Friends of the Tennessee State Library and Archives

Friends of the Tennessee State Library and Archives

Preserving the Past, Informing the Future

Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening of the new Library and Archives building
(recorded Monday, April 12, 2021)

Facebook Live: bit.ly/TNSOSFacebook YouTube Live: bit.ly/TNSOSYouTube

Virginia Gooch Watson cuts the ribbon on the new Library and Archives building, April 12, 2021.

The new Library and Archives building is located at 1001 Rep. John Lewis Way N, Nashville, at the north end of Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park.

The Friends of the Tennessee State Library and Archives share a belief that the history of our state is worth preserving and that access to information is essential for thriving community.

The Friends organization provides financial support to the Tennessee State Library and Archives to fulfill its many missions and services, for the benefit of all citizens of our great state.

The Friends have helped the State Library and Archives to acquire items for its collection, and has even helped with special furnishings at the new Library and Archives building.

Please consider joining our group and helping to support the missions of the Tennessee State Library and Archives.

Find us on Facebook (TSLAFriends), or reach us via email here:

Whether you characterize the Tennessee State Library and Archives as an unsung hero for rescuing communities across the state through the public libraries and archives it supports and administers, or describe it as a treasure trove for historians, genealogists and researchers, the resources and staff at the State Library and Archives make a difference every day in the lives of Tennesseans.
Here are just a few of the ways:

• Tennessee’s largest history and genealogy collection including important state documents and historical records, a wealth of genealogical resources that has been featured on national television (thank you “Do You Know Who You Are?”) and the Tennessee Electronic Virtual Archive TeVA) that gives students, enthusiasts and scholars immediate access to many of the gems of the collection. The photographs in this brochure are just a sampling of what can be found at TeVA.

• TEL (Tennessee Electronic Library) is free to all Tennesseans includes is a collection of 40+ databases that provide access to over 400,000 magazine, journal, and newspaper articles, essays, podcasts, videos, e-books, primary source materials, and more
http://tntel.tnsos.org/index.htm

• The Tennessee Regional Library System including more than 200 public libraries in 12 regions. In addition to providing administration and collection support, the State Library and Archives also provides training for library staff, resources for the successful summer reading programs.

• The Library for Accessible Books and Media provides a free library program of Braille, recorded and large print materials is available to Tennessee residents who are not able to use standard print materials due to a visual or physical disability
https://sos.tn.gov/node/7328

• And much more! See http://www.tn.gov/tsla for further information.