Tennessee Virtual Archive has a new look...

Happy Halloween!

No tricks, all treats! The Tennessee Virtual Archive (TeVA) has undergone a major overhaul and has a new look for the first time since 2012! Visit it at http://bit.ly/newTeVA.

We have worked hard to create a fun, inviting design that showcases the materials in our collections. The new responsive design features eye-catching images and new ways to discover what we have in our digital collections, such as checking out a random item or exploring the collections by location or format.

Each collection has a new custom landing page that helps tell the story of that collection and connects it to similar materials we have. The new design is more accessible and now mobile-friendly, with better readability and an improved image viewer that works on devices of all sizes. The new and old versions of TeVA will exist side-by-side for the rest of the year, then we will permanently transition to the new TeVA at the end of 2018.

What's your favorite item in TeVA? Find it in the new site at http://bit.ly/newTeVA!

The Tennessee State Library and Archives is a division of the Office of Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett

Library and Archives Hosts "Family History Day" and Genealogy Workshop the Saturday after Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time when many of us reconnect with family members and share stories. At the Tennessee State Library and Archives, families can also explore stories of their relatives who lived generations ago. On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, the staff at the Library and Archives is encouraging Tennesseans to visit the library and celebrate “Family History Day” by learning more about genealogical research.

Manuscripts Archivist Darla Brock presents "Genealogical Gold in Tennessee Supreme Court Records" on Nov. 24th.

Beginning genealogists are often surprised at the extent to which ordinary Tennessee citizens appear within Supreme Court records. Manuscripts Archivist Darla Brock will share eye-opening examples of genealogical treasures found in case files and court exhibits and provide tips on making the most of the online Tennessee Supreme Court Cases Database. Ms. Brock will also detail the fascinating journey taken by Tennessee’s Supreme Court records to reach their current home at the State Library and Archives. After the workshop, Library and Archives staff members will be on hand to help visitors with their research.

“The Tennessee State Library and Archives is a great place for families to learn about their ancestors and to study their genealogy, especially during the holiday season when we turn our attention to time together,” Secretary of State Tre Hargett said. “I encourage families to bring generations together by exploring the vast resources found in the state archives. You never know what you might find.”

The session will be held from 9:30 a.m. until 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 24, at the Library and Archives auditorium, and research assistance will be available until 4:30 p.m. While the workshop is free, reservations are required due to limited seating. To make a reservation, visit https://familyhistorydayworkshop2018.eventbrite.com.

 Please note that Library and Archives will be closed Thursday, Nov. 22, and Friday, Nov. 23, for the Thanksgiving holiday, so it is important to make reservations beforehand.

The Library and Archives is located at 403 Seventh Avenue North, directly west of the State Capitol building in downtown Nashville. Parking is available around the Library and Archives building.

The Tennessee State Library and Archives is a division of the Office of Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett

Tennessee True Crime exhibit open to the public

The Tennessee State Library and Archives is proud to announce the installation of its latest exhibit, Tennessee True Crime. Open to the public now through December 2018. This exhibit features materials from the Library and Archives’ extensive collections and focuses on real crimes and criminals in Tennessee’s history. In this exhibit, we explore the seedier stories housed within our collections. From the well-known stories of Jesse James to the more local tales of Bertie Wrather and Brushy Mountain, this exhibit is filled with tales of criminals and their victims.

Tennessee True Crime exhibit panel

The Library and Archives is proud to exhibit not only its visual walled displays but also a curated selection of original archival material. Five exhibition cases will be filled with material from different manuscript and government records collections. One such display is curated from the Tennessee Supreme Court Records with unique objects used as evidentiary exhibits.

Brushy Mountain Penitentiary, circa 1920s
Library Photograph Collection
Tennessee State Library and Archives

FBI wanted poster for escaped prisoner of war Wolfgang Hermann Hellfritsch, 1943
Colonel Harry E. Dudley Papers
Tennessee State Library and Archives

Tennessee True Crime will be open to public Tuesday-Saturday, during regular business hours. 8am-4:30pm. Visitors can view the exhibit in the front lobby of the Library and Archives building, located at 403 7th Avenue N.

The Tennessee State Library and Archives is a division of the Office of Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett

Tennessee State Library Gives Free Access to 190 Years of The Tennessean

The Tennessee State Library and Archives is pleased to announce that Tennesseans will have free online access to the full run of The Tennessean (1812 to today) through the Tennessee Electronic Library (TEL).

Tennessee State Library Gives Free Access to 190 Years of The Tennessean

Previously, Tennesseans were only able to access full-text articles from The Tennessean back to 2002. With the addition of the historical Tennessean, Tennessee residents will be able to search and view news articles, photos, advertisements, classified ads, obituaries and cartoons from 1812 to 2002. The Tennessean began in publication 1907 but this service includes earlier titles such as the Nashville Whig and the Daily American. These papers reported not only Nashville-area news, but carried stories from around the state and the nation.

TEL has been providing access to electronic resources to libraries, schools and Tennesseans since 1999 in order to enhance the quality of their everyday lives, the depth of their educational experience, and the economic prosperity of their communities. TEL is administered by the Tennessee State Library and Archives, a division of the Tennessee Secretary of State’s office.

“By providing access to The Tennessean though TEL, we will greatly enhance access to first-hand accounts of Tennessee history as it unfolded,” Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett said. “Libraries and newspapers keep the pulse and record of the state; both are essential to quality information and research in our communities.”

“Online access to Nashville newspapers from 1812 to the present will be a great asset for students and everyone who enjoys history,” notes State Librarian and Archivist Chuck Sherrill. “Until now, newspapers have been virtually unsearchable unless one knew the date of an event. And access was limited to those that were able to come to the State Library through onsite microfilm readers and library computers. Now everyone can search these files from any computer in the state”

Visit www.tntel.info to access The Tennessean today. For more information, call (615) 532-4627or e-mail tel.tsla@tn.gov.


About Tennessee Electronic Library (https://www.tntel.info)

The Tennessee Electronic Library is made possible through funding provided by the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee and the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. TEL is administered by the Tennessee State Library and Archives, a division of the Tennessee Secretary of State’s office.

About ProQuest (https://www.proquest.com)

ProQuest is committed to supporting the important work happening in the world’s research and learning communities. The company curates content that matters to the advancement of knowledge, assembling an archive of billions of vetted, indexed documents. It simplifies workflows so that people and institutions use time effectively. And because ProQuest connects information communities, complex networks of systems and processes work together efficiently. With ProQuest, finding answers and deriving insights is straightforward and leads to extraordinary outcomes.

ProQuest and its companies and affiliates – Ex Libris, Alexander Street, Bowker – stand for better research, better learning, better insights. ProQuest enables people to change their world.

The Tennessee State Library and Archives is a division of the Office of Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett