The UncommonWealth – Voices from The Library of Virginia

Newly-Available Archival Accessions, April 1-June 30, 2026

The Library of Virginia maintains the most comprehensive collection of information about Virginia’s history, culture, and government. We hold more than 200 million manuscript items,…

Trenton HizerAugust 17, 2026

Perseverance Pays Off: How One 19th century Individual Restored His Rights

In recent years, readers may have become familiar with the term “conservatorship.” Most prominently, this topic has been connected to one of the most popular…

Callie FreedAugust 12, 2026

Public Libraries The Stacks

Bridging Virginia’s Digital Divide: The Essential Role of Public Libraries

Across Virginia, public libraries are not only places to borrow books; they are essential hubs for digital connection. For many households, the library is the…

Cindy ChurchAugust 10, 2026

Archives Digital Projects Education & Programming The Stacks

Introducing the Ideas in Action Project

But first things first, I’m Eric Johnson, the coordinator of the Ideas in Action: Virginians Petition Their Government, 1776-1786 project, a three-year initiative at the…

Eric JohnsonAugust 5, 2026

Newspapers The Stacks

The Mountain Laurel

Editor's Note: Intern Haylee Ziegler is working with the Virginia Newspaper Program to collect, inventory, and catalog newspapers from across Virginia. Ziegler has her graduate…

Haylee ZieglerAugust 3, 2026

Archives Newspapers

“Whoever said that told a damned lie!”: The Witcher-Clement Feud

Whether attributable to St. Augustine, Chaucer, or Aesop the trope that familiarity breeds contempt has plenty of historical precedent – the Hatfields and McCoys, Alexander…