Family History Day at the Library and Archives
Saturday, October 26, 2024, 9:30am - 4:30pm
The Tennessee State Library & Archives, together with the Friends of the Tennessee State Library & Archives, will again host a free Family History Day on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, with research assistance available from staff members and expert researchers.
Our guest speaker this year will be Taneya Koonce, MLS, MPH.
Member Reception and Tour of the New Library and Archives Building
Saturday, April 24, 2021
Friends members and their guests attended a special reception at the new Library and Archives building. Library and Archives staff conducted behind-the-scenes tours of the new facility.
Virtual Tour of the New Library and Archives Building
Tuesday, April 13, 2021
State Librarian and Archivist Chuck Sherrill hosted a virtual tour of the new Library and Archives building.
(Recorded) Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening Ceremony for the new Library and Archives Building
Monday, April 12, 2021
The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Library and Archives building was recorded. You can view the recordings on the Secretary of State's Facebook page at bit.ly/TNSOSFacebook or YouTube channel at bit.ly/TNSOSYouTube
Saturday, October 26, 2024, 9:30am - 4:30pm
The Tennessee State Library & Archives, together with the Friends of the Tennessee State Library & Archives, will again host a free Family History Day on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, with research assistance available from staff members and expert researchers.
Our guest speaker this year will be Taneya Koonce, MLS, MPH.
Member Reception and Tour of the New Library and Archives Building
Saturday, April 24, 2021
Friends members and their guests attended a special reception at the new Library and Archives building. Library and Archives staff conducted behind-the-scenes tours of the new facility.
Virtual Tour of the New Library and Archives Building
Tuesday, April 13, 2021
State Librarian and Archivist Chuck Sherrill hosted a virtual tour of the new Library and Archives building.
(Recorded) Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening Ceremony for the new Library and Archives Building
Monday, April 12, 2021
The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Library and Archives building was recorded. You can view the recordings on the Secretary of State's Facebook page at bit.ly/TNSOSFacebook or YouTube channel at bit.ly/TNSOSYouTube
Staff Show-and-Tell at Friends Board Meeting
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Staff Appreciation Event
The Friends recognized the Library and Archives staff Wednesday, April 12, 2018 during National Library Week for their ongoing service to patrons throughout the year. We provided refreshments and door prizes. |
Library and Archives Building - 62nd Birthday Celebration The Friends provided refreshments for a celebration of the 62nd 'birthday' of the Library and Archives' first building on June 17, 2015: (clockwise, from top left): Refreshments on one of the original tables used in the Reading Room and throughout the building; Katheryne Cowan cutting the cake, with staff and patrons waiting for a piece. Friends Executive Board Front row: Katheryne A. Cowan, Secretary; Virginia Gooch Watson, President; Chuck Sherrill, State Librarian and Archivist Back row: J. Mark Lowe, Vice President & President Elect; Celia S. Walker, Middle TN Representative; Jami Awalt, Library and Archives' Liaison to the Friends organization Lobby showing the original card catalog, with Jami Awalt, Genny Short, Gordon Belt & Chuck Sherrill enjoying the building’s 62nd birthday. Great Seal of the State of Tennessee on the lobby floor |
Staff Appreciation Event
The Friends recognized the Library and Archives staff Wednesday, April 15, 2015 during National Library Week, for their on-going service to patrons all during the year. We provided the doughnuts, coffee and door prizes which included DNA kits, books, DVDs, and $10 lunch cards. Photos: Friends President Virginia Gooch Watson and Secretary Katheryne Cowan Friends President Virginia Gooch Watson, Secretary of State Tre Hargett, TSLAFriends Secretary Katheryne Cowan and State Librarian and Archivist Chuck Sherrill. Christine Madu (Library Assistant) Larry Butler (Micrographics Manager) and Gordon Belt (Director of Public Services) Lisa Lombard (Barcoding Assistant), Jessica Short (Digital Materials Librarian), Joon Powell (Digital Archivist), Erin Loree (TEL Coordinator), and Kate Williams (Exhibits Coordinator) |
Past Events
Saturday, August 1, 2020
Money, Power, and Genealogy: How We Use the U. S. Census
Presented by Trent Hanner
Saturday, November 30, 2019
Family History Day
Family Gatherings: Dragging Genealogy Information Out of Your Family
Presented by Melissa Barker
Saturday, September 14, 2019
Runaways, Coffles and Fancy Girls: A History of Slavery in Tennessee
presented by Bill Carey
Saturday, June 1, 2019
The History of Tennessee's Constitutions
presented by Hon. Judge Andy D. Bennett, Tennessee Court of Appeals
Saturday, May 4, 2019
Cross-Connections to the Civil War
presented by J. Mark Lowe, CG, FUGA
Saturday, March 23, 2019
Navigating TeVA: The Tennessee Virtual Archive
presented by Jennifer Randles, Digital Workgroup
Saturday, January 26, 2019
"Old News is Good News: Using Historical Newspapers in Your Research"
Presented by Taneya Koonce, MLS, MPH
Saturday, November 24, 2018
Family History Day
"Genealogical Gold in Tennessee Supreme Court Records"
Presented by Darla Brock
Saturday, September 29, 2018
"Glorious Victory: Election Records at the Library and Archives"
Presented by Jim Long
Saturday, August 18, 2018
"The Ryman Diaries"
Presented by Tom Dolan and Debbie Watts
Saturday, June 23, 2018
"It's Not All Online: Researching in Archives"
Presented by Melissa Barker, Houston County Archivist
Saturday, April 14, 2018
"Locked Up: Finding Ancestors in Prisons and Asylums"
Presented by Chuck Sherrill, State Librarian and Archivist
Saturday, February 17, 2018, 9:30am - 11:00am
"Discovering the Missing Threads and Patches in My Family's History:
A Pre-Recorded Webinar and Discussion"
Featuring Deborah Abbott, Ph.D.
Moderated by J. Mark Lowe
Saturday, November 25, 2017, 9:30am - 10:30am
"Genealogy A to Z"
Presented by Gordon Belt, Director of Public Services
Saturday, October 14, 2017, 10:00am - noon
"Folklife Traditions"
Presented by the Tennessee Arts Commission
Saturday, September 23, 2017, 9:30am - 11:00am
"Land Platting: State Grants and Local Deeds"
Presented by J. Mark Lowe, CG, FUGA
Saturday, July 22, 2017, 9:30am - 11:00am
"From Farm Boy to Tomahawk Warrior: David Franklin Brock Korean War Photograph Collection"
Presented by Darla Brock
Saturday, May 6, 2017, 9:30am - 11:00am
"Tennessee Sampler Survey"
Presented by Janet S. Hasson
Saturday, April 1, 2017, 9:30am - 11:00am
"Andrew Jackson and his Legacy"
Presented by Dr. Wayne Moore and Zachary Keith
Saturday, January 28, 2017, 9:30am - 11:00am
"Murder and Mayhem in Nashville"
Presented by Brian Allison
Saturday, September 24, 2016, 9:30am - 11:00am
"Unfolding Tennessee History in the Tennessee Supreme Court Case Files"
Presented by Dr. Susan Knowles, Digital Humanities Fellow at Middle Tennessee State University's Center for Historic Preservation
Saturday, August 20, 2016, 9:30am - 11:00am
"Women’s Suffrage: Tennessee and the Passage of the 19th Amendment"
Presented by Genny Carter, Staff Librarian
Saturday, July 30, 2016, 9:30 - 11:00am
"Preserving Tennessee Folkways: Highlights of the Folklife Collections of the Tennessee State Library and Archives"
Presented by Carol Roberts, Conservation Manager
Saturday, May 21, 2016, 10:30am - noon
Notable Scholar Lisa M. Budreau Lectures on World War I Aftermath
"Coffins and Gold Stars: The Story of American Remembrance in the Aftermath of the Great War"
Friday, April 15, 2016, 11:30am - 4:00pm
Saturday, April 16, 2016, 9:00am - 11:30am
Over Here, Over There: Tennesseans in the First World War
A Tennessee State Library & Archives project to digitize, preserve and present the World War I memorabilia of Tennessee families.
Saturday, April 2, 2016, 9:30am - 11:00am, TSLA Auditorium
Tennessee in the Great War: Finding your World War I Ancestor at the
Tennessee State Library and Archives
Presented by Gordon T. Belt
Saturday, January 30, 2016, 9:30am - 11:00am, TSLA Auditorium
The Ghosts of the Green Grass: A Vietnam war Journey
presented by J. L. "Bud" Alley
Saturday, September 26, 2015, 9:30am - 11:00am, TSLA Auditorium
Using TSLA Resources to Turn Small Clues Into Big Discoveries
Presented by Jim Long
Saturday, August 1, 2015, 9:30am - 11:00am, TSLA Auditorium
Finding Your Ancestors Through 19th Century Photography
Presented by Lynda Massey
Saturday, May 30, 2015, 9:30am - 11:00am, TSLA Auditorium
Surveying Tennessee's Digital Resources: The Tennessee Virtual Archive and Civil War Geography of Tennessee
Saturday, March 28, 2015, 9:30am - 11:00am
Discovering the History of Nashville
Presented by David Ewing
Saturday, February 14, 2015, 1:00pm - 4:30pm
Exploring African-American Genealogy
Saturday, January 24, 2015, 9:30am - 11:00am
World War I and Alvin York: Tennessee’s Service in “The Great War”
Dr. Michael Birdwell, Professor of History at Tennessee Tech University
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
"Historic Maps of Tennessee and Beyond: Digital Maps at the Tennessee State Library and Archives"
Assistant State Archivist, Dr. Wayne Moore
Saturday, November 29, 2014
“County Connections: Researching Your Family History in County Records at the Tennessee State Library and Archives.”
Gordon Belt, Director of Public Services at TSLA
.
Saturday, October 25, 2014
“Creating Order in the Midst of Chaos: Union Provost Marshal Records”
Darla Brock, Manuscript Archivist at TSLA
September 20, 2014
Tennessee Ancestry Library Event (TALE), a full day of genealogy classes at the Sheraton Nashville Downtown hotel.
August 23, 2014
“Supreme Court Records”
Chuck Sherrill, TN State Librarian & Archivist
June 21, 2014
Rare Copy of the Declaration of Independence To Be Shown in Nashville
June 21, 2014
Allen Forkum, Publisher & Editor of “The Nashville Retrospect” on his use of the Library and Archives collection as basis of all his articles published in his paper
February 22, 2014
Introductory video from John F. Baker, Jr.'s presentation
Beginning with Oral Histories, Finding Records and Compiling Stories: Building a Family Genealogy & History
Running time: 5:18
https://vimeo.com/88610403
http://www.wessyngton.com
President's Day 2014 Spotlight:
George Washington's Mt. Vernon Account Book, 1776-1785
Saturday, August 1, 2020
Money, Power, and Genealogy: How We Use the U. S. Census
Presented by Trent Hanner
Saturday, November 30, 2019
Family History Day
Family Gatherings: Dragging Genealogy Information Out of Your Family
Presented by Melissa Barker
Saturday, September 14, 2019
Runaways, Coffles and Fancy Girls: A History of Slavery in Tennessee
presented by Bill Carey
Saturday, June 1, 2019
The History of Tennessee's Constitutions
presented by Hon. Judge Andy D. Bennett, Tennessee Court of Appeals
Saturday, May 4, 2019
Cross-Connections to the Civil War
presented by J. Mark Lowe, CG, FUGA
Saturday, March 23, 2019
Navigating TeVA: The Tennessee Virtual Archive
presented by Jennifer Randles, Digital Workgroup
Saturday, January 26, 2019
"Old News is Good News: Using Historical Newspapers in Your Research"
Presented by Taneya Koonce, MLS, MPH
Saturday, November 24, 2018
Family History Day
"Genealogical Gold in Tennessee Supreme Court Records"
Presented by Darla Brock
Saturday, September 29, 2018
"Glorious Victory: Election Records at the Library and Archives"
Presented by Jim Long
Saturday, August 18, 2018
"The Ryman Diaries"
Presented by Tom Dolan and Debbie Watts
Saturday, June 23, 2018
"It's Not All Online: Researching in Archives"
Presented by Melissa Barker, Houston County Archivist
Saturday, April 14, 2018
"Locked Up: Finding Ancestors in Prisons and Asylums"
Presented by Chuck Sherrill, State Librarian and Archivist
Saturday, February 17, 2018, 9:30am - 11:00am
"Discovering the Missing Threads and Patches in My Family's History:
A Pre-Recorded Webinar and Discussion"
Featuring Deborah Abbott, Ph.D.
Moderated by J. Mark Lowe
Saturday, November 25, 2017, 9:30am - 10:30am
"Genealogy A to Z"
Presented by Gordon Belt, Director of Public Services
Saturday, October 14, 2017, 10:00am - noon
"Folklife Traditions"
Presented by the Tennessee Arts Commission
Saturday, September 23, 2017, 9:30am - 11:00am
"Land Platting: State Grants and Local Deeds"
Presented by J. Mark Lowe, CG, FUGA
Saturday, July 22, 2017, 9:30am - 11:00am
"From Farm Boy to Tomahawk Warrior: David Franklin Brock Korean War Photograph Collection"
Presented by Darla Brock
Saturday, May 6, 2017, 9:30am - 11:00am
"Tennessee Sampler Survey"
Presented by Janet S. Hasson
Saturday, April 1, 2017, 9:30am - 11:00am
"Andrew Jackson and his Legacy"
Presented by Dr. Wayne Moore and Zachary Keith
Saturday, January 28, 2017, 9:30am - 11:00am
"Murder and Mayhem in Nashville"
Presented by Brian Allison
Saturday, September 24, 2016, 9:30am - 11:00am
"Unfolding Tennessee History in the Tennessee Supreme Court Case Files"
Presented by Dr. Susan Knowles, Digital Humanities Fellow at Middle Tennessee State University's Center for Historic Preservation
Saturday, August 20, 2016, 9:30am - 11:00am
"Women’s Suffrage: Tennessee and the Passage of the 19th Amendment"
Presented by Genny Carter, Staff Librarian
Saturday, July 30, 2016, 9:30 - 11:00am
"Preserving Tennessee Folkways: Highlights of the Folklife Collections of the Tennessee State Library and Archives"
Presented by Carol Roberts, Conservation Manager
Saturday, May 21, 2016, 10:30am - noon
Notable Scholar Lisa M. Budreau Lectures on World War I Aftermath
"Coffins and Gold Stars: The Story of American Remembrance in the Aftermath of the Great War"
Friday, April 15, 2016, 11:30am - 4:00pm
Saturday, April 16, 2016, 9:00am - 11:30am
Over Here, Over There: Tennesseans in the First World War
A Tennessee State Library & Archives project to digitize, preserve and present the World War I memorabilia of Tennessee families.
Saturday, April 2, 2016, 9:30am - 11:00am, TSLA Auditorium
Tennessee in the Great War: Finding your World War I Ancestor at the
Tennessee State Library and Archives
Presented by Gordon T. Belt
Saturday, January 30, 2016, 9:30am - 11:00am, TSLA Auditorium
The Ghosts of the Green Grass: A Vietnam war Journey
presented by J. L. "Bud" Alley
Saturday, September 26, 2015, 9:30am - 11:00am, TSLA Auditorium
Using TSLA Resources to Turn Small Clues Into Big Discoveries
Presented by Jim Long
Saturday, August 1, 2015, 9:30am - 11:00am, TSLA Auditorium
Finding Your Ancestors Through 19th Century Photography
Presented by Lynda Massey
Saturday, May 30, 2015, 9:30am - 11:00am, TSLA Auditorium
Surveying Tennessee's Digital Resources: The Tennessee Virtual Archive and Civil War Geography of Tennessee
Saturday, March 28, 2015, 9:30am - 11:00am
Discovering the History of Nashville
Presented by David Ewing
Saturday, February 14, 2015, 1:00pm - 4:30pm
Exploring African-American Genealogy
Saturday, January 24, 2015, 9:30am - 11:00am
World War I and Alvin York: Tennessee’s Service in “The Great War”
Dr. Michael Birdwell, Professor of History at Tennessee Tech University
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
"Historic Maps of Tennessee and Beyond: Digital Maps at the Tennessee State Library and Archives"
Assistant State Archivist, Dr. Wayne Moore
Saturday, November 29, 2014
“County Connections: Researching Your Family History in County Records at the Tennessee State Library and Archives.”
Gordon Belt, Director of Public Services at TSLA
.
Saturday, October 25, 2014
“Creating Order in the Midst of Chaos: Union Provost Marshal Records”
Darla Brock, Manuscript Archivist at TSLA
September 20, 2014
Tennessee Ancestry Library Event (TALE), a full day of genealogy classes at the Sheraton Nashville Downtown hotel.
August 23, 2014
“Supreme Court Records”
Chuck Sherrill, TN State Librarian & Archivist
June 21, 2014
Rare Copy of the Declaration of Independence To Be Shown in Nashville
June 21, 2014
Allen Forkum, Publisher & Editor of “The Nashville Retrospect” on his use of the Library and Archives collection as basis of all his articles published in his paper
February 22, 2014
Introductory video from John F. Baker, Jr.'s presentation
Beginning with Oral Histories, Finding Records and Compiling Stories: Building a Family Genealogy & History
Running time: 5:18
https://vimeo.com/88610403
http://www.wessyngton.com
President's Day 2014 Spotlight:
George Washington's Mt. Vernon Account Book, 1776-1785
Union Provost Marshal Database now Online
Details about life in Tennessee during the Civil War are emerging through a new project of the Tennessee State Library and Archives. Archivists and volunteers at TSLA have created an online database of records from provost marshals, who served as military police for the Union Army during the war.
The TSLA Union Provost Marshal Database will be of great benefit to genealogists, historians, and others who can learn fascinating details about what people’s lives were like during the Civil War. These records provide valuable information related to many Tennesseans - not only soldiers but also ordinary men and women caught in the turmoil of war. They include correspondence, oaths of allegiance, orders, passes, transportation permits, lists of prisoners, paroles, provost court papers, and claims for compensation for property used or destroyed by military forces.
These War Department records dating from 1861 to 1867 were originally microfilmed by the National Archives and Records Administration. Since 2011, TSLA staff members, with the help of volunteers Cinamon Collins and Shirley Wilson, have been scanning documents that relate to Tennesseans during the war and entering those documents into the database with the goal of creating a fully searchable online database for the Tennessee portion of these records. Those documents are now available online at http://www.tnsos.net/TSLA/provost/index.php.
Details about life in Tennessee during the Civil War are emerging through a new project of the Tennessee State Library and Archives. Archivists and volunteers at TSLA have created an online database of records from provost marshals, who served as military police for the Union Army during the war.
The TSLA Union Provost Marshal Database will be of great benefit to genealogists, historians, and others who can learn fascinating details about what people’s lives were like during the Civil War. These records provide valuable information related to many Tennesseans - not only soldiers but also ordinary men and women caught in the turmoil of war. They include correspondence, oaths of allegiance, orders, passes, transportation permits, lists of prisoners, paroles, provost court papers, and claims for compensation for property used or destroyed by military forces.
These War Department records dating from 1861 to 1867 were originally microfilmed by the National Archives and Records Administration. Since 2011, TSLA staff members, with the help of volunteers Cinamon Collins and Shirley Wilson, have been scanning documents that relate to Tennesseans during the war and entering those documents into the database with the goal of creating a fully searchable online database for the Tennessee portion of these records. Those documents are now available online at http://www.tnsos.net/TSLA/provost/index.php.