally February 1987-February 1989 Dr. Wilton C. Corkern, Jr. February 1989-March 1991 James M. Lewis March 1991-March 1992 Mrs. Anne Smith Paul March 1992-March 1993 Richard R. G. Hobson March 1993-March 1995 Dabney Waring March 1995-March 1997 James R. Hobson March 1997-March 1998 Robert C. Reed March 1998-March 2000 Neil Horstman March 2000-March 2002 Carroll Johnson March 2002-March 2003 Thomas C. Brown Jr.","Librarians of Alexandria February 1794-February 1796 Edward Stabler February 1796-February 1818 James Kennedy February 1818-August 1826 William Cranch August 1826-October 1829 W. Samuel Mark October 1829-March 1845 George Drinker March 1845-September 1845 James M. Eaches September 1845-September 1852 C.F. Stuart September 1852-April 1853 H. W. P. Junius September 1852-April 1853 L.? Hunter November 1853 Office Abolished February 1854-October 1855 E. M.[Magruder?] Lowe October 1855-September 1858 Norval E. Foard September 1858-February 1859 S. Scott February 1859-September 1859 Edward R. Roxbury September 1859-February 1860 James A. Clarridge February 1860-April 1861 Charles R. Burgess (acting) April 1861-Unknown Edwin N. Wise March 1868 Wr. Bushby April 1870-May 1871 August Henning July 1871-March 1872 W. F. Stansbury March 1872-August 1873 Emma J. Young October 1873-March 1876 Emily English March 1876 Position Eliminated June 1879 R. Pendleton Bruin (unofficial? acting?) October 1900-October 1903 F. Olive Lyons October 1903-April 1937 (continued part-time, mentioned up to 1946) Alice Green April 1937-December 1938 Miss Beatrice Workman January 1939-January 1941 Katherine Scoggin (later Martyn) February 1941-June 1948 Bessie Watson July 1948-June 1969 (hired part-time October 1939, letter of resignation later that month) Ellen C. Burke July 1969-October 1992 (librarian from 1958) Jeanne G. Plitt","A reprocessing project begun in 2018 incorporated several boxes of previously unprocessed materials dating from the 1960s to the 2000s, with the bulk dating from after 1980. They included many short, overlapping sequences of correspondence, lecture, meeting, and member records which were merged into continuations of established series including primarily correspondence and lectures but also meetings and member correspondence. The \"subject files\" were added to the existing miscellaneous series. ","\nSeveral other changes were also made. A re-examination of the catalog, subscription, and circulation books was undertaken and most were renumbered, described, and relabeled based on primary source research. The 1794-1861 minute book that had been donated back in 1922 was also discovered misfiled in Ms 98 (which covers the library proper since 1937) and was returned to its original collection. Some letters found in minute books were moved to the correspondence series, and their original locations were bookmarked with acid free paper. Photocopies of catalogs were removed. ","The Alexandria Library Records (Ms 98) document the library as a separate institution from 1937 onward.","\nIt particularly complements this collection in its early decades through its administrative correspondence, board correspondence, minutes, annual reports, and organizational records, including contracts with the Alexandria Library Society.","\nThe minutes of the library's executive board (1938-1947) are included in the microfilm version of the library minute books 1794-1947.","Transcripts of library company lectures 2-18 are available in the library.","Lecture series : [transcripts of the audiotapes made of the scholars invited to speak at these annual lectures] Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #2 080 LEC 2 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #3 080 LEC 3 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #4 080 LEC 4 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #5 080 LEC 5 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #6 080 LEC 6 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #7 080 LEC 7 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #8 080 LEC 8 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #9 080 LEC 9 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #10 080 LEC 10 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #11 080 LEC 11 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #12 080 LEC 12 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #13 080 LEC 13 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #14 080 LEC 14 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #15 080 LEC 15 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #16 080 LEC 16 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #17 080 LEC 17 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #18 080 LEC 18","The collection consists of circulation, subscription, and financial ledgers, annual lecture series documents, catalogues, correspondence, and various organizational documents. Topics include: foundation of the\nAlexandria Library Company, its cycles of growth and decline reflecting the local economy; the formation of the local public library system; and the on-going activities of the Alexandria Library Company, most notably its lecture series.","Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library","Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)","Alexandria Library (Alexandria, Va.)","English"],"unitid_tesim":["MS002","/repositories/2/resources/128"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"collection_title_tesim":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"collection_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"repository_ssm":["Alexandria Library"],"repository_ssim":["Alexandria Library"],"geogname_ssm":["Libraries -- Subscription Libraries","Lectures and Lecturing","Associations, institutions, etc"],"geogname_ssim":["Libraries -- Subscription Libraries","Lectures and Lecturing","Associations, institutions, etc"],"creator_ssm":["Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)"],"creator_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)"],"creator_corpname_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)"],"creators_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)"],"places_ssim":["Libraries -- Subscription Libraries","Lectures and Lecturing","Associations, institutions, etc"],"access_subjects_ssim":["Public libraries."],"access_subjects_ssm":["Public libraries."],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"extent_ssm":["8.10 Cubic Feet 13 boxes, 2 oversize boxes, 1 record carton"],"extent_tesim":["8.10 Cubic Feet 13 boxes, 2 oversize boxes, 1 record carton"],"date_range_isim":[1794,1795,1796,1797,1798,1799,1800,1801,1802,1803,1804,1805,1806,1807,1808,1809,1810,1811,1812,1813,1814,1815,1816,1817,1818,1819,1820,1821,1822,1823,1824,1825,1826,1827,1828,1829,1830,1831,1832,1833,1834,1835,1836,1837,1838,1839,1840,1841,1842,1843,1844,1845,1846,1847,1848,1849,1850,1851,1852,1853,1854,1855,1856,1857,1858,1859,1860,1861,1862,1863,1864,1865,1866,1867,1868,1869,1870,1871,1872,1873,1874,1875,1876,1877,1878,1879,1880,1881,1882,1883,1884,1885,1886,1887,1888,1889,1890,1891,1892,1893,1894,1895,1896,1897,1898,1899,1900,1901,1902,1903,1904,1905,1906,1907,1908,1909,1910,1911,1912,1913,1914,1915,1916,1917,1918,1919,1920,1921,1922,1923,1924,1925,1926,1927,1928,1929,1930,1931,1932,1933,1934,1935,1936,1937,1938,1939,1940,1941,1942,1943,1944,1945,1946,1947,1948,1949,1950,1951,1952,1953,1954,1955,1956,1957,1958,1959,1960,1961,1962,1963,1964,1965,1966,1967,1968,1969,1970,1971,1972,1973,1974,1975,1976,1977,1978,1979,1980,1981,1982,1983,1984,1985,1986,1987,1988,1989,1990,1991,1992,1993,1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000,2001,2002,2003,2004,2005,2006,2007],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Biographical / Historical","Presidents and Librarians of the Library"],"bioghist_tesim":["In the 1780s, a discussion group of Alexandria gentlemen called \"The Society for the Promotion of Useful Knowledge\" was formed. In 1794, many of these same individuals gathered to form the nucleus of the Alexandria Library Company (ALC). The ALC was a subscription library modelled after the Philadelphia Library Company, which had also emerged from such a club. ","Society president Reverend John Muir became president of the ALC, a position he would hold for almost 20 years. Many of the library's founders are known to have been members of local Masonic lodges. Elisha Cullen Dick, who had succeeded George Washington as the leader of Lodge 22, was among the first directors of the ALC as well as the secretary of the earlier Society. The first Librarian was Edward Stabler, the proprietor of an apothecary shop. In 1796, Stabler was replaced by James Kennedy, who served as librarian until 1818. Overlaps and family links between the leadership of the library and other Alexandria institutions remained common over the next century and a half. ","For a time, the Alexandria Lyceum (founded in 1838) and the ALC shared a physical space as well as similar missions. The Alexandria Lyceum was founded as part of a national movement focused on educational lectures. The union between the two organizations was dissolved in 1844, but the library continued to rent space from the Lyceum. The library was later said to have been in a state of \"suspended animation\" from around 1846 to 1852. In 1852, a \"Young Men's\" group took over under the original charter, publishing a new catalog in 1856. The library continued to operate into the Civil War. It remained in the Lyceum but not without acrimony, which is evident in the Alexandria Gazette in 1860. ","In October 1867, an agreement was reached with what was variously referred to as the Alexandria Christian Association and the YMCA for assistance with running the library. The library separated from this organization during the early 1870s. By the second half of the 1870s, the library fell into a decline which the directors blamed on the lack of a published catalog. ","The first library catalog had been prepared by Kennedy in 1796 and published sometime thereafter. The earliest catalog of which there is an extant copy was published in 1801, followed by another in 1808 of which there are few traces. A more enduring catalog was created in 1815. The 1830s saw publication of a supplement to the 1815 catalog and the creation of a working catalog that would be used into the late 1840s. Normal circulation records end in April 1861 when the library was converted into a military hospital. There are stray entries in May and December before operations resumed on a limited basis in May 1862 and continued at least through that year. Over a thousand volumes were lost during the war. Due to the decline in usage in the 1870s, a new catalog was produced by librarian Emma J. Young in 1872 but never published. After two years with Young's catalog, another was commissioned from Dr. Theo West, which also went unpublished. As a stopgap, handwritten copies were used by patrons. In 1898, a new catalog was created which utilized a decimal system for the first time. The last published catalog was a supplement to the 1912 version. ","In the late 1870s, appeals were made to the men of Alexandria for support,. The directors met with another \"Young Men's Library Association\" in 1878 without success, records of operations stop after January 1880.","The Gazette reported in January 1881 that the books were now in the custody of the school board, whose membership included William F. Carne, a former library company director and the son of one its former presidents. In May 1887 it reported that Carne, as leader of the board's library committee, was inviting associations wishing to participate in re-opening the library to a meeting at the Peabody school building where the books were held, and explained that he had always intended a reading room to be opened to the public once space was freed up for that purpose.","In June 1887, the Gazette reported that the \"Reading Circle of Washington and Lee Schools\" organized by teachers two years prior and the YMCA would operate the free library during the summer, in the hope that in September \"an effort will be made, with a very fair prospect of success, to re-organize the Library Company.\" Gazette reports in 1890 and 1891 refer to continued efforts by Carne and others to \"re-open\" the library, and in 1892 being part of a \"committee on the project for a free public library,\" but they did not succeed.","In the decades after 1870s librarianship not only professionalized but underwent a rapid gender shift, and apart from the periods in which there was no librarian for financial reasons, no male librarians seem to have been employed until well into the 20th century. Women's library organizations had become common nationally, and along with the philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie played a major role in the growth of public libraries in America starting in the late 19th century.","In September 1897, the Alexandria Library Association led by Virginia Corse received custody of the books then in possession of the school board. With a modest donation from Carnegie, by 1898 the library was back in business, but as a subscription library, it would not become a free public library for almost 40 years. The new library needed a new librarian, and after one or two initial hires, the association found Alice Green (1865-1956), who would serve from 1902-1937 and in a lesser capacity into the mid-1940s. During this period, space for the library was rented from the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC).","The Depression brought financial hardship. As the crisis worsened in early 1931, the association had obtained $1,000 from the city council to form \"a nucleus for the establishment of a public library.\" Discussion of becoming a public library had been common since the 1920s, as the efforts of Carnegie and others had made them the norm nationally. Attempts were made to sell older books and hold fundraisers as subscription fees dried up. There was also a dispute with the UDC over a rent increase in 1933. The library was aided by the wealth of its members, including a $5,000 bequest in 1935 from its long-time treasurer, Margaret L. Smoot.","Members built political support both on the council and among the public in the mid-1930s and in 1937 it was agreed that a building would be constructed on the site of the old cemetery of the Society of Friends and that the city government would cover annual expenses of no more than $5,000 for the association to operate a free library. One member of the board would be appointed by the city. The new governing organization was rebranded the Alexandria Library Society.  Agreements were signed in January, and the library opened at the Kate Waller Barrett Branch's current location, 717 Queen Street.","Another change after 1937 was the gender composition of the leadership. Men served on the board of the new Society and played prominent roles after 1937. After 1948 they typically occupied the presidency of the organization. Most elections were unanimous, often with women casting most of the votes, but it ceased to be a women's organization. ","In 1945 a technicality in the Society's contract with the city was brought to the attention of the board. Namely that the $5,000 the city was obligated to provide each year was not the minimum but rather the maximum contribution, and that the higher appropriations it had been making were illegal. The city took this as an opportunity to demand a contract change beyond the funding formula. Although the men of the city council had representation on the board, the women of the Society were still ultimately running the library, and the Society was asked to allow a majority of the executive board to be appointed by the city, and a minority by the Society. That the city legally \"owned the building and all its contents\" so long as it paid $5,000 per year was also pointed out. The Alexandria Library Society signed the new contract, surrendering control of the library in November 1947. In its reduced role, the Society still elected members to the board and received reports from the librarian. It also retained independent funds that could be used for the benefit of the library. With the library now fully the city's responsibility, the membership was also able to more openly advocate for additional funding.","Another longstanding issue at the library was race. The president's 1928 annual report had endorsed becoming a \"free city library,\" but feared that becoming a Carnegie library \"would bring in some elements hitherto unknown and I think undesirable in our Library.\" In the 1930s the library association favored providing segregated facilities, but, after repeated meetings with the city council, failed to achieve even that modest goal. In the 13 March, 1939, minutes, the issue was revisited yet again, but without result. ","Four days later on 17 March 1939, Sergeant George Wilson was turned down for a library card because of his race and Samuel Tucker filed a civil rights lawsuit against the librarian on his behalf. Plans for a segregated facility were dusted off, and new staff was hired so that the librarian could focus on the controversy. On 21 August 1939, several black men organized by Tucker entered the library and followed Wilson's example, but after being refused, seated themselves in the library with books, beginning America's first library sit-in. It ended only after the city manager called the police, and all were arrested. The lawsuit was dismissed on technical grounds, but to prevent a new lawsuit the city approved the Robert H. Robinson branch, which opened in 1940. Tucker refused to accept a card there. ","A major issue in the early 1950s was the push to expand the overcrowded main library serving the white community. The white librarian at the time, who had been hired in a junior capacity during Tucker's campaign in 1939, suggested to the Society that the expansion could be an opportunity to integrate. In the midst of the debates over expansion and additional funding, an opportunity emerged to purchase a neighboring building on the corner of North Columbus and Queen, which was later demolished. This prompted a discussion about the Alexandria Library Society's connection to the original library company. It was decided to change the name from the \"Alexandria Library Society\" to the \"Alexandria Library Company,\" make the appropriate filings with the state government, and reinstate the 1799 charter, which would be revised by the legislature in the 1980s to help obtain tax-exempt status from the IRS.","This name change was completed at one of the company's most consequential meetings in February 1956. Every member was asked to sign their name in the minute book to signal their assent. A letter from a local civil rights activist questioning the legality of library segregation was also read, but deemed the province of the library board, which referred the matter back to the company whose reply is not preserved.","Member Mangum Weeks thereupon raised the question of the future role of the Library Company, and proposed resuming the tradition of annual lectures dating from the Lyceum period using funds from the newly instituted membership dues. This proposal was adopted, and preparing the annual lectures soon became a major focus of the Company. The Library Company continues to appoint members to the board of the Alexandria Library and hold its annual lecture series. It commissioned a new history of the library by William Seale in 2007, which can be found at the Local History and Special Collections Branch.","Chronological listings for both presidents of the board and librarians up to the modern day.","Presidents of the Library Company and Its Successors February 1794-February 1813 Rev. James Muir February 1813-February 1815 Hugh Smith February 1815-March 1824 John Roberts March 1824-February 1829 Hugh Smith February 1829-February 1835 John Richards February 1835-February 1840 John Roberts February 1840-1852 Elias Harrison 1852-February 1855 J. Louis Kinzer February 1855-September 1858 Francis Miller September 1858- February 1859 Richard L. Carne February 1859-September 1859 Caleb S. Hallowell September 1859-February 1860 William G. Cazenove February 1860-February 1870 Richard L. Carne February 1870-February 1873 K. Kemper February 1873-October 1873 Samuel H. Janney October 1873-February 1874 Sidney C. Neale February 1874-June 1879 Mercer Slaughter September 1897-October 1905 Virginia Corse July 1906-June 1925 Mrs. Samuel. L. Monroe October 1925-April 1930 Loula Smoot April 1930-November 1933 Mrs. Henry B. Soule, [Jessie E. Soule] December 1933-December 1934 Mary Lloyd December 1934-December 1936 Susan Thomson December 1936-November 1937 Mrs. Louis Scott November 1937-November 1944 Mrs. Curtis Backus November 1944-November 1946 Mrs. [Lawrence] Fawcett, [Mary Fawcett] November 1946-November 1947 Howard Worth Smith November 1947-October 1948 [Miss Anne] Lewis Jones October 1948-October 1949 Miss Horne October 1949-October 1950 Mr. Stanley King October 1950-December 1951 Mr. [Joseph] Crockett December 1951-February 1955 Mr. Robert Moncure February 1955-February 1957 Dr. [W. Bruce] Silcox February 1957-February 1959 Stanley King February 1959-February 1962 Mangum Weeks February 1962-February 1963 Richard Bales February 1963-February 1965 Donald King February 1965-February 1967 David Squires February 1967-February 1969 Howard Worth Smith Jr. February 1969-February 1971 William Francis Smith February 1971-February 1972 John T. Ticer February 1972-February 1974 David M. Abshire February 1974-February 1976 Mrs. Merill Beede February 1976-February 1978 Mrs. Douglas Lindsey February 1978-February 1980 Clarke T. Cooper Jr. February 1980-February 1982 William Seale February 1982-February 1983 Denys Peter Myers February 1983-February 1985 William B. Hurd February 1985-February 1986 George J. Stansfield February 1986-February 1987 Dr. Ernest A. Connally February 1987-February 1989 Dr. Wilton C. Corkern, Jr. February 1989-March 1991 James M. Lewis March 1991-March 1992 Mrs. Anne Smith Paul March 1992-March 1993 Richard R. G. Hobson March 1993-March 1995 Dabney Waring March 1995-March 1997 James R. Hobson March 1997-March 1998 Robert C. Reed March 1998-March 2000 Neil Horstman March 2000-March 2002 Carroll Johnson March 2002-March 2003 Thomas C. Brown Jr.","Librarians of Alexandria February 1794-February 1796 Edward Stabler February 1796-February 1818 James Kennedy February 1818-August 1826 William Cranch August 1826-October 1829 W. Samuel Mark October 1829-March 1845 George Drinker March 1845-September 1845 James M. Eaches September 1845-September 1852 C.F. Stuart September 1852-April 1853 H. W. P. Junius September 1852-April 1853 L.? Hunter November 1853 Office Abolished February 1854-October 1855 E. M.[Magruder?] Lowe October 1855-September 1858 Norval E. Foard September 1858-February 1859 S. Scott February 1859-September 1859 Edward R. Roxbury September 1859-February 1860 James A. Clarridge February 1860-April 1861 Charles R. Burgess (acting) April 1861-Unknown Edwin N. Wise March 1868 Wr. Bushby April 1870-May 1871 August Henning July 1871-March 1872 W. F. Stansbury March 1872-August 1873 Emma J. Young October 1873-March 1876 Emily English March 1876 Position Eliminated June 1879 R. Pendleton Bruin (unofficial? acting?) October 1900-October 1903 F. Olive Lyons October 1903-April 1937 (continued part-time, mentioned up to 1946) Alice Green April 1937-December 1938 Miss Beatrice Workman January 1939-January 1941 Katherine Scoggin (later Martyn) February 1941-June 1948 Bessie Watson July 1948-June 1969 (hired part-time October 1939, letter of resignation later that month) Ellen C. Burke July 1969-October 1992 (librarian from 1958) Jeanne G. Plitt"],"otherfindaid_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://alexlibrary.access.preservica.com/archive/sdb%3Acollection|7a4491fe-5b8d-43e9-aa46-69ecce4c0734/\"\u003eClick to view digital materials in this collection\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e"],"otherfindaid_heading_ssm":["Digital Materials"],"otherfindaid_tesim":["Click to view digital materials in this collection"],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e[Item], Alexandria Library Company Records, MS002, Alexandria Library, Local History and Special Collections, Alexandria, Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e"],"prefercite_tesim":["[Item], Alexandria Library Company Records, MS002, Alexandria Library, Local History and Special Collections, Alexandria, Virginia."],"processinfo_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eA reprocessing project begun in 2018 incorporated several boxes of previously unprocessed materials dating from the 1960s to the 2000s, with the bulk dating from after 1980. They included many short, overlapping sequences of correspondence, lecture, meeting, and member records which were merged into continuations of established series including primarily correspondence and lectures but also meetings and member correspondence. The \"subject files\" were added to the existing miscellaneous series. \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nSeveral other changes were also made. A re-examination of the catalog, subscription, and circulation books was undertaken and most were renumbered, described, and relabeled based on primary source research. The 1794-1861 minute book that had been donated back in 1922 was also discovered misfiled in Ms 98 (which covers the library proper since 1937) and was returned to its original collection. Some letters found in minute books were moved to the correspondence series, and their original locations were bookmarked with acid free paper. Photocopies of catalogs were removed. \u003c/p\u003e"],"processinfo_heading_ssm":["Processing Information"],"processinfo_tesim":["A reprocessing project begun in 2018 incorporated several boxes of previously unprocessed materials dating from the 1960s to the 2000s, with the bulk dating from after 1980. They included many short, overlapping sequences of correspondence, lecture, meeting, and member records which were merged into continuations of established series including primarily correspondence and lectures but also meetings and member correspondence. The \"subject files\" were added to the existing miscellaneous series. ","\nSeveral other changes were also made. A re-examination of the catalog, subscription, and circulation books was undertaken and most were renumbered, described, and relabeled based on primary source research. The 1794-1861 minute book that had been donated back in 1922 was also discovered misfiled in Ms 98 (which covers the library proper since 1937) and was returned to its original collection. Some letters found in minute books were moved to the correspondence series, and their original locations were bookmarked with acid free paper. Photocopies of catalogs were removed. "],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThe Alexandria Library Records (Ms 98) document the library as a separate institution from 1937 onward.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003e\nIt particularly complements this collection in its early decades through its administrative correspondence, board correspondence, minutes, annual reports, and organizational records, including contracts with the Alexandria Library Society.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003e\nThe minutes of the library's executive board (1938-1947) are included in the microfilm version of the library minute books 1794-1947.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eTranscripts of library company lectures 2-18 are available in the library.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003clist type=\"deflist\"\u003e\n      \u003chead\u003eLecture series : [transcripts of the audiotapes made of the scholars invited to speak at these annual lectures]\u003c/head\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #2\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 2\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #3\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 3\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #4\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 4\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #5\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 5\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #6\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 6\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #7\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 7\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #8\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 8\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #9\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 9\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #10\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 10\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #11\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 11\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #12\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 12\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #13\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 13\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #14\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 14\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #15\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 15\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #16\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 16\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #17\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 17\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #18\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 18\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n    \u003c/list\u003e"],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related Materials"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["The Alexandria Library Records (Ms 98) document the library as a separate institution from 1937 onward.","\nIt particularly complements this collection in its early decades through its administrative correspondence, board correspondence, minutes, annual reports, and organizational records, including contracts with the Alexandria Library Society.","\nThe minutes of the library's executive board (1938-1947) are included in the microfilm version of the library minute books 1794-1947.","Transcripts of library company lectures 2-18 are available in the library.","Lecture series : [transcripts of the audiotapes made of the scholars invited to speak at these annual lectures] Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #2 080 LEC 2 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #3 080 LEC 3 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #4 080 LEC 4 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #5 080 LEC 5 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #6 080 LEC 6 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #7 080 LEC 7 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #8 080 LEC 8 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #9 080 LEC 9 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #10 080 LEC 10 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #11 080 LEC 11 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #12 080 LEC 12 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #13 080 LEC 13 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #14 080 LEC 14 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #15 080 LEC 15 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #16 080 LEC 16 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #17 080 LEC 17 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #18 080 LEC 18"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThe collection consists of circulation, subscription, and financial ledgers, annual lecture series documents, catalogues, correspondence, and various organizational documents. Topics include: foundation of the\nAlexandria Library Company, its cycles of growth and decline reflecting the local economy; the formation of the local public library system; and the on-going activities of the Alexandria Library Company, most notably its lecture series.\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Content Description"],"scopecontent_tesim":["The collection consists of circulation, subscription, and financial ledgers, annual lecture series documents, catalogues, correspondence, and various organizational documents. Topics include: foundation of the\nAlexandria Library Company, its cycles of growth and decline reflecting the local economy; the formation of the local public library system; and the on-going activities of the Alexandria Library Company, most notably its lecture series."],"names_coll_ssim":["Alexandria Library (Alexandria, Va.)"],"names_ssim":["Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library","Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)","Alexandria Library (Alexandria, Va.)"],"corpname_ssim":["Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library","Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)","Alexandria Library (Alexandria, Va.)"],"language_ssim":["English"],"descrules_ssm":["Describing Archives: A Content Standard"],"total_component_count_is":147,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-05-01T00:09:43.684Z","bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eIn the 1780s, a discussion group of Alexandria gentlemen called \"The Society for the Promotion of Useful Knowledge\" was formed. In 1794, many of these same individuals gathered to form the nucleus of the Alexandria Library Company (ALC). The ALC was a subscription library modelled after the Philadelphia Library Company, which had also emerged from such a club. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eSociety president Reverend John Muir became president of the ALC, a position he would hold for almost 20 years. Many of the library's founders are known to have been members of local Masonic lodges. Elisha Cullen Dick, who had succeeded George Washington as the leader of Lodge 22, was among the first directors of the ALC as well as the secretary of the earlier Society. The first Librarian was Edward Stabler, the proprietor of an apothecary shop. In 1796, Stabler was replaced by James Kennedy, who served as librarian until 1818. Overlaps and family links between the leadership of the library and other Alexandria institutions remained common over the next century and a half. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eFor a time, the Alexandria Lyceum (founded in 1838) and the ALC shared a physical space as well as similar missions. The Alexandria Lyceum was founded as part of a national movement focused on educational lectures. The union between the two organizations was dissolved in 1844, but the library continued to rent space from the Lyceum. The library was later said to have been in a state of \"suspended animation\" from around 1846 to 1852. In 1852, a \"Young Men's\" group took over under the original charter, publishing a new catalog in 1856. The library continued to operate into the Civil War. It remained in the Lyceum but not without acrimony, which is evident in the Alexandria Gazette in 1860. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn October 1867, an agreement was reached with what was variously referred to as the Alexandria Christian Association and the YMCA for assistance with running the library. The library separated from this organization during the early 1870s. By the second half of the 1870s, the library fell into a decline which the directors blamed on the lack of a published catalog. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eThe first library catalog had been prepared by Kennedy in 1796 and published sometime thereafter. The earliest catalog of which there is an extant copy was published in 1801, followed by another in 1808 of which there are few traces. A more enduring catalog was created in 1815. The 1830s saw publication of a supplement to the 1815 catalog and the creation of a working catalog that would be used into the late 1840s. Normal circulation records end in April 1861 when the library was converted into a military hospital. There are stray entries in May and December before operations resumed on a limited basis in May 1862 and continued at least through that year. Over a thousand volumes were lost during the war. Due to the decline in usage in the 1870s, a new catalog was produced by librarian Emma J. Young in 1872 but never published. After two years with Young's catalog, another was commissioned from Dr. Theo West, which also went unpublished. As a stopgap, handwritten copies were used by patrons. In 1898, a new catalog was created which utilized a decimal system for the first time. The last published catalog was a supplement to the 1912 version. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn the late 1870s, appeals were made to the men of Alexandria for support,. The directors met with another \"Young Men's Library Association\" in 1878 without success, records of operations stop after January 1880.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eThe Gazette reported in January 1881 that the books were now in the custody of the school board, whose membership included William F. Carne, a former library company director and the son of one its former presidents. In May 1887 it reported that Carne, as leader of the board's library committee, was inviting associations wishing to participate in re-opening the library to a meeting at the Peabody school building where the books were held, and explained that he had always intended a reading room to be opened to the public once space was freed up for that purpose.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn June 1887, the Gazette reported that the \"Reading Circle of Washington and Lee Schools\" organized by teachers two years prior and the YMCA would operate the free library during the summer, in the hope that in September \"an effort will be made, with a very fair prospect of success, to re-organize the Library Company.\" Gazette reports in 1890 and 1891 refer to continued efforts by Carne and others to \"re-open\" the library, and in 1892 being part of a \"committee on the project for a free public library,\" but they did not succeed.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn the decades after 1870s librarianship not only professionalized but underwent a rapid gender shift, and apart from the periods in which there was no librarian for financial reasons, no male librarians seem to have been employed until well into the 20th century. Women's library organizations had become common nationally, and along with the philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie played a major role in the growth of public libraries in America starting in the late 19th century.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn September 1897, the Alexandria Library Association led by Virginia Corse received custody of the books then in possession of the school board. With a modest donation from Carnegie, by 1898 the library was back in business, but as a subscription library, it would not become a free public library for almost 40 years. The new library needed a new librarian, and after one or two initial hires, the association found Alice Green (1865-1956), who would serve from 1902-1937 and in a lesser capacity into the mid-1940s. During this period, space for the library was rented from the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC).\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eThe Depression brought financial hardship. As the crisis worsened in early 1931, the association had obtained $1,000 from the city council to form \"a nucleus for the establishment of a public library.\" Discussion of becoming a public library had been common since the 1920s, as the efforts of Carnegie and others had made them the norm nationally. Attempts were made to sell older books and hold fundraisers as subscription fees dried up. There was also a dispute with the UDC over a rent increase in 1933. The library was aided by the wealth of its members, including a $5,000 bequest in 1935 from its long-time treasurer, Margaret L. Smoot.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eMembers built political support both on the council and among the public in the mid-1930s and in 1937 it was agreed that a building would be constructed on the site of the old cemetery of the Society of Friends and that the city government would cover annual expenses of no more than $5,000 for the association to operate a free library. One member of the board would be appointed by the city. The new governing organization was rebranded the Alexandria Library Society.  Agreements were signed in January, and the library opened at the Kate Waller Barrett Branch's current location, 717 Queen Street.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eAnother change after 1937 was the gender composition of the leadership. Men served on the board of the new Society and played prominent roles after 1937. After 1948 they typically occupied the presidency of the organization. Most elections were unanimous, often with women casting most of the votes, but it ceased to be a women's organization. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn 1945 a technicality in the Society's contract with the city was brought to the attention of the board. Namely that the $5,000 the city was obligated to provide each year was not the minimum but rather the maximum contribution, and that the higher appropriations it had been making were illegal. The city took this as an opportunity to demand a contract change beyond the funding formula. Although the men of the city council had representation on the board, the women of the Society were still ultimately running the library, and the Society was asked to allow a majority of the executive board to be appointed by the city, and a minority by the Society. That the city legally \"owned the building and all its contents\" so long as it paid $5,000 per year was also pointed out. The Alexandria Library Society signed the new contract, surrendering control of the library in November 1947. In its reduced role, the Society still elected members to the board and received reports from the librarian. It also retained independent funds that could be used for the benefit of the library. With the library now fully the city's responsibility, the membership was also able to more openly advocate for additional funding.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eAnother longstanding issue at the library was race. The president's 1928 annual report had endorsed becoming a \"free city library,\" but feared that becoming a Carnegie library \"would bring in some elements hitherto unknown and I think undesirable in our Library.\" In the 1930s the library association favored providing segregated facilities, but, after repeated meetings with the city council, failed to achieve even that modest goal. In the 13 March, 1939, minutes, the issue was revisited yet again, but without result. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eFour days later on 17 March 1939, Sergeant George Wilson was turned down for a library card because of his race and Samuel Tucker filed a civil rights lawsuit against the librarian on his behalf. Plans for a segregated facility were dusted off, and new staff was hired so that the librarian could focus on the controversy. On 21 August 1939, several black men organized by Tucker entered the library and followed Wilson's example, but after being refused, seated themselves in the library with books, beginning America's first library sit-in. It ended only after the city manager called the police, and all were arrested. The lawsuit was dismissed on technical grounds, but to prevent a new lawsuit the city approved the Robert H. Robinson branch, which opened in 1940. Tucker refused to accept a card there. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eA major issue in the early 1950s was the push to expand the overcrowded main library serving the white community. The white librarian at the time, who had been hired in a junior capacity during Tucker's campaign in 1939, suggested to the Society that the expansion could be an opportunity to integrate. In the midst of the debates over expansion and additional funding, an opportunity emerged to purchase a neighboring building on the corner of North Columbus and Queen, which was later demolished. This prompted a discussion about the Alexandria Library Society's connection to the original library company. It was decided to change the name from the \"Alexandria Library Society\" to the \"Alexandria Library Company,\" make the appropriate filings with the state government, and reinstate the 1799 charter, which would be revised by the legislature in the 1980s to help obtain tax-exempt status from the IRS.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eThis name change was completed at one of the company's most consequential meetings in February 1956. Every member was asked to sign their name in the minute book to signal their assent. A letter from a local civil rights activist questioning the legality of library segregation was also read, but deemed the province of the library board, which referred the matter back to the company whose reply is not preserved.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eMember Mangum Weeks thereupon raised the question of the future role of the Library Company, and proposed resuming the tradition of annual lectures dating from the Lyceum period using funds from the newly instituted membership dues. This proposal was adopted, and preparing the annual lectures soon became a major focus of the Company. The Library Company continues to appoint members to the board of the Alexandria Library and hold its annual lecture series. It commissioned a new history of the library by William Seale in 2007, which can be found at the Local History and Special Collections Branch.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eChronological listings for both presidents of the board and librarians up to the modern day.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003clist type=\"deflist\"\u003e\n      \u003chead\u003ePresidents of the Library Company and Its Successors\u003c/head\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1794-February 1813\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRev. James Muir\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1813-February 1815\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eHugh Smith\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1815-March 1824\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJohn Roberts\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1824-February 1829\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eHugh Smith\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1829-February 1835\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJohn Richards\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1835-February 1840\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJohn Roberts\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1840-1852\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eElias Harrison\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003e1852-February 1855\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJ. Louis Kinzer\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1855-September 1858\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eFrancis Miller\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1858- February 1859\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRichard L. Carne\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1859-September 1859\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eCaleb S. Hallowell\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1859-February 1860\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam G. Cazenove\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1860-February 1870\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRichard L. Carne\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1870-February 1873\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eK. Kemper\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1873-October 1873\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eSamuel H. Janney\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1873-February 1874\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eSidney C. Neale\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1874-June 1879\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMercer Slaughter\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1897-October 1905\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eVirginia Corse\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJuly 1906-June 1925\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Samuel. L. Monroe\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1925-April 1930\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eLoula Smoot\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eApril 1930-November 1933\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Henry B. Soule, [Jessie E. Soule]\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eDecember 1933-December 1934\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMary Lloyd\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eDecember 1934-December 1936\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eSusan Thomson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eDecember 1936-November 1937\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Louis Scott\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1937-November 1944\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Curtis Backus\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1944-November 1946\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. [Lawrence] Fawcett, [Mary Fawcett]\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1946-November 1947\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eHoward Worth Smith\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1947-October 1948\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e[Miss Anne] Lewis Jones\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1948-October 1949\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMiss Horne\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1949-October 1950\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMr. Stanley King\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1950-December 1951\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMr. [Joseph] Crockett\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eDecember 1951-February 1955\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMr. Robert Moncure\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1955-February 1957\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDr. [W. Bruce] Silcox\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1957-February 1959\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eStanley King\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1959-February 1962\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMangum Weeks\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1962-February 1963\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRichard Bales\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1963-February 1965\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDonald King\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1965-February 1967\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDavid Squires\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1967-February 1969\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eHoward Worth Smith Jr.\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1969-February 1971\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam Francis Smith\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1971-February 1972\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJohn T. Ticer\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1972-February 1974\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDavid M. Abshire\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1974-February 1976\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Merill Beede\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1976-February 1978\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Douglas Lindsey\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1978-February 1980\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eClarke T. Cooper Jr.\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1980-February 1982\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam Seale\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1982-February 1983\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDenys Peter Myers\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1983-February 1985\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam B. Hurd\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1985-February 1986\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eGeorge J. Stansfield\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1986-February 1987\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDr. Ernest A. Connally\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1987-February 1989\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDr. Wilton C. Corkern, Jr.\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1989-March 1991\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames M. Lewis\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1991-March 1992\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Anne Smith Paul\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1992-March 1993\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRichard R. G. Hobson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1993-March 1995\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDabney Waring\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1995-March 1997\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames R. Hobson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1997-March 1998\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRobert C. Reed\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1998-March 2000\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eNeil Horstman\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 2000-March 2002\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eCarroll Johnson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 2002-March 2003\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eThomas C. Brown Jr.\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n    \u003c/list\u003e","\u003clist type=\"deflist\"\u003e\n      \u003chead\u003eLibrarians of Alexandria\u003c/head\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1794-February 1796\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEdward Stabler\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1796-February 1818\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames Kennedy\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1818-August 1826\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam Cranch\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAugust 1826-October 1829\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eW. Samuel Mark\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1829-March 1845\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eGeorge Drinker\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1845-September 1845\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames M. Eaches\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1845-September 1852\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eC.F. Stuart\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1852-April 1853\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eH. W. P. Junius\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1852-April 1853\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eL.? Hunter\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1853\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eOffice Abolished\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1854-October 1855\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eE. M.[Magruder?] Lowe\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1855-September 1858\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eNorval E. Foard\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1858-February 1859\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eS. Scott\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1859-September 1859\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEdward R. Roxbury\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1859-February 1860\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames A. Clarridge\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1860-April 1861\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eCharles R. Burgess (acting)\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eApril 1861-Unknown\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEdwin N. Wise\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1868\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWr. Bushby\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eApril 1870-May 1871\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eAugust Henning\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJuly 1871-March 1872\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eW. F. Stansbury\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1872-August 1873\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEmma J. Young\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1873-March 1876\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEmily English\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1876\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003ePosition Eliminated\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJune 1879\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eR. Pendleton Bruin (unofficial? acting?)\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1900-October 1903\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eF. Olive Lyons\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1903-April 1937 (continued part-time, mentioned up to 1946)\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eAlice Green\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eApril 1937-December 1938\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMiss Beatrice Workman\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJanuary 1939-January 1941\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eKatherine Scoggin (later Martyn)\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1941-June 1948\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eBessie Watson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJuly 1948-June 1969 (hired part-time October 1939, letter of resignation later that month)\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEllen C. Burke\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJuly 1969-October 1992 (librarian from 1958)\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJeanne G. Plitt\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n    \u003c/list\u003e"]}]}},"label":"Breadcrumbs"}}},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c11"}},{"id":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c06_c02","type":"File","attributes":{"title":"Subscription Books and Ledgers","breadcrumbs":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c06_c02#breadcrumbs","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":{"ref_ssi":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c06_c02","ref_ssm":["vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c06_c02"],"id":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c06_c02","ead_ssi":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","_root_":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","_nest_parent_":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c06","parent_ssi":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c06","parent_ssim":["vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c06"],"parent_ids_ssim":["vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c06"],"parent_unittitles_ssm":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)","Series VI: Subscription Records"],"parent_unittitles_tesim":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)","Series VI: Subscription Records"],"text":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)","Series VI: Subscription Records","Subscription Books and Ledgers","English","box 05","folder 042"],"title_filing_ssi":"Subscription Books and Ledgers","title_ssm":["Subscription Books and Ledgers"],"title_tesim":["Subscription Books and Ledgers"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1799-1809"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1799/1809"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Subscription Books and Ledgers"],"component_level_isim":[2],"repository_ssim":["Alexandria Library"],"collection_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"child_component_count_isi":0,"level_ssm":["File"],"level_ssim":["File"],"sort_isi":50,"date_range_isim":[1799,1800,1801,1802,1803,1804,1805,1806,1807,1808,1809],"language_ssim":["English"],"containers_ssim":["box 05","folder 042"],"otherfindaid_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e\n  \u003ca href=\"https://alexlibrary.access.preservica.com/archive/sdb%3Acollection|794d5ea7-a3b9-4a44-89cb-a9affbfdcb68/\"\u003eClick to view digital materials in this collection\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"otherfindaid_heading_ssm":["Digital Materials"],"otherfindaid_tesim":["Click to view digital materials in this collection"],"_nest_path_":"/components#5/components#1","timestamp":"2026-05-01T00:09:43.684Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","ead_ssi":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","_root_":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","_nest_parent_":"vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/oai/ALEX/repositories_2_resources_128.xml","aspace_url_ssi":"https://alexlibraryva.libraryhost.com/repositories/2/resources/128","title_ssm":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"title_tesim":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"unitdate_ssm":["1794-2007"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1794-2007"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["MS002","/repositories/2/resources/128"],"text":["MS002","/repositories/2/resources/128","Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)","Libraries -- Subscription Libraries","Lectures and Lecturing","Associations, institutions, etc","Public libraries.","In the 1780s, a discussion group of Alexandria gentlemen called \"The Society for the Promotion of Useful Knowledge\" was formed. In 1794, many of these same individuals gathered to form the nucleus of the Alexandria Library Company (ALC). The ALC was a subscription library modelled after the Philadelphia Library Company, which had also emerged from such a club. ","Society president Reverend John Muir became president of the ALC, a position he would hold for almost 20 years. Many of the library's founders are known to have been members of local Masonic lodges. Elisha Cullen Dick, who had succeeded George Washington as the leader of Lodge 22, was among the first directors of the ALC as well as the secretary of the earlier Society. The first Librarian was Edward Stabler, the proprietor of an apothecary shop. In 1796, Stabler was replaced by James Kennedy, who served as librarian until 1818. Overlaps and family links between the leadership of the library and other Alexandria institutions remained common over the next century and a half. ","For a time, the Alexandria Lyceum (founded in 1838) and the ALC shared a physical space as well as similar missions. The Alexandria Lyceum was founded as part of a national movement focused on educational lectures. The union between the two organizations was dissolved in 1844, but the library continued to rent space from the Lyceum. The library was later said to have been in a state of \"suspended animation\" from around 1846 to 1852. In 1852, a \"Young Men's\" group took over under the original charter, publishing a new catalog in 1856. The library continued to operate into the Civil War. It remained in the Lyceum but not without acrimony, which is evident in the Alexandria Gazette in 1860. ","In October 1867, an agreement was reached with what was variously referred to as the Alexandria Christian Association and the YMCA for assistance with running the library. The library separated from this organization during the early 1870s. By the second half of the 1870s, the library fell into a decline which the directors blamed on the lack of a published catalog. ","The first library catalog had been prepared by Kennedy in 1796 and published sometime thereafter. The earliest catalog of which there is an extant copy was published in 1801, followed by another in 1808 of which there are few traces. A more enduring catalog was created in 1815. The 1830s saw publication of a supplement to the 1815 catalog and the creation of a working catalog that would be used into the late 1840s. Normal circulation records end in April 1861 when the library was converted into a military hospital. There are stray entries in May and December before operations resumed on a limited basis in May 1862 and continued at least through that year. Over a thousand volumes were lost during the war. Due to the decline in usage in the 1870s, a new catalog was produced by librarian Emma J. Young in 1872 but never published. After two years with Young's catalog, another was commissioned from Dr. Theo West, which also went unpublished. As a stopgap, handwritten copies were used by patrons. In 1898, a new catalog was created which utilized a decimal system for the first time. The last published catalog was a supplement to the 1912 version. ","In the late 1870s, appeals were made to the men of Alexandria for support,. The directors met with another \"Young Men's Library Association\" in 1878 without success, records of operations stop after January 1880.","The Gazette reported in January 1881 that the books were now in the custody of the school board, whose membership included William F. Carne, a former library company director and the son of one its former presidents. In May 1887 it reported that Carne, as leader of the board's library committee, was inviting associations wishing to participate in re-opening the library to a meeting at the Peabody school building where the books were held, and explained that he had always intended a reading room to be opened to the public once space was freed up for that purpose.","In June 1887, the Gazette reported that the \"Reading Circle of Washington and Lee Schools\" organized by teachers two years prior and the YMCA would operate the free library during the summer, in the hope that in September \"an effort will be made, with a very fair prospect of success, to re-organize the Library Company.\" Gazette reports in 1890 and 1891 refer to continued efforts by Carne and others to \"re-open\" the library, and in 1892 being part of a \"committee on the project for a free public library,\" but they did not succeed.","In the decades after 1870s librarianship not only professionalized but underwent a rapid gender shift, and apart from the periods in which there was no librarian for financial reasons, no male librarians seem to have been employed until well into the 20th century. Women's library organizations had become common nationally, and along with the philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie played a major role in the growth of public libraries in America starting in the late 19th century.","In September 1897, the Alexandria Library Association led by Virginia Corse received custody of the books then in possession of the school board. With a modest donation from Carnegie, by 1898 the library was back in business, but as a subscription library, it would not become a free public library for almost 40 years. The new library needed a new librarian, and after one or two initial hires, the association found Alice Green (1865-1956), who would serve from 1902-1937 and in a lesser capacity into the mid-1940s. During this period, space for the library was rented from the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC).","The Depression brought financial hardship. As the crisis worsened in early 1931, the association had obtained $1,000 from the city council to form \"a nucleus for the establishment of a public library.\" Discussion of becoming a public library had been common since the 1920s, as the efforts of Carnegie and others had made them the norm nationally. Attempts were made to sell older books and hold fundraisers as subscription fees dried up. There was also a dispute with the UDC over a rent increase in 1933. The library was aided by the wealth of its members, including a $5,000 bequest in 1935 from its long-time treasurer, Margaret L. Smoot.","Members built political support both on the council and among the public in the mid-1930s and in 1937 it was agreed that a building would be constructed on the site of the old cemetery of the Society of Friends and that the city government would cover annual expenses of no more than $5,000 for the association to operate a free library. One member of the board would be appointed by the city. The new governing organization was rebranded the Alexandria Library Society.  Agreements were signed in January, and the library opened at the Kate Waller Barrett Branch's current location, 717 Queen Street.","Another change after 1937 was the gender composition of the leadership. Men served on the board of the new Society and played prominent roles after 1937. After 1948 they typically occupied the presidency of the organization. Most elections were unanimous, often with women casting most of the votes, but it ceased to be a women's organization. ","In 1945 a technicality in the Society's contract with the city was brought to the attention of the board. Namely that the $5,000 the city was obligated to provide each year was not the minimum but rather the maximum contribution, and that the higher appropriations it had been making were illegal. The city took this as an opportunity to demand a contract change beyond the funding formula. Although the men of the city council had representation on the board, the women of the Society were still ultimately running the library, and the Society was asked to allow a majority of the executive board to be appointed by the city, and a minority by the Society. That the city legally \"owned the building and all its contents\" so long as it paid $5,000 per year was also pointed out. The Alexandria Library Society signed the new contract, surrendering control of the library in November 1947. In its reduced role, the Society still elected members to the board and received reports from the librarian. It also retained independent funds that could be used for the benefit of the library. With the library now fully the city's responsibility, the membership was also able to more openly advocate for additional funding.","Another longstanding issue at the library was race. The president's 1928 annual report had endorsed becoming a \"free city library,\" but feared that becoming a Carnegie library \"would bring in some elements hitherto unknown and I think undesirable in our Library.\" In the 1930s the library association favored providing segregated facilities, but, after repeated meetings with the city council, failed to achieve even that modest goal. In the 13 March, 1939, minutes, the issue was revisited yet again, but without result. ","Four days later on 17 March 1939, Sergeant George Wilson was turned down for a library card because of his race and Samuel Tucker filed a civil rights lawsuit against the librarian on his behalf. Plans for a segregated facility were dusted off, and new staff was hired so that the librarian could focus on the controversy. On 21 August 1939, several black men organized by Tucker entered the library and followed Wilson's example, but after being refused, seated themselves in the library with books, beginning America's first library sit-in. It ended only after the city manager called the police, and all were arrested. The lawsuit was dismissed on technical grounds, but to prevent a new lawsuit the city approved the Robert H. Robinson branch, which opened in 1940. Tucker refused to accept a card there. ","A major issue in the early 1950s was the push to expand the overcrowded main library serving the white community. The white librarian at the time, who had been hired in a junior capacity during Tucker's campaign in 1939, suggested to the Society that the expansion could be an opportunity to integrate. In the midst of the debates over expansion and additional funding, an opportunity emerged to purchase a neighboring building on the corner of North Columbus and Queen, which was later demolished. This prompted a discussion about the Alexandria Library Society's connection to the original library company. It was decided to change the name from the \"Alexandria Library Society\" to the \"Alexandria Library Company,\" make the appropriate filings with the state government, and reinstate the 1799 charter, which would be revised by the legislature in the 1980s to help obtain tax-exempt status from the IRS.","This name change was completed at one of the company's most consequential meetings in February 1956. Every member was asked to sign their name in the minute book to signal their assent. A letter from a local civil rights activist questioning the legality of library segregation was also read, but deemed the province of the library board, which referred the matter back to the company whose reply is not preserved.","Member Mangum Weeks thereupon raised the question of the future role of the Library Company, and proposed resuming the tradition of annual lectures dating from the Lyceum period using funds from the newly instituted membership dues. This proposal was adopted, and preparing the annual lectures soon became a major focus of the Company. The Library Company continues to appoint members to the board of the Alexandria Library and hold its annual lecture series. It commissioned a new history of the library by William Seale in 2007, which can be found at the Local History and Special Collections Branch.","Chronological listings for both presidents of the board and librarians up to the modern day.","Presidents of the Library Company and Its Successors February 1794-February 1813 Rev. James Muir February 1813-February 1815 Hugh Smith February 1815-March 1824 John Roberts March 1824-February 1829 Hugh Smith February 1829-February 1835 John Richards February 1835-February 1840 John Roberts February 1840-1852 Elias Harrison 1852-February 1855 J. Louis Kinzer February 1855-September 1858 Francis Miller September 1858- February 1859 Richard L. Carne February 1859-September 1859 Caleb S. Hallowell September 1859-February 1860 William G. Cazenove February 1860-February 1870 Richard L. Carne February 1870-February 1873 K. Kemper February 1873-October 1873 Samuel H. Janney October 1873-February 1874 Sidney C. Neale February 1874-June 1879 Mercer Slaughter September 1897-October 1905 Virginia Corse July 1906-June 1925 Mrs. Samuel. L. Monroe October 1925-April 1930 Loula Smoot April 1930-November 1933 Mrs. Henry B. Soule, [Jessie E. Soule] December 1933-December 1934 Mary Lloyd December 1934-December 1936 Susan Thomson December 1936-November 1937 Mrs. Louis Scott November 1937-November 1944 Mrs. Curtis Backus November 1944-November 1946 Mrs. [Lawrence] Fawcett, [Mary Fawcett] November 1946-November 1947 Howard Worth Smith November 1947-October 1948 [Miss Anne] Lewis Jones October 1948-October 1949 Miss Horne October 1949-October 1950 Mr. Stanley King October 1950-December 1951 Mr. [Joseph] Crockett December 1951-February 1955 Mr. Robert Moncure February 1955-February 1957 Dr. [W. Bruce] Silcox February 1957-February 1959 Stanley King February 1959-February 1962 Mangum Weeks February 1962-February 1963 Richard Bales February 1963-February 1965 Donald King February 1965-February 1967 David Squires February 1967-February 1969 Howard Worth Smith Jr. February 1969-February 1971 William Francis Smith February 1971-February 1972 John T. Ticer February 1972-February 1974 David M. Abshire February 1974-February 1976 Mrs. Merill Beede February 1976-February 1978 Mrs. Douglas Lindsey February 1978-February 1980 Clarke T. Cooper Jr. February 1980-February 1982 William Seale February 1982-February 1983 Denys Peter Myers February 1983-February 1985 William B. Hurd February 1985-February 1986 George J. Stansfield February 1986-February 1987 Dr. Ernest A. Connally February 1987-February 1989 Dr. Wilton C. Corkern, Jr. February 1989-March 1991 James M. Lewis March 1991-March 1992 Mrs. Anne Smith Paul March 1992-March 1993 Richard R. G. Hobson March 1993-March 1995 Dabney Waring March 1995-March 1997 James R. Hobson March 1997-March 1998 Robert C. Reed March 1998-March 2000 Neil Horstman March 2000-March 2002 Carroll Johnson March 2002-March 2003 Thomas C. Brown Jr.","Librarians of Alexandria February 1794-February 1796 Edward Stabler February 1796-February 1818 James Kennedy February 1818-August 1826 William Cranch August 1826-October 1829 W. Samuel Mark October 1829-March 1845 George Drinker March 1845-September 1845 James M. Eaches September 1845-September 1852 C.F. Stuart September 1852-April 1853 H. W. P. Junius September 1852-April 1853 L.? Hunter November 1853 Office Abolished February 1854-October 1855 E. M.[Magruder?] Lowe October 1855-September 1858 Norval E. Foard September 1858-February 1859 S. Scott February 1859-September 1859 Edward R. Roxbury September 1859-February 1860 James A. Clarridge February 1860-April 1861 Charles R. Burgess (acting) April 1861-Unknown Edwin N. Wise March 1868 Wr. Bushby April 1870-May 1871 August Henning July 1871-March 1872 W. F. Stansbury March 1872-August 1873 Emma J. Young October 1873-March 1876 Emily English March 1876 Position Eliminated June 1879 R. Pendleton Bruin (unofficial? acting?) October 1900-October 1903 F. Olive Lyons October 1903-April 1937 (continued part-time, mentioned up to 1946) Alice Green April 1937-December 1938 Miss Beatrice Workman January 1939-January 1941 Katherine Scoggin (later Martyn) February 1941-June 1948 Bessie Watson July 1948-June 1969 (hired part-time October 1939, letter of resignation later that month) Ellen C. Burke July 1969-October 1992 (librarian from 1958) Jeanne G. Plitt","A reprocessing project begun in 2018 incorporated several boxes of previously unprocessed materials dating from the 1960s to the 2000s, with the bulk dating from after 1980. They included many short, overlapping sequences of correspondence, lecture, meeting, and member records which were merged into continuations of established series including primarily correspondence and lectures but also meetings and member correspondence. The \"subject files\" were added to the existing miscellaneous series. ","\nSeveral other changes were also made. A re-examination of the catalog, subscription, and circulation books was undertaken and most were renumbered, described, and relabeled based on primary source research. The 1794-1861 minute book that had been donated back in 1922 was also discovered misfiled in Ms 98 (which covers the library proper since 1937) and was returned to its original collection. Some letters found in minute books were moved to the correspondence series, and their original locations were bookmarked with acid free paper. Photocopies of catalogs were removed. ","The Alexandria Library Records (Ms 98) document the library as a separate institution from 1937 onward.","\nIt particularly complements this collection in its early decades through its administrative correspondence, board correspondence, minutes, annual reports, and organizational records, including contracts with the Alexandria Library Society.","\nThe minutes of the library's executive board (1938-1947) are included in the microfilm version of the library minute books 1794-1947.","Transcripts of library company lectures 2-18 are available in the library.","Lecture series : [transcripts of the audiotapes made of the scholars invited to speak at these annual lectures] Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #2 080 LEC 2 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #3 080 LEC 3 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #4 080 LEC 4 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #5 080 LEC 5 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #6 080 LEC 6 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #7 080 LEC 7 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #8 080 LEC 8 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #9 080 LEC 9 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #10 080 LEC 10 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #11 080 LEC 11 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #12 080 LEC 12 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #13 080 LEC 13 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #14 080 LEC 14 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #15 080 LEC 15 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #16 080 LEC 16 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #17 080 LEC 17 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #18 080 LEC 18","The collection consists of circulation, subscription, and financial ledgers, annual lecture series documents, catalogues, correspondence, and various organizational documents. Topics include: foundation of the\nAlexandria Library Company, its cycles of growth and decline reflecting the local economy; the formation of the local public library system; and the on-going activities of the Alexandria Library Company, most notably its lecture series.","Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library","Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)","Alexandria Library (Alexandria, Va.)","English"],"unitid_tesim":["MS002","/repositories/2/resources/128"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"collection_title_tesim":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"collection_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)"],"repository_ssm":["Alexandria Library"],"repository_ssim":["Alexandria Library"],"geogname_ssm":["Libraries -- Subscription Libraries","Lectures and Lecturing","Associations, institutions, etc"],"geogname_ssim":["Libraries -- Subscription Libraries","Lectures and Lecturing","Associations, institutions, etc"],"creator_ssm":["Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)"],"creator_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)"],"creator_corpname_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)"],"creators_ssim":["Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)"],"places_ssim":["Libraries -- Subscription Libraries","Lectures and Lecturing","Associations, institutions, etc"],"access_subjects_ssim":["Public libraries."],"access_subjects_ssm":["Public libraries."],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"extent_ssm":["8.10 Cubic Feet 13 boxes, 2 oversize boxes, 1 record carton"],"extent_tesim":["8.10 Cubic Feet 13 boxes, 2 oversize boxes, 1 record carton"],"date_range_isim":[1794,1795,1796,1797,1798,1799,1800,1801,1802,1803,1804,1805,1806,1807,1808,1809,1810,1811,1812,1813,1814,1815,1816,1817,1818,1819,1820,1821,1822,1823,1824,1825,1826,1827,1828,1829,1830,1831,1832,1833,1834,1835,1836,1837,1838,1839,1840,1841,1842,1843,1844,1845,1846,1847,1848,1849,1850,1851,1852,1853,1854,1855,1856,1857,1858,1859,1860,1861,1862,1863,1864,1865,1866,1867,1868,1869,1870,1871,1872,1873,1874,1875,1876,1877,1878,1879,1880,1881,1882,1883,1884,1885,1886,1887,1888,1889,1890,1891,1892,1893,1894,1895,1896,1897,1898,1899,1900,1901,1902,1903,1904,1905,1906,1907,1908,1909,1910,1911,1912,1913,1914,1915,1916,1917,1918,1919,1920,1921,1922,1923,1924,1925,1926,1927,1928,1929,1930,1931,1932,1933,1934,1935,1936,1937,1938,1939,1940,1941,1942,1943,1944,1945,1946,1947,1948,1949,1950,1951,1952,1953,1954,1955,1956,1957,1958,1959,1960,1961,1962,1963,1964,1965,1966,1967,1968,1969,1970,1971,1972,1973,1974,1975,1976,1977,1978,1979,1980,1981,1982,1983,1984,1985,1986,1987,1988,1989,1990,1991,1992,1993,1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000,2001,2002,2003,2004,2005,2006,2007],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Biographical / Historical","Presidents and Librarians of the Library"],"bioghist_tesim":["In the 1780s, a discussion group of Alexandria gentlemen called \"The Society for the Promotion of Useful Knowledge\" was formed. In 1794, many of these same individuals gathered to form the nucleus of the Alexandria Library Company (ALC). The ALC was a subscription library modelled after the Philadelphia Library Company, which had also emerged from such a club. ","Society president Reverend John Muir became president of the ALC, a position he would hold for almost 20 years. Many of the library's founders are known to have been members of local Masonic lodges. Elisha Cullen Dick, who had succeeded George Washington as the leader of Lodge 22, was among the first directors of the ALC as well as the secretary of the earlier Society. The first Librarian was Edward Stabler, the proprietor of an apothecary shop. In 1796, Stabler was replaced by James Kennedy, who served as librarian until 1818. Overlaps and family links between the leadership of the library and other Alexandria institutions remained common over the next century and a half. ","For a time, the Alexandria Lyceum (founded in 1838) and the ALC shared a physical space as well as similar missions. The Alexandria Lyceum was founded as part of a national movement focused on educational lectures. The union between the two organizations was dissolved in 1844, but the library continued to rent space from the Lyceum. The library was later said to have been in a state of \"suspended animation\" from around 1846 to 1852. In 1852, a \"Young Men's\" group took over under the original charter, publishing a new catalog in 1856. The library continued to operate into the Civil War. It remained in the Lyceum but not without acrimony, which is evident in the Alexandria Gazette in 1860. ","In October 1867, an agreement was reached with what was variously referred to as the Alexandria Christian Association and the YMCA for assistance with running the library. The library separated from this organization during the early 1870s. By the second half of the 1870s, the library fell into a decline which the directors blamed on the lack of a published catalog. ","The first library catalog had been prepared by Kennedy in 1796 and published sometime thereafter. The earliest catalog of which there is an extant copy was published in 1801, followed by another in 1808 of which there are few traces. A more enduring catalog was created in 1815. The 1830s saw publication of a supplement to the 1815 catalog and the creation of a working catalog that would be used into the late 1840s. Normal circulation records end in April 1861 when the library was converted into a military hospital. There are stray entries in May and December before operations resumed on a limited basis in May 1862 and continued at least through that year. Over a thousand volumes were lost during the war. Due to the decline in usage in the 1870s, a new catalog was produced by librarian Emma J. Young in 1872 but never published. After two years with Young's catalog, another was commissioned from Dr. Theo West, which also went unpublished. As a stopgap, handwritten copies were used by patrons. In 1898, a new catalog was created which utilized a decimal system for the first time. The last published catalog was a supplement to the 1912 version. ","In the late 1870s, appeals were made to the men of Alexandria for support,. The directors met with another \"Young Men's Library Association\" in 1878 without success, records of operations stop after January 1880.","The Gazette reported in January 1881 that the books were now in the custody of the school board, whose membership included William F. Carne, a former library company director and the son of one its former presidents. In May 1887 it reported that Carne, as leader of the board's library committee, was inviting associations wishing to participate in re-opening the library to a meeting at the Peabody school building where the books were held, and explained that he had always intended a reading room to be opened to the public once space was freed up for that purpose.","In June 1887, the Gazette reported that the \"Reading Circle of Washington and Lee Schools\" organized by teachers two years prior and the YMCA would operate the free library during the summer, in the hope that in September \"an effort will be made, with a very fair prospect of success, to re-organize the Library Company.\" Gazette reports in 1890 and 1891 refer to continued efforts by Carne and others to \"re-open\" the library, and in 1892 being part of a \"committee on the project for a free public library,\" but they did not succeed.","In the decades after 1870s librarianship not only professionalized but underwent a rapid gender shift, and apart from the periods in which there was no librarian for financial reasons, no male librarians seem to have been employed until well into the 20th century. Women's library organizations had become common nationally, and along with the philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie played a major role in the growth of public libraries in America starting in the late 19th century.","In September 1897, the Alexandria Library Association led by Virginia Corse received custody of the books then in possession of the school board. With a modest donation from Carnegie, by 1898 the library was back in business, but as a subscription library, it would not become a free public library for almost 40 years. The new library needed a new librarian, and after one or two initial hires, the association found Alice Green (1865-1956), who would serve from 1902-1937 and in a lesser capacity into the mid-1940s. During this period, space for the library was rented from the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC).","The Depression brought financial hardship. As the crisis worsened in early 1931, the association had obtained $1,000 from the city council to form \"a nucleus for the establishment of a public library.\" Discussion of becoming a public library had been common since the 1920s, as the efforts of Carnegie and others had made them the norm nationally. Attempts were made to sell older books and hold fundraisers as subscription fees dried up. There was also a dispute with the UDC over a rent increase in 1933. The library was aided by the wealth of its members, including a $5,000 bequest in 1935 from its long-time treasurer, Margaret L. Smoot.","Members built political support both on the council and among the public in the mid-1930s and in 1937 it was agreed that a building would be constructed on the site of the old cemetery of the Society of Friends and that the city government would cover annual expenses of no more than $5,000 for the association to operate a free library. One member of the board would be appointed by the city. The new governing organization was rebranded the Alexandria Library Society.  Agreements were signed in January, and the library opened at the Kate Waller Barrett Branch's current location, 717 Queen Street.","Another change after 1937 was the gender composition of the leadership. Men served on the board of the new Society and played prominent roles after 1937. After 1948 they typically occupied the presidency of the organization. Most elections were unanimous, often with women casting most of the votes, but it ceased to be a women's organization. ","In 1945 a technicality in the Society's contract with the city was brought to the attention of the board. Namely that the $5,000 the city was obligated to provide each year was not the minimum but rather the maximum contribution, and that the higher appropriations it had been making were illegal. The city took this as an opportunity to demand a contract change beyond the funding formula. Although the men of the city council had representation on the board, the women of the Society were still ultimately running the library, and the Society was asked to allow a majority of the executive board to be appointed by the city, and a minority by the Society. That the city legally \"owned the building and all its contents\" so long as it paid $5,000 per year was also pointed out. The Alexandria Library Society signed the new contract, surrendering control of the library in November 1947. In its reduced role, the Society still elected members to the board and received reports from the librarian. It also retained independent funds that could be used for the benefit of the library. With the library now fully the city's responsibility, the membership was also able to more openly advocate for additional funding.","Another longstanding issue at the library was race. The president's 1928 annual report had endorsed becoming a \"free city library,\" but feared that becoming a Carnegie library \"would bring in some elements hitherto unknown and I think undesirable in our Library.\" In the 1930s the library association favored providing segregated facilities, but, after repeated meetings with the city council, failed to achieve even that modest goal. In the 13 March, 1939, minutes, the issue was revisited yet again, but without result. ","Four days later on 17 March 1939, Sergeant George Wilson was turned down for a library card because of his race and Samuel Tucker filed a civil rights lawsuit against the librarian on his behalf. Plans for a segregated facility were dusted off, and new staff was hired so that the librarian could focus on the controversy. On 21 August 1939, several black men organized by Tucker entered the library and followed Wilson's example, but after being refused, seated themselves in the library with books, beginning America's first library sit-in. It ended only after the city manager called the police, and all were arrested. The lawsuit was dismissed on technical grounds, but to prevent a new lawsuit the city approved the Robert H. Robinson branch, which opened in 1940. Tucker refused to accept a card there. ","A major issue in the early 1950s was the push to expand the overcrowded main library serving the white community. The white librarian at the time, who had been hired in a junior capacity during Tucker's campaign in 1939, suggested to the Society that the expansion could be an opportunity to integrate. In the midst of the debates over expansion and additional funding, an opportunity emerged to purchase a neighboring building on the corner of North Columbus and Queen, which was later demolished. This prompted a discussion about the Alexandria Library Society's connection to the original library company. It was decided to change the name from the \"Alexandria Library Society\" to the \"Alexandria Library Company,\" make the appropriate filings with the state government, and reinstate the 1799 charter, which would be revised by the legislature in the 1980s to help obtain tax-exempt status from the IRS.","This name change was completed at one of the company's most consequential meetings in February 1956. Every member was asked to sign their name in the minute book to signal their assent. A letter from a local civil rights activist questioning the legality of library segregation was also read, but deemed the province of the library board, which referred the matter back to the company whose reply is not preserved.","Member Mangum Weeks thereupon raised the question of the future role of the Library Company, and proposed resuming the tradition of annual lectures dating from the Lyceum period using funds from the newly instituted membership dues. This proposal was adopted, and preparing the annual lectures soon became a major focus of the Company. The Library Company continues to appoint members to the board of the Alexandria Library and hold its annual lecture series. It commissioned a new history of the library by William Seale in 2007, which can be found at the Local History and Special Collections Branch.","Chronological listings for both presidents of the board and librarians up to the modern day.","Presidents of the Library Company and Its Successors February 1794-February 1813 Rev. James Muir February 1813-February 1815 Hugh Smith February 1815-March 1824 John Roberts March 1824-February 1829 Hugh Smith February 1829-February 1835 John Richards February 1835-February 1840 John Roberts February 1840-1852 Elias Harrison 1852-February 1855 J. Louis Kinzer February 1855-September 1858 Francis Miller September 1858- February 1859 Richard L. Carne February 1859-September 1859 Caleb S. Hallowell September 1859-February 1860 William G. Cazenove February 1860-February 1870 Richard L. Carne February 1870-February 1873 K. Kemper February 1873-October 1873 Samuel H. Janney October 1873-February 1874 Sidney C. Neale February 1874-June 1879 Mercer Slaughter September 1897-October 1905 Virginia Corse July 1906-June 1925 Mrs. Samuel. L. Monroe October 1925-April 1930 Loula Smoot April 1930-November 1933 Mrs. Henry B. Soule, [Jessie E. Soule] December 1933-December 1934 Mary Lloyd December 1934-December 1936 Susan Thomson December 1936-November 1937 Mrs. Louis Scott November 1937-November 1944 Mrs. Curtis Backus November 1944-November 1946 Mrs. [Lawrence] Fawcett, [Mary Fawcett] November 1946-November 1947 Howard Worth Smith November 1947-October 1948 [Miss Anne] Lewis Jones October 1948-October 1949 Miss Horne October 1949-October 1950 Mr. Stanley King October 1950-December 1951 Mr. [Joseph] Crockett December 1951-February 1955 Mr. Robert Moncure February 1955-February 1957 Dr. [W. Bruce] Silcox February 1957-February 1959 Stanley King February 1959-February 1962 Mangum Weeks February 1962-February 1963 Richard Bales February 1963-February 1965 Donald King February 1965-February 1967 David Squires February 1967-February 1969 Howard Worth Smith Jr. February 1969-February 1971 William Francis Smith February 1971-February 1972 John T. Ticer February 1972-February 1974 David M. Abshire February 1974-February 1976 Mrs. Merill Beede February 1976-February 1978 Mrs. Douglas Lindsey February 1978-February 1980 Clarke T. Cooper Jr. February 1980-February 1982 William Seale February 1982-February 1983 Denys Peter Myers February 1983-February 1985 William B. Hurd February 1985-February 1986 George J. Stansfield February 1986-February 1987 Dr. Ernest A. Connally February 1987-February 1989 Dr. Wilton C. Corkern, Jr. February 1989-March 1991 James M. Lewis March 1991-March 1992 Mrs. Anne Smith Paul March 1992-March 1993 Richard R. G. Hobson March 1993-March 1995 Dabney Waring March 1995-March 1997 James R. Hobson March 1997-March 1998 Robert C. Reed March 1998-March 2000 Neil Horstman March 2000-March 2002 Carroll Johnson March 2002-March 2003 Thomas C. Brown Jr.","Librarians of Alexandria February 1794-February 1796 Edward Stabler February 1796-February 1818 James Kennedy February 1818-August 1826 William Cranch August 1826-October 1829 W. Samuel Mark October 1829-March 1845 George Drinker March 1845-September 1845 James M. Eaches September 1845-September 1852 C.F. Stuart September 1852-April 1853 H. W. P. Junius September 1852-April 1853 L.? Hunter November 1853 Office Abolished February 1854-October 1855 E. M.[Magruder?] Lowe October 1855-September 1858 Norval E. Foard September 1858-February 1859 S. Scott February 1859-September 1859 Edward R. Roxbury September 1859-February 1860 James A. Clarridge February 1860-April 1861 Charles R. Burgess (acting) April 1861-Unknown Edwin N. Wise March 1868 Wr. Bushby April 1870-May 1871 August Henning July 1871-March 1872 W. F. Stansbury March 1872-August 1873 Emma J. Young October 1873-March 1876 Emily English March 1876 Position Eliminated June 1879 R. Pendleton Bruin (unofficial? acting?) October 1900-October 1903 F. Olive Lyons October 1903-April 1937 (continued part-time, mentioned up to 1946) Alice Green April 1937-December 1938 Miss Beatrice Workman January 1939-January 1941 Katherine Scoggin (later Martyn) February 1941-June 1948 Bessie Watson July 1948-June 1969 (hired part-time October 1939, letter of resignation later that month) Ellen C. Burke July 1969-October 1992 (librarian from 1958) Jeanne G. Plitt"],"otherfindaid_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://alexlibrary.access.preservica.com/archive/sdb%3Acollection|7a4491fe-5b8d-43e9-aa46-69ecce4c0734/\"\u003eClick to view digital materials in this collection\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e"],"otherfindaid_heading_ssm":["Digital Materials"],"otherfindaid_tesim":["Click to view digital materials in this collection"],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e[Item], Alexandria Library Company Records, MS002, Alexandria Library, Local History and Special Collections, Alexandria, Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e"],"prefercite_tesim":["[Item], Alexandria Library Company Records, MS002, Alexandria Library, Local History and Special Collections, Alexandria, Virginia."],"processinfo_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eA reprocessing project begun in 2018 incorporated several boxes of previously unprocessed materials dating from the 1960s to the 2000s, with the bulk dating from after 1980. They included many short, overlapping sequences of correspondence, lecture, meeting, and member records which were merged into continuations of established series including primarily correspondence and lectures but also meetings and member correspondence. The \"subject files\" were added to the existing miscellaneous series. \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nSeveral other changes were also made. A re-examination of the catalog, subscription, and circulation books was undertaken and most were renumbered, described, and relabeled based on primary source research. The 1794-1861 minute book that had been donated back in 1922 was also discovered misfiled in Ms 98 (which covers the library proper since 1937) and was returned to its original collection. Some letters found in minute books were moved to the correspondence series, and their original locations were bookmarked with acid free paper. Photocopies of catalogs were removed. \u003c/p\u003e"],"processinfo_heading_ssm":["Processing Information"],"processinfo_tesim":["A reprocessing project begun in 2018 incorporated several boxes of previously unprocessed materials dating from the 1960s to the 2000s, with the bulk dating from after 1980. They included many short, overlapping sequences of correspondence, lecture, meeting, and member records which were merged into continuations of established series including primarily correspondence and lectures but also meetings and member correspondence. The \"subject files\" were added to the existing miscellaneous series. ","\nSeveral other changes were also made. A re-examination of the catalog, subscription, and circulation books was undertaken and most were renumbered, described, and relabeled based on primary source research. The 1794-1861 minute book that had been donated back in 1922 was also discovered misfiled in Ms 98 (which covers the library proper since 1937) and was returned to its original collection. Some letters found in minute books were moved to the correspondence series, and their original locations were bookmarked with acid free paper. Photocopies of catalogs were removed. "],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThe Alexandria Library Records (Ms 98) document the library as a separate institution from 1937 onward.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003e\nIt particularly complements this collection in its early decades through its administrative correspondence, board correspondence, minutes, annual reports, and organizational records, including contracts with the Alexandria Library Society.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003e\nThe minutes of the library's executive board (1938-1947) are included in the microfilm version of the library minute books 1794-1947.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eTranscripts of library company lectures 2-18 are available in the library.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003clist type=\"deflist\"\u003e\n      \u003chead\u003eLecture series : [transcripts of the audiotapes made of the scholars invited to speak at these annual lectures]\u003c/head\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #2\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 2\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #3\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 3\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #4\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 4\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #5\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 5\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #6\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 6\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #7\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 7\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #8\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 8\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #9\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 9\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #10\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 10\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #11\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 11\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #12\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 12\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #13\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 13\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #14\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 14\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #15\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 15\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #16\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 16\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #17\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 17\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAlexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #18\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e080 LEC 18\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n    \u003c/list\u003e"],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related Materials"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["The Alexandria Library Records (Ms 98) document the library as a separate institution from 1937 onward.","\nIt particularly complements this collection in its early decades through its administrative correspondence, board correspondence, minutes, annual reports, and organizational records, including contracts with the Alexandria Library Society.","\nThe minutes of the library's executive board (1938-1947) are included in the microfilm version of the library minute books 1794-1947.","Transcripts of library company lectures 2-18 are available in the library.","Lecture series : [transcripts of the audiotapes made of the scholars invited to speak at these annual lectures] Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #2 080 LEC 2 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #3 080 LEC 3 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #4 080 LEC 4 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #5 080 LEC 5 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #6 080 LEC 6 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #7 080 LEC 7 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #8 080 LEC 8 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #9 080 LEC 9 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #10 080 LEC 10 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #11 080 LEC 11 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #12 080 LEC 12 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #13 080 LEC 13 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #14 080 LEC 14 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #15 080 LEC 15 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #16 080 LEC 16 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #17 080 LEC 17 Alexandria Library Co. Lecture Series #18 080 LEC 18"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThe collection consists of circulation, subscription, and financial ledgers, annual lecture series documents, catalogues, correspondence, and various organizational documents. Topics include: foundation of the\nAlexandria Library Company, its cycles of growth and decline reflecting the local economy; the formation of the local public library system; and the on-going activities of the Alexandria Library Company, most notably its lecture series.\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Content Description"],"scopecontent_tesim":["The collection consists of circulation, subscription, and financial ledgers, annual lecture series documents, catalogues, correspondence, and various organizational documents. Topics include: foundation of the\nAlexandria Library Company, its cycles of growth and decline reflecting the local economy; the formation of the local public library system; and the on-going activities of the Alexandria Library Company, most notably its lecture series."],"names_coll_ssim":["Alexandria Library (Alexandria, Va.)"],"names_ssim":["Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library","Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)","Alexandria Library (Alexandria, Va.)"],"corpname_ssim":["Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library","Alexandria Library Company","Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)","Alexandria Library (Alexandria, Va.)"],"language_ssim":["English"],"descrules_ssm":["Describing Archives: A Content Standard"],"total_component_count_is":147,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-05-01T00:09:43.684Z","bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eIn the 1780s, a discussion group of Alexandria gentlemen called \"The Society for the Promotion of Useful Knowledge\" was formed. In 1794, many of these same individuals gathered to form the nucleus of the Alexandria Library Company (ALC). The ALC was a subscription library modelled after the Philadelphia Library Company, which had also emerged from such a club. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eSociety president Reverend John Muir became president of the ALC, a position he would hold for almost 20 years. Many of the library's founders are known to have been members of local Masonic lodges. Elisha Cullen Dick, who had succeeded George Washington as the leader of Lodge 22, was among the first directors of the ALC as well as the secretary of the earlier Society. The first Librarian was Edward Stabler, the proprietor of an apothecary shop. In 1796, Stabler was replaced by James Kennedy, who served as librarian until 1818. Overlaps and family links between the leadership of the library and other Alexandria institutions remained common over the next century and a half. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eFor a time, the Alexandria Lyceum (founded in 1838) and the ALC shared a physical space as well as similar missions. The Alexandria Lyceum was founded as part of a national movement focused on educational lectures. The union between the two organizations was dissolved in 1844, but the library continued to rent space from the Lyceum. The library was later said to have been in a state of \"suspended animation\" from around 1846 to 1852. In 1852, a \"Young Men's\" group took over under the original charter, publishing a new catalog in 1856. The library continued to operate into the Civil War. It remained in the Lyceum but not without acrimony, which is evident in the Alexandria Gazette in 1860. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn October 1867, an agreement was reached with what was variously referred to as the Alexandria Christian Association and the YMCA for assistance with running the library. The library separated from this organization during the early 1870s. By the second half of the 1870s, the library fell into a decline which the directors blamed on the lack of a published catalog. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eThe first library catalog had been prepared by Kennedy in 1796 and published sometime thereafter. The earliest catalog of which there is an extant copy was published in 1801, followed by another in 1808 of which there are few traces. A more enduring catalog was created in 1815. The 1830s saw publication of a supplement to the 1815 catalog and the creation of a working catalog that would be used into the late 1840s. Normal circulation records end in April 1861 when the library was converted into a military hospital. There are stray entries in May and December before operations resumed on a limited basis in May 1862 and continued at least through that year. Over a thousand volumes were lost during the war. Due to the decline in usage in the 1870s, a new catalog was produced by librarian Emma J. Young in 1872 but never published. After two years with Young's catalog, another was commissioned from Dr. Theo West, which also went unpublished. As a stopgap, handwritten copies were used by patrons. In 1898, a new catalog was created which utilized a decimal system for the first time. The last published catalog was a supplement to the 1912 version. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn the late 1870s, appeals were made to the men of Alexandria for support,. The directors met with another \"Young Men's Library Association\" in 1878 without success, records of operations stop after January 1880.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eThe Gazette reported in January 1881 that the books were now in the custody of the school board, whose membership included William F. Carne, a former library company director and the son of one its former presidents. In May 1887 it reported that Carne, as leader of the board's library committee, was inviting associations wishing to participate in re-opening the library to a meeting at the Peabody school building where the books were held, and explained that he had always intended a reading room to be opened to the public once space was freed up for that purpose.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn June 1887, the Gazette reported that the \"Reading Circle of Washington and Lee Schools\" organized by teachers two years prior and the YMCA would operate the free library during the summer, in the hope that in September \"an effort will be made, with a very fair prospect of success, to re-organize the Library Company.\" Gazette reports in 1890 and 1891 refer to continued efforts by Carne and others to \"re-open\" the library, and in 1892 being part of a \"committee on the project for a free public library,\" but they did not succeed.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn the decades after 1870s librarianship not only professionalized but underwent a rapid gender shift, and apart from the periods in which there was no librarian for financial reasons, no male librarians seem to have been employed until well into the 20th century. Women's library organizations had become common nationally, and along with the philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie played a major role in the growth of public libraries in America starting in the late 19th century.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn September 1897, the Alexandria Library Association led by Virginia Corse received custody of the books then in possession of the school board. With a modest donation from Carnegie, by 1898 the library was back in business, but as a subscription library, it would not become a free public library for almost 40 years. The new library needed a new librarian, and after one or two initial hires, the association found Alice Green (1865-1956), who would serve from 1902-1937 and in a lesser capacity into the mid-1940s. During this period, space for the library was rented from the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC).\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eThe Depression brought financial hardship. As the crisis worsened in early 1931, the association had obtained $1,000 from the city council to form \"a nucleus for the establishment of a public library.\" Discussion of becoming a public library had been common since the 1920s, as the efforts of Carnegie and others had made them the norm nationally. Attempts were made to sell older books and hold fundraisers as subscription fees dried up. There was also a dispute with the UDC over a rent increase in 1933. The library was aided by the wealth of its members, including a $5,000 bequest in 1935 from its long-time treasurer, Margaret L. Smoot.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eMembers built political support both on the council and among the public in the mid-1930s and in 1937 it was agreed that a building would be constructed on the site of the old cemetery of the Society of Friends and that the city government would cover annual expenses of no more than $5,000 for the association to operate a free library. One member of the board would be appointed by the city. The new governing organization was rebranded the Alexandria Library Society.  Agreements were signed in January, and the library opened at the Kate Waller Barrett Branch's current location, 717 Queen Street.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eAnother change after 1937 was the gender composition of the leadership. Men served on the board of the new Society and played prominent roles after 1937. After 1948 they typically occupied the presidency of the organization. Most elections were unanimous, often with women casting most of the votes, but it ceased to be a women's organization. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eIn 1945 a technicality in the Society's contract with the city was brought to the attention of the board. Namely that the $5,000 the city was obligated to provide each year was not the minimum but rather the maximum contribution, and that the higher appropriations it had been making were illegal. The city took this as an opportunity to demand a contract change beyond the funding formula. Although the men of the city council had representation on the board, the women of the Society were still ultimately running the library, and the Society was asked to allow a majority of the executive board to be appointed by the city, and a minority by the Society. That the city legally \"owned the building and all its contents\" so long as it paid $5,000 per year was also pointed out. The Alexandria Library Society signed the new contract, surrendering control of the library in November 1947. In its reduced role, the Society still elected members to the board and received reports from the librarian. It also retained independent funds that could be used for the benefit of the library. With the library now fully the city's responsibility, the membership was also able to more openly advocate for additional funding.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eAnother longstanding issue at the library was race. The president's 1928 annual report had endorsed becoming a \"free city library,\" but feared that becoming a Carnegie library \"would bring in some elements hitherto unknown and I think undesirable in our Library.\" In the 1930s the library association favored providing segregated facilities, but, after repeated meetings with the city council, failed to achieve even that modest goal. In the 13 March, 1939, minutes, the issue was revisited yet again, but without result. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eFour days later on 17 March 1939, Sergeant George Wilson was turned down for a library card because of his race and Samuel Tucker filed a civil rights lawsuit against the librarian on his behalf. Plans for a segregated facility were dusted off, and new staff was hired so that the librarian could focus on the controversy. On 21 August 1939, several black men organized by Tucker entered the library and followed Wilson's example, but after being refused, seated themselves in the library with books, beginning America's first library sit-in. It ended only after the city manager called the police, and all were arrested. The lawsuit was dismissed on technical grounds, but to prevent a new lawsuit the city approved the Robert H. Robinson branch, which opened in 1940. Tucker refused to accept a card there. \u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eA major issue in the early 1950s was the push to expand the overcrowded main library serving the white community. The white librarian at the time, who had been hired in a junior capacity during Tucker's campaign in 1939, suggested to the Society that the expansion could be an opportunity to integrate. In the midst of the debates over expansion and additional funding, an opportunity emerged to purchase a neighboring building on the corner of North Columbus and Queen, which was later demolished. This prompted a discussion about the Alexandria Library Society's connection to the original library company. It was decided to change the name from the \"Alexandria Library Society\" to the \"Alexandria Library Company,\" make the appropriate filings with the state government, and reinstate the 1799 charter, which would be revised by the legislature in the 1980s to help obtain tax-exempt status from the IRS.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eThis name change was completed at one of the company's most consequential meetings in February 1956. Every member was asked to sign their name in the minute book to signal their assent. A letter from a local civil rights activist questioning the legality of library segregation was also read, but deemed the province of the library board, which referred the matter back to the company whose reply is not preserved.\u003c/p\u003e\n","\u003cp\u003eMember Mangum Weeks thereupon raised the question of the future role of the Library Company, and proposed resuming the tradition of annual lectures dating from the Lyceum period using funds from the newly instituted membership dues. This proposal was adopted, and preparing the annual lectures soon became a major focus of the Company. The Library Company continues to appoint members to the board of the Alexandria Library and hold its annual lecture series. It commissioned a new history of the library by William Seale in 2007, which can be found at the Local History and Special Collections Branch.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eChronological listings for both presidents of the board and librarians up to the modern day.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003clist type=\"deflist\"\u003e\n      \u003chead\u003ePresidents of the Library Company and Its Successors\u003c/head\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1794-February 1813\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRev. James Muir\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1813-February 1815\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eHugh Smith\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1815-March 1824\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJohn Roberts\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1824-February 1829\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eHugh Smith\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1829-February 1835\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJohn Richards\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1835-February 1840\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJohn Roberts\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1840-1852\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eElias Harrison\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003e1852-February 1855\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJ. Louis Kinzer\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1855-September 1858\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eFrancis Miller\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1858- February 1859\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRichard L. Carne\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1859-September 1859\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eCaleb S. Hallowell\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1859-February 1860\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam G. Cazenove\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1860-February 1870\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRichard L. Carne\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1870-February 1873\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eK. Kemper\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1873-October 1873\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eSamuel H. Janney\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1873-February 1874\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eSidney C. Neale\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1874-June 1879\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMercer Slaughter\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1897-October 1905\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eVirginia Corse\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJuly 1906-June 1925\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Samuel. L. Monroe\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1925-April 1930\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eLoula Smoot\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eApril 1930-November 1933\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Henry B. Soule, [Jessie E. Soule]\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eDecember 1933-December 1934\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMary Lloyd\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eDecember 1934-December 1936\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eSusan Thomson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eDecember 1936-November 1937\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Louis Scott\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1937-November 1944\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Curtis Backus\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1944-November 1946\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. [Lawrence] Fawcett, [Mary Fawcett]\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1946-November 1947\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eHoward Worth Smith\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1947-October 1948\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003e[Miss Anne] Lewis Jones\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1948-October 1949\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMiss Horne\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1949-October 1950\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMr. Stanley King\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1950-December 1951\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMr. [Joseph] Crockett\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eDecember 1951-February 1955\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMr. Robert Moncure\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1955-February 1957\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDr. [W. Bruce] Silcox\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1957-February 1959\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eStanley King\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1959-February 1962\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMangum Weeks\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1962-February 1963\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRichard Bales\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1963-February 1965\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDonald King\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1965-February 1967\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDavid Squires\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1967-February 1969\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eHoward Worth Smith Jr.\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1969-February 1971\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam Francis Smith\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1971-February 1972\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJohn T. Ticer\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1972-February 1974\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDavid M. Abshire\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1974-February 1976\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Merill Beede\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1976-February 1978\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Douglas Lindsey\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1978-February 1980\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eClarke T. Cooper Jr.\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1980-February 1982\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam Seale\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1982-February 1983\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDenys Peter Myers\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1983-February 1985\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam B. Hurd\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1985-February 1986\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eGeorge J. Stansfield\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1986-February 1987\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDr. Ernest A. Connally\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1987-February 1989\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDr. Wilton C. Corkern, Jr.\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1989-March 1991\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames M. Lewis\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1991-March 1992\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMrs. Anne Smith Paul\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1992-March 1993\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRichard R. G. Hobson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1993-March 1995\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eDabney Waring\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1995-March 1997\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames R. Hobson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1997-March 1998\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eRobert C. Reed\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1998-March 2000\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eNeil Horstman\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 2000-March 2002\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eCarroll Johnson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 2002-March 2003\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eThomas C. Brown Jr.\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n    \u003c/list\u003e","\u003clist type=\"deflist\"\u003e\n      \u003chead\u003eLibrarians of Alexandria\u003c/head\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1794-February 1796\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEdward Stabler\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1796-February 1818\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames Kennedy\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1818-August 1826\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWilliam Cranch\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eAugust 1826-October 1829\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eW. Samuel Mark\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1829-March 1845\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eGeorge Drinker\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1845-September 1845\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames M. Eaches\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1845-September 1852\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eC.F. Stuart\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1852-April 1853\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eH. W. P. Junius\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1852-April 1853\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eL.? Hunter\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eNovember 1853\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eOffice Abolished\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1854-October 1855\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eE. M.[Magruder?] Lowe\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1855-September 1858\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eNorval E. Foard\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1858-February 1859\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eS. Scott\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1859-September 1859\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEdward R. Roxbury\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eSeptember 1859-February 1860\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJames A. Clarridge\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1860-April 1861\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eCharles R. Burgess (acting)\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eApril 1861-Unknown\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEdwin N. Wise\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1868\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eWr. Bushby\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eApril 1870-May 1871\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eAugust Henning\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJuly 1871-March 1872\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eW. F. Stansbury\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1872-August 1873\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEmma J. Young\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1873-March 1876\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEmily English\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eMarch 1876\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003ePosition Eliminated\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJune 1879\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eR. Pendleton Bruin (unofficial? acting?)\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1900-October 1903\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eF. Olive Lyons\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eOctober 1903-April 1937 (continued part-time, mentioned up to 1946)\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eAlice Green\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eApril 1937-December 1938\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eMiss Beatrice Workman\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJanuary 1939-January 1941\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eKatherine Scoggin (later Martyn)\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eFebruary 1941-June 1948\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eBessie Watson\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJuly 1948-June 1969 (hired part-time October 1939, letter of resignation later that month)\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eEllen C. Burke\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n      \u003cdefitem\u003e\n        \u003clabel\u003eJuly 1969-October 1992 (librarian from 1958)\u003c/label\u003e\n        \u003citem\u003eJeanne G. Plitt\u003c/item\u003e\n      \u003c/defitem\u003e\n    \u003c/list\u003e"]}]}},"label":"Breadcrumbs"}}},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vaallhs_repositories_2_resources_128_c06_c02"}}],"included":[{"type":"facet","id":"repository_ssim","attributes":{"label":"Repository","items":[{"attributes":{"label":"Alexandria Library","value":"Alexandria Library","hits":6},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026f%5Brepository%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library\u0026view=compact"}}]},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/facet/repository_ssim.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026view=compact"}},{"type":"facet","id":"collection_ssim","attributes":{"label":"Collection","items":[{"attributes":{"label":"Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)","value":"Alexandria Library Company Records (MS002)","hits":6},"links":{"remove":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026view=compact"}}]},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/facet/collection_ssim.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026view=compact"}},{"type":"facet","id":"date_range_isim","attributes":{"label":"Date range","items":[{"attributes":{"label":"1794","value":"1794","hits":5},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1794\u0026view=compact"}},{"attributes":{"label":"1795","value":"1795","hits":5},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1795\u0026view=compact"}},{"attributes":{"label":"1796","value":"1796","hits":5},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1796\u0026view=compact"}},{"attributes":{"label":"1797","value":"1797","hits":5},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1797\u0026view=compact"}},{"attributes":{"label":"1798","value":"1798","hits":5},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1798\u0026view=compact"}},{"attributes":{"label":"1799","value":"1799","hits":6},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1799\u0026view=compact"}},{"attributes":{"label":"1800","value":"1800","hits":6},"links":{"remove":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026view=compact"}},{"attributes":{"label":"1801","value":"1801","hits":6},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1801\u0026view=compact"}},{"attributes":{"label":"1802","value":"1802","hits":6},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1802\u0026view=compact"}},{"attributes":{"label":"1803","value":"1803","hits":6},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1803\u0026view=compact"}},{"attributes":{"label":"1804","value":"1804","hits":6},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1804\u0026view=compact"}}]},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/facet/date_range_isim.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026view=compact"}},{"type":"facet","id":"creator_ssim","attributes":{"label":"Creator","items":[{"attributes":{"label":"Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","value":"Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","hits":1},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bcreators%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Association+%281897-1937%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026view=compact"}},{"attributes":{"label":"Alexandria Library Company","value":"Alexandria Library Company","hits":1},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bcreators%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026view=compact"}},{"attributes":{"label":"Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)","value":"Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)","hits":1},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bcreators%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Society+%281937-1953%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026view=compact"}}]},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/facet/creator_ssim.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026view=compact"}},{"type":"facet","id":"names_ssim","attributes":{"label":"Names","items":[{"attributes":{"label":"Alexandria Library (Alexandria, Va.)","value":"Alexandria Library (Alexandria, Va.)","hits":1},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026f%5Bnames%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+%28Alexandria%2C+Va.%29\u0026view=compact"}},{"attributes":{"label":"Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","value":"Alexandria Library Association (1897-1937)","hits":1},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026f%5Bnames%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Association+%281897-1937%29\u0026view=compact"}},{"attributes":{"label":"Alexandria Library Company","value":"Alexandria Library Company","hits":1},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026f%5Bnames%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company\u0026view=compact"}},{"attributes":{"label":"Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)","value":"Alexandria Library Society (1937-1953)","hits":1},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026f%5Bnames%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Society+%281937-1953%29\u0026view=compact"}},{"attributes":{"label":"Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library","value":"Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library","hits":1},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026f%5Bnames%5D%5B%5D=Local+History+and+Special+Collections+Branch%2C+Alexandria+Library\u0026view=compact"}}]},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/facet/names_ssim.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026view=compact"}},{"type":"facet","id":"geogname_ssim","attributes":{"label":"Places","items":[{"attributes":{"label":"Associations, institutions, etc","value":"Associations, institutions, etc","hits":1},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026f%5Bplaces%5D%5B%5D=Associations%2C+institutions%2C+etc\u0026view=compact"}},{"attributes":{"label":"Lectures and Lecturing","value":"Lectures and Lecturing","hits":1},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026f%5Bplaces%5D%5B%5D=Lectures+and+Lecturing\u0026view=compact"}},{"attributes":{"label":"Libraries -- Subscription Libraries","value":"Libraries -- Subscription Libraries","hits":1},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026f%5Bplaces%5D%5B%5D=Libraries+--+Subscription+Libraries\u0026view=compact"}}]},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/facet/geogname_ssim.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026view=compact"}},{"type":"facet","id":"access_subjects_ssim","attributes":{"label":"Subjects","items":[{"attributes":{"label":"Public libraries.","value":"Public libraries.","hits":1},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Baccess_subjects%5D%5B%5D=Public+libraries.\u0026f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026view=compact"}}]},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/facet/access_subjects_ssim.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026view=compact"}},{"type":"facet","id":"level_ssim","attributes":{"label":"Level","items":[{"attributes":{"label":"Collection","value":"Collection","hits":1},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026f%5Blevel%5D%5B%5D=Collection\u0026view=compact"}},{"attributes":{"label":"File","value":"File","hits":2},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026f%5Blevel%5D%5B%5D=File\u0026view=compact"}},{"attributes":{"label":"Series","value":"Series","hits":3},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026f%5Blevel%5D%5B%5D=Series\u0026view=compact"}}]},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/facet/level_ssim.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026view=compact"}},{"type":"search_field","id":"all_fields","attributes":{"label":"All Fields"},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026search_field=all_fields\u0026view=compact"}},{"type":"search_field","id":"keyword","attributes":{"label":"Keyword"},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026search_field=keyword\u0026view=compact"}},{"type":"search_field","id":"name","attributes":{"label":"Name"},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026search_field=name\u0026view=compact"}},{"type":"search_field","id":"place","attributes":{"label":"Place"},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026search_field=place\u0026view=compact"}},{"type":"search_field","id":"subject","attributes":{"label":"Subject"},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026search_field=subject\u0026view=compact"}},{"type":"search_field","id":"title","attributes":{"label":"Title"},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026search_field=title\u0026view=compact"}},{"type":"search_field","id":"container","attributes":{"label":"Container"},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026search_field=container\u0026view=compact"}},{"type":"search_field","id":"identifier","attributes":{"label":"Identifier"},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026search_field=identifier\u0026view=compact"}},{"type":"sort","id":"score desc, title_sort asc","attributes":{"label":"relevance"},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026sort=score+desc%2C+title_sort+asc\u0026view=compact"}},{"type":"sort","id":"date_sort asc","attributes":{"label":"date (ascending)"},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026sort=date_sort+asc\u0026view=compact"}},{"type":"sort","id":"date_sort desc","attributes":{"label":"date (descending)"},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026sort=date_sort+desc\u0026view=compact"}},{"type":"sort","id":"creator_sort asc","attributes":{"label":"creator (A-Z)"},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026sort=creator_sort+asc\u0026view=compact"}},{"type":"sort","id":"creator_sort desc","attributes":{"label":"creator (Z-A)"},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026sort=creator_sort+desc\u0026view=compact"}},{"type":"sort","id":"title_sort asc","attributes":{"label":"title (A-Z)"},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026sort=title_sort+asc\u0026view=compact"}},{"type":"sort","id":"title_sort desc","attributes":{"label":"title (Z-A)"},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Bcollection%5D%5B%5D=Alexandria+Library+Company+Records+%28MS002%29\u0026f%5Bdate_range%5D%5B%5D=1800\u0026sort=title_sort+desc\u0026view=compact"}}]}