STAFF Coeditors Cy Dillon Hampden-Sydney College H-SC Box 7 Virginia Hampden-Sydney, Virginia 23943 (434) 223-6197 [email protected] Lyn C. A. Gardner Libraries Hampton Public Library 4207 Victoria Blvd. October/November/December 2010, Vol. 56, No. 4 Hampton, Virginia 23669 (757) 727-1218 (757) 727-1151 (fax) COLUMNS [email protected] Lyn C. A. Gardner 2 Openers John Moorman 3 President’s Column Editorial Board 31 Virginia Reviews Lydia C. Williams Longwood University Library Farmville, Virginia 23909 FEATURES (434) 395-2432 [email protected] Mary Sellen and 5 A Tale of Two Libraries: Jennifer Anielski Combining The Mariners’ Museum Library and Ed Lener Christopher Newport University’s Trible Library College Librarian for the Sciences David A. Taylor 7 Exploring Virginia Life through the Virginia Tech University Libraries P.O. Box 90001 WPA Writers’ Project Blacksburg, Virginia 24062-9001 Gregg Grunow 11 Preservation and Access for the (540) 231-9249 Old Dominion Land Company Collection [email protected] David Anderson 14 Building Digital Archives Collections at Karen Dillon Northern Virginia Community College Manager, Library Services Laura Drake Davis 17 Civil War 150 Legacy Project: Carilion Health System and Renee Savits Document Digitization and Access P.O. Box 13367 Roanoke, Virginia 24033 B. Dawn Fisher 19 Special Libraries in the Baptist Church (540) 981-7258 Jim Gwin 23 A Special Relationship: (540) 981-8666 (fax) The Virginia Baptist Historical Society and [email protected] the Boatwright Memorial Library Matthew Todd Beth S. Harris 26 Discovering the Unexpected: NOVA The Margaret Wise Brown Collection at 3001 N. Beauregard St. Wyndham Robertson Library, Hollins University Alexandria, VA 22331 Phone: 703-845-6033 [email protected] Virginia Libraries is a quarterly journal published by the Virginia Library Association whose purpose is to develop, promote, and improve library and information services and the profes- Publications Committee Chair sion of librarianship in order to advance literacy and learning and to ensure access to informa- Suzy Szasz Palmer tion in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Library of Virginia The journal, distributed to the membership, is used as a vehicle for members to exchange 800 E. Broad St. information, ideas, and solutions to mutual problems in professional articles on current topics Richmond, VA 23219 in the library and information field. Views expressed in Virginia Libraries are not necessarily (804) 692-3620 endorsed by the editors or editorial board. (804) 692-3556 (fax) The Virginia Library Association (VLA) holds the copyright on all articles published in [email protected] Virginia Libraries whether the articles appear in print or electronic format. Material may be reproduced for informational, educational, or recreational purposes provided the source of the material is cited. The print version of Virginia Libraries is designed by Lamp-Post Publicity in Meherrin, Virginia. The electronic version of Virginia Libraries is created by Virginia Tech’s Digital Library and Archives and is available at http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/VALib or as On the cover: The Hollins a link from the Virginia Library Association website (http://www.vla.org) and the Directory of Authors Collection, including Open Access Journals (http://www.doaj.org/). Virginia Libraries is indexed in Library Litera- the Margaret Wise Brown ture, a database produced by the H.W. Wilson ­Company. Collection, in the Hollins Room Items for publication and editorial inquiries should be addressed to the editors. Inquiries at Wyndham Robertson Library, regarding membership, subscriptions, advertising, or claims should be directed to VLA, P.O. Hollins University. Photo by Box 8277, Norfolk, VA 23503-0277. All personnel happenings and announcements should be David Maxson. See article on sent to the VLA Newsletter, Carol Wittig, [email protected]. page 26. The guidelines for submissions to Virginia Libraries are found on page 4. PAGE 2 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010

OPENERS The Particular Delight of Special Libraries

by Lyn C. A. Gardner

fter earning my master’s for weeks on end to conduct their my enthusiasm, and we enjoyed in English literature, research. Some were historians, the cooperative, collegial atmo- during the long search some genealogists, some enthu- sphere of those whose love of a sub- Afor a full-time job, I had the good siasts, and some creative writers; ject inspires them to work toward fortune to answer a call for a tem- many of these would share their shared goals. The collection itself porary position at The Mariners’ resulting books with the library, was a constant delight. Today, as Museum Library to perform an further enriching the collection. catalog librarian for Hampton Pub- inventory of their collection as The archives themselves not lic Library, I am pleased to be able part of their retrospective conver- to indulge in original cataloging sion. While I’d worked for my local for the many interesting acquisi- public library in high school and tions of the Virginiana collection, during my undergraduate years, [We] frequently had and I greatly enjoy working in and had used plenty of college and visiting researchers the supportive team environment university libraries in the Hampton of our Technical Services Depart- Roads area, this was the first time who’d travel great ment; but I will always think back I’d set foot in a special library. with fondness on those golden The collection was breathtaking. distances and stay years at the museum, immersed in The rare book room held volumes in local hotels for that breathtaking collection. so tall some stood in the space of While special libraries come in four normal shelves, with others weeks on end to many shapes and sizes, serving so tiny they were half the size of a multitude of general and very my palm. Handwritten logbooks conduct their research. specific populations, they share held drawings of ships, often with one thing in common: concen- interesting bindings, such as one tration on particular subjects at a with wooden boards and chains only contained many cabinets of level of depth able to satisfy seri- with tiny anchors to lock the book. photographs, including a plethora ous researchers, aficionados, and Books in a wealth of ancient and of images of specific vessels, but the curious alike. Those engaged modern languages dated back to also held maps, charts, programs in such specific inquiries can find the 1400s. One volume consisted for exclusive functions on board nowhere better to satisfy their of beautiful watercolors painted by luxury liners, tickets, handwritten interests; and the best part is, the a woman who journeyed with her letters pertaining to the Titanic staff usually enjoy the process of captain-brother around the world. and the USS Monitor, detailed plans researching these requests and In addition to the rare books, for Chris Craft boats, and a wealth learning the results with the same the library held an amazing depth of material that simply made one enthusiasm as the searchers them- and breadth of maritime materi- catch one’s breath with wonder at selves. VL als on all subjects, to the extent the sudden immediacy of the past. that staff were able to answer I was fortunate to graduate to a research requests from around the full-time position at The Mariners’ globe, and frequently had visit- Museum Library, whose collection ing researchers who’d travel great I’d fallen in love with at first sight. distances and stay in local hotels My fellow staff members all shared OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 3

President’s Column

by John Moorman

y the time this issue of members. The Legislative Commit- Fourth, the year was a time to Virginia Libraries arrives at tee, under the leadership of Bette forge new partnerships. In July your door or desk, I will Dillehay and John Halliday, kept 2010, I met with the leadership of Bbe the past-president of the Vir- us informed and up-to-date on the Virginia Educational Media ginia Library Association. The asso- legislative matters. The commit- Association (VEMA) and the ciation presidency will continue in tee produced a legislative agenda Library of Virginia to begin the the good hands of Matthew Todd. in time for its adoption at the June process of enhancing communica- I have worked with Matt the past executive committee and council tion and cooperation as we work two years as a member of the VLA meetings. together on projects such as Find Executive Committee and have the Third, this was a year of great It Virginia. Since that meeting, I highest respect for his abilities and change for the association. During have contacted the leadership of informed judgment. the year, the process of changing the Virginia Society for Technol- What can I say about my year as ogy in Education to expand our your elected leader? cooperative effort on behalf of Find First, heartfelt thanks for the It Virginia. I was a part of a meet- opportunity members of the Vir- … this was a year ing with the new Virginia Secre- ginia Library Association gave me tary of Education in July in which to be the association’s official voice of great change for we outlined the value of Find It for the past year. It is the greatest the association. Virginia and the role that libraries honor that I have received in my of all types play in the educational career and I will treasure the expe- process. rience for the rest of my life. Fifth, I delighted in meeting new Second, with the assistance of executive directors was initiated. people and in attending events that the VLA Executive Committee and Early in the year, Linda Hahne, our I normally would not. For the sec- Council, much was accomplished. executive director, indicated to the ond year in a row, I gave welcom- The VLA Manual was updated, Executive Committee that it was ing remarks at the VLA Paraprofes- including changing the duties of time for her to retire. Linda has sional Forum Annual Conference the past-president and others to been the personal face of the asso- and heard the conference’s open- reflect the current needs of the ciation for the past thirteen years. ing speaker. I came away wishing association. The VLA Foundation Coming in at a time when the that I had the eloquence of Satia was disbanded, and its funds are association’s existence was in ques- Orange and Sam Clay. I attended now an endowment account of the tion, Linda has done an outstand- one of the two summer institutes association, under the guidance ing job of guiding the association sponsored by VLA/CRL. While it of the Professional Development throughout her tenure as executive has been thirty-five years since I Endowment Committee. A new director. She leaves VLA in good left the academic library realm, the logo was designed with the assis- financial and organizational shape. meeting brought back memories of tance of the staff of the Central After considerable discussion and past work experiences. I also heard Rappahannock Regional Library. examination of several highly qual- good presentations and a discus- The VLA Newsletter began its tran- ified candidates, the VLA Executive sion on issues of concern to our sition to a web-based publication Committee approved a contract academic library members. that can be updated on a regular with Lisa Varga to become the new Anyone’s time as an association basis. The association’s web pres- VLA Executive Director on March president is short, and that is for ence continues to be upgraded as a 1, 2011. This fall, Lisa will be work- the best. I hope that I have left the part of ongoing efforts to provide ing with Linda during a period of Virginia Library Association in no better communication with all our executive leadership transition. worse shape than I found it. With PAGE 4 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010

a leadership change underway and new technology providing different Guidelines for Submissions to Virginia Libraries ways to communicate with each other, the association confidently 1. Virginia Libraries seeks to publish articles and reviews of inter- faces a future that is both challeng- est to the library community in Virginia. Articles reporting ing and full of opportunities. research, library programs and events, and opinion pieces are As I indicated when I took office, all considered for publication. Queries are encouraged. Brief an- membership participation and nouncements and press releases should be directed to the VLA input is vital to the success of the Newsletter. Virginia Library Association. With- out an active and informed mem- 2. Please submit manuscripts via email as attachments in Microsoft bership, VLA cannot effectively Word, rich text, or plain text format. Articles should be double- represent your concerns and needs. spaced with any bibliographic notes occurring at the end of the Thus, join if you are not a member. article. Please avoid using the automatic note creation function If you are a current member, make provided by some word processing programs. your membership an active one by 3. Articles in Virginia Libraries conform to the latest edition of the joining a committee, preparing a Chicago Manual of Style and Webster’s Third New International Dic- workshop or program, responding tionary, Unabridged. Accepted articles are subject to editing for to a call for action from our legisla- style and clarity. Authors will be consulted on points of fact. tive committee, or volunteering for an office in the association. Your 4. All articles submitted for consideration are reviewed by the edi- association needs you! tors and may be refereed by the editorial board. Articles that Again, thank you for the oppor- are not selected for publication will be returned within three tunity to serve as your president for months. the past year. I have learned much and have grown both personally 5. VLA holds the copyright on all articles published in Virginia Li- and professionally as a result of braries. Contributors of articles receive one copy of the issue in this experience. VL which their work appears. 6. Illustrations are encouraged and should be submitted whenever appropriate to accompany a manuscript. Hard copy illustrations will be returned if requested in advance. Digital images should have a resolution of at least 300 dpi. ­Authors are responsible for securing legal permission to publish photographs and other illustrations.

7. Each contributor should provide a brief sketch of professional ac- complishments of no more than fifty words that includes current title, affiliation, and email address. Unless specified otherwise, this information will be shared with readers of Virginia Librar- ies. Physical addresses should also be provided for the mailing of contributor’s copy.

8. Articles should generally fall within the range of 750–3,000 words. Please query the editors before submitting any work of greater length.

9. Email manuscripts and queries to Cy Dillon, [email protected], and Lyn C. A. Gardner, [email protected]. Please be sure to copy both editors.

10. Virginia Libraries is published quarterly. The deadlines for submis- sion are: November 1 for Number 1, January/February/March; February 1 for Number 2, April/May/June; May 1 for Number 3, July/August/September; and August 1 for Number 4, October/ November/December. VL OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 5

A Tale of Two Libraries: Combining The Mariners’ Museum Library and Christopher Newport University’s Trible Library

by Mary Sellen and Jennifer Anielski

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT UNIVERSITY ne of the finest and staff. The museum’s collec- most important col- tion also went into compact lections of maritime shelving, providing space for Oartifacts and resources is located significant growth for both in Newport News, Virginia. The collections. Mariners’ Museum, founded Because The Mariners’ by Archer M. and Anna Hyatt Museum Library is the depos- Huntington in 1930, not only itory for the USS Monitor Col- contains maritime artifacts, it lection Associated Records, also houses a research library specific standards determined for scholars pursuing all aspects by the National Archives and of maritime topics, from histor- Records Administration for ical to pleasure craft research storing these materials were and everything in between. It incorporated in the archi- is one of the largest maritime tectural plans for the entire research libraries in the world. collection. Strict temperature Across the street from the and humidity levels; walls museum is the up-and-coming that are a minimum two- Christopher Newport Univer- hour burn-through; and the sity (CNU), an undergraduate use of specific materials, such institution that is in the pro- as paint, that do not give off cess of rebuilding every one of gasses that could influence air the original structures created in Paul and Rosemary Trible Library quality, among many other specifi- the 1960s — including the library. cations, were included in the plans. In 2007, as the new library was Mary, Sullivan knew and had Significant security issues were also nearing completion, the presidents worked with CNU President Paul a major consideration. Surveillance of both institutions met to discuss Trible. Following many discussions cameras and electronic access to the future of the nearly completed with all stakeholders, they decided the stacks and processing areas library. that the new CNU library would were issues that made the reno- Timothy J. Sullivan, then-pres- house The Mariners’ collection. vation of the CNU space for The ident of The Mariners’ Museum, In the original plans for the Mariners’ more complicated than a watched the new Trible Library go CNU library, Information Tech- normal library renovation project. up. The museum at this time was nology (IT) services and ten years’ The Mariners’ Museum Library struggling with the issue of what growth for both collection and to do about the aging structure study spaces were designed into the Mary Sellen is university librarian for that housed its library, and Sulli- new building. Eliminating IT and Christopher Newport University and library van conceived the idea of moving putting the circulating book col- director of The Mariners’ Museum Library. the collection into the new CNU lection into compact storage freed library building. As past-president up the 2,300 square feet needed Jennifer Anielski is technical services librar- of the College of William and by the museum’s collection and ian for The Mariners’ Museum Library. PAGE 6 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010

JASON COPES

TOM MOORE

Above, the grand opening of The Mariners’ Museum Library at Christopher Newport University Left, The Mariners’ Museum Library’s newly installed compact shelving Below, The Mariners’ Museum Library’s Reading Room JASON COPES

staff began preparing six months prior to the actual move, includ- ing hiring professional book mov- ers and preparing everything to be moved eight-tenths of a mile. Before the move, the staff shelf-read opened its doors on the campus of Museum Library with more space, all 86,000 books and inventoried Christopher Newport University. a better facility for housing and the archival collections, includ- The public-private partnership thus storing the materials, and greater ing the hundreds of thousands of created has benefited both institu- exposure. The museum’s patrons maps, plans, charts, and ephemera. tions and their patrons. While the have the added benefit of using the When it came time to move, every- Trible Library collection is a good public services of the Trible Library, one was ready. The museum staff undergraduate collection that sup- including additional reference and National Library Relocations, ports the liberal arts curriculum of resources and the coffee shop. the contracted professional library the university, the addition of The The Trible Library is now not movers, worked out a schedule to Mariners’ Museum Library adds only a landmark on the campus take into account weather delays, another dimension to library expe- and in Newport News, but also a vehicular issues, and, most impor- rience for students and faculty. Not content-rich collection that serves tant, to ensure that a library staff only is the rich content of the collec- CNU and local and world scholars. person was with the materials at all tion a significant enhancement, the The higher visibility of The Mari- times, including when the materi- collection provides opportunities ners’ collection has both enhanced als were en route to the new loca- for internship work in archival and the CNU community and brought tion. Careful planning resulted in rare books. It also provides oppor- more attention to the museum and a safe and incident-free move. tunities for students to fulfill their its world-renowned research col- It has been a year and a half since community service requirements. lection. VL The Mariners’ Museum Library The move provided The Mariners’ OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 7

Exploring Virginia Life through the WPA Writers’ Project

by David A. Taylor

mong the resources that libraries can use to cre- ate life-changing read- Aing experiences, the products of the Federal Writers’ Project under the Works Progress Administra- tion (WPA) have great potential for links with local topics and reading programs. Many public library col- lections have the WPA guide for Virginia, titled Virginia: A Guide to the Old Dominion. Many also have others in the WPA series (though that may not always be obvious from the catalog entries). Supple- menting these are Virginia life his- tories from the 1930s and ’40s and discussion tools produced by ALA last year. The stories from the Great Depression can resonate especially Winchester, main street, 1940 in hard economic times, when the idea of widespread joblessness paints a vivid picture: “This aggres- and history. In addition, the WPA and an effort to capture forgotten sive county mart, which has a pri- produced books on cultural and voices is closer to many library vate school, an asylum, and two ethnic history, including The Negro patrons’ experience. newspapers, supposedly at politi- in Virginia, which despite its out- The guide to Virginia, which cal loggerheads but both edited by dated title gives a remarkable his- came out seventy years ago, dem- Robert Anderson, son of Sherwood tory of black life in the Old Domin- onstrates how the WPA books offer Anderson, was founded in 1831 ion. It was one of a series of titles entry points for examinations of and named for the ‘Swamp Fox’ of on African American life nation- local history. It covers virtually South Carolina.” ally produced under the guidance every locality in the state, not The WPA Writers’ Project was a of Sterling Brown, cultural histo- just a tour guide’s summary of remarkable instance of democracy rian at Howard University. top tourist spots, and it contains in literature. Begun in 1935 when The WPA also interviewed unprecedented material on local Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Americans with an eye for histories histories: how towns sprang up Parkway were underway, the WPA that didn’t otherwise get caught on quickly, how rivalries could shape hired (in addition to millions of the page. This marked a shift when borders, how citizens and outlaws people to build roads, schools, and folklore, previously the domain of forged their lives, and how people bridges) thousands of schoolteach- academics, grew in scope, leading ate, worked, and worshipped. All ers, laid-off journalists, unem- to wider interest in oral history these years later, the Virginia WPA ployed nurses, and fresh college today and initiatives like Story- guide still holds up well. A single graduates to create a series of state Corps, heard on public radio. For sentence about the town of Marion guidebooks that combined travel the Folklore unit of the Writers’ PAGE 8 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010

Migratory worker on the Norfolk-Cape Charles ferry writes a postcard home to his parents, 1940

Galax woman and her daughter, 1941

Project, WPA writers conducted life-history interviews through- out Virginia that reveal the state’s variety. These interviews offer librarians immediate, first-person encounters with how people lived that can engage young people directly with history. “The entire tradition of oral his- tory, in my opinion, arose out of the Writers’ Project,” says Stetson Kennedy, a folklorist who got his start as a WPA writer in Florida Bookie at the Warrenton racetrack, 1941 with Zora Neale Hurston. Ken- nedy’s interview appears in Soul of a People, a documentary film Times), who said his experience ican Memory section of the Library and book about the WPA Writers’ on the Writers’ Project in Chicago of Congress website. In addition to Project nationally. The film was marked his start as a writer. the written interviews, the site also produced with funding support Virginia WPA writers inter- includes audio recordings made from the National Endowment for viewed nearly 1,400 people, includ- by Hurston, Kennedy, and others the Humanities and the Smithso- ing hundreds of formerly enslaved in the South using what was then nian Channel. Others highlighted people. (In the 1930s there were an a state-of-the-art recording device in Soul of a People include a hobo- estimated 100,000 former slaves resembling a record-player con- turned-editor in Nebraska; Hur- still living in America.) These sole. An affiliated 1939 field tour ston and her folklore research in interviews tell us how Virginians by John Lomax for the Library of Florida (she had just published her accounted for their lives, and are Congress stopped in Galax but was best-known novel Their Eyes Were available now on the Library of unable to record during that visit. Watching God when she needed the Virginia website (http://www.lva. Librarians can use these record- WPA job); John Cheever’s editing virginia.gov/public/guides/opac/ ings to point patrons to differ- tasks in New York and Washing- wpalhabout.htm). Nationally, the ent kinds of folk music and their ton; and Studs Terkel, the oral his- WPA gathered more than 10,000 living traditions in Virginia, for torian (author of Working and Hard interviews. Many are on the Amer- example at the Richmond Folk OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 9

Festival held each autumn (www.­ richmondfolkfestival.org). In association with Soul of a People, ALA provided grants for thirty libraries nationwide to host a series of events about America in the 1930s through the lens of the Writers’ Project. For that, ALA produced a brochure, discussion points, and portals for libraries to use in exploring how the WPA guides and books may still show people’s hometowns today, and how the WPA played a role, for example, in Virginia and American literature later, including the work of those who went on to become influential writers. The ALA pro- gram website is http://www.ala. org/soulofapeople/. My own introduction to the Harrisonburg barbershop, 1941 WPA guides offers an example of how the WPA books can engage Virginia foods, from spoon bread readers. For a cross-country trip, … it was one rung above and battercakes to herring roe with my friend lent me her father’s copy scrambled eggs. She explained of the WPA Guide to New Orleans. joblessness for people how dodgers were related to corn- When my wife and I reached New pone except fried on a griddle, and Orleans, I was struck by how much struggling through the that real Virginia ham is the color that 1938 guidebook said about Great Depression. of Cuban mahogany, and its fat how ordinary New Orleanians should have the gold transparency lived. The text was spirited and yet of amber. didn’t sugarcoat hard realities. It After exploring the Writers’ inspired me to explore the stories state guidebook, you find unusual Project works for a view of the behind that book and find other accounts of Virginians making it 1930s, library patrons can further WPA books. through hard times. Eudora Ram- track down books by the WPA The Virginia guide, like that say Richardson, the state director, writers who went on to literary New Orleans book, is a fine-grained wrote in the guidebook’s preface, careers. While many WPA writers history of the state’s regions: “We have striven to record the returned to other vocations after mountains, piedmont, and tidewa- exploits [of those who were famous the Depression eased, a surprising ter. All the state guidebooks share as well as] those ‘to fortune and to number went on to rank among a similar organization: the first fame unknown,’” and who would the century’s prominent authors. half consists of essays on the state’s have fallen into “undeserved obliv- Besides Hurston, Cheever, and oth- history, economy, industry, geol- ion” without the guide. ers mentioned above, novelists of ogy, natural history, and folklore; For four years Richardson man- national note include: the second half narrates a series of aged thousands of out-of-work Vir- • Saul Bellow — The only Nobel driving tours through the state. ginians to get the book done and laureate to come out of the WPA, WPA work was no badge of cajoled essays out of prominent Bellow created memorable worlds honor — it was one rung above historians such as Douglas Southall of 1930s life in his classic novel, joblessness for people struggling Freeman. Local librarians through- The Adventures of Augie March. through the Great Depression. out the state answered questions • Louis L’Amour — The bestsell- That’s one reason, I believe, why about landmarks, battles, and con- ing western writer worked in WPA writers made special efforts gregations, and reviewed drafts the Oklahoma Writers’ Project to canvass groups previously over- about their towns. alongside noir novelist and later looked by history texts. In the Richardson herself wrote for the screenwriter Jim Thompson. Virginia WPA interviews and the guidebook, including a piece on • Richard Wright — The author PAGE 10 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010

famous for Native Son, written native of the Flathead Reserva- himself notes, in the foreword to while he was working on the tion in Montana.” Soul of a People, how he found the WPA, also wrote the prize-win- Poets who came out of the Writ- WPA books as a high-school stu- ning story collection Uncle Tom’s ers’ Project include Utah-born dent by way of John Steinbeck’s Children and the classic memoir May Swenson and California poet Travels with Charley.) Michael Cha- Black Boy. Kenneth Rexroth, as well as Wel- bon wandered the streets and sub- • Dorothy West — Known now for don Kees, Gwendolyn Brooks, and ways of Manhattan with the WPA the stories and sketches in The Margaret Walker. (Conrad Aiken Guide to New York City for months Richer, the Poorer, West tried to was already a known poet when he while he researched his Pulitzer- recapture the excitement of the joined the WPA.) Regional authors winning novel, The Amazing Adven- Harlem Renaissance, but in the who came out of the WPA include tures of Kavalier and Clay, and noted 1930s served as a welfare relief Juanita Brooks in Utah (Mountain his debt to the WPA writers in that worker. She distilled the living Meadows Massacre), Vardis Fisher in book’s acknowledgements. In 2009, conditions of many black fami- the Rocky Mountains, Jerre Man- editors Matt Weiland and Sean lies in a short story, “Mammy.” gione in the Northeast, and Lorin Wilsey published State by State, a • Ralph Ellison — The novelist Brown in the Southwest. book of essays about American life whose Invisible Man is ranked Leading authors and historians in inspired by the WPA guides; Tony among the twentieth century’s later generations have given credit Horwitz, author of Confederates in top novels began as a music stu- to the WPA writers for paving the the Attic, penned the essay for Vir- dent before his job on the Writ- way. William Least Heat Moon told ginia. That essay offers a departure ers’ Project in New York. best-selling historian Douglas Brin- point for library patrons to create • Meridel LeSueur wrote many kley that he might never have writ- their own responses to the WPA novels, including The Girl, about ten his book PrairyErth without the approach now. a woman who gets involved in WPA guide to Nebraska. (­Brinkley By tracing the WPA Writers’ a bank heist. It was based on Project books chronicling the LeSueur’s interviews with women 1930s and by following the paths in Minneapolis during the 1930s. of its writers in their later works, • D’Arcy McNickle — The author of librarians and patrons can discover The Surrounded came to embrace a network of rich and imaginative his Native American identity stories of place and everyday lives. while working for the WPA, and The WPA Writers’ Project also forever after declared himself “a points to a more interconnected picture of American literature and culture, starting with Virginia. VL

Shenandoah Valley resi- dent J.C. Myers, showing the model of a steam engine that landed him a job nearly forty years before, c. 1940

Above, Portsmouth women near navy yard, 1941

Right, Spectators at the Warrenton Races, 1941 Portsmouth Courthouse Square, 1941 OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 11

Preservation and Access for the Old Dominion Land Company Collection

by Gregg Grunow

he Martha Woodroof now considered downtown. The Public Library System entered into Hiden Memorial Collec- company also owned the land in agreements with the Library of Vir- tion, more locally known old Warwick County used to create ginia (LVA) to microfilm the map Tas the Virginiana Room, is located the city’s reservoir system and had portion of the collection and sec- within the Main Street Library of a hand in the Newport News Ship- tions of the Old Dominion Land the Newport News Public Library building and Dry Dock Company. Company Records mutually agreed System (NNPLS). The Virginiana The Old Dominion Land Com- to be historically significant. The Room contains a historically impor- pany Records and Map Collection records were brought to LVA for tant collection of items from a land microfilming. Use copies of the development company called the microfilmed records were given to Old Dominion Land Company. NNPLS for the Virginiana Room. This business collection contains … this company was Another use copy was retained one-of-a-kind documents, maps, responsible for the by LVA for its reading rooms. The brochures, photographs, ledgers, master copy of the microfilm is in and minute books that document development of most LVA’s safe storage facility. Through the development of the original this joint effort, very impor- City of Newport News from 1880– of the original City of tant documents within the Old 1948. This article will begin with a Newport News … . Dominion Land Company Collec- brief history of the Old Dominion tion have been preserved and had Land Company and its relation- their accessibility increased for the ship to the City of Newport News, patrons of both NNPLS and LVA. Virginia. This will be followed by a contains nearly 100,000 pages of In addition, the microfilm rolls detailed description of the multiple documents and more than 700 will help protect the original docu- methods that have been incorpo- maps. The information within ments from excessive handling by rated to date, preserve, and provide these maps and documents is the public. extended access to these valuable extremely valuable to anyone inter- NNPLS next moved to digitiza- and often fragile materials. ested in the history of the develop- tion and conservation of the Old The Old Dominion Land Com- ment of the City of Newport News. Dominion Land Company Maps. pany was created by nationally Therefore, it has been a goal of In 2007, the library contracted known railroad magnate Collis P. the Newport News Public Library with the Northeast Document Huntington and his business asso- System to both preserve and pro- Conservation Center to have the ciates in 1880. Collis P. Huntington vide wider access to this treasure Old Dominion Land Company is well known for being a major trove of information. NNPLS has Map Collection digitized. Some of contributor to the creation of the used several different methods to the maps in the worst condition first intercontinental railroad. As achieve this goal. were also cleaned and had tears can be seen by reviewing the docu- The first method of preservation repaired and pressure-sensitive ments and maps, this company and provision of access utilized was responsible for the develop- on the Old Dominion Land Com- ment of most of the original City pany Collection was microfilm. In Gregg Grunow is senior librarian at the of Newport News, mainly the area 1982 and 2006, the Newport News Newport News Public Library System. PAGE 12 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010

Left: “Jamestown Ter- Centennial Map,” The Old Dominion Land Company, 1907. This map illustrates the area along the James River where the 300th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown was held.

Below: Map, “City of Newport News and Vicinity,” The Old Dominion Land Company, 1900. The map includes the following Newport News landmarks: Chesapeake and Ohio Railway; Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company; and the properties of Groome, Whitehead, Ivy, and Taylor.

acidic tape removed. The first 300 maps by chronological order have been digitized. The archival digital files contain images of 300 to 600 dpi, depending on the size of the original map. At the same time, derivative files of 90 dpi were cre- ated for everyday use (to increase download speed). While preparing the maps for their journey to the Northeast Document Conservation Center, the maps were rehoused in new storage and display folders to help support and enclose them. This method allowed for preservation and protection of the physical maps as well as the ability to pro- vide greater access to them in both physical and digital forms. The Newport News Public Library System previously pur- more about the City of Newport purposes. The images are being chased a server and digital library News. stored on two external hard drives content management software In 2009, an Epson Expression of two-terabyte capacity. When called CONTENTdm. These pur- 10000XL scanner was purchased to images are ready to be transferred chases have allowed the library provide the ability to digitize post- to the digital library, lower-resolu- system to create a digital library cards, photographs, documents, tion images are derived from the containing and describing the dig- and the smaller maps in-house. archival files. itized map collection. Now anyone These items are being scanned at In addition to the Old Domin- in the world with Internet access 600 dpi for very dense and high- ion Land Company Map Collec- can view these maps and learn resolution image files for archival tion available in the NNPLS Digital OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 13

Washington Avenue (postcard), 1906. Picture by Mrs. Alice W. Morton. This postcard contains a view of Washington Avenue, the main business corridor in Newport News, Virginia. Note the horse-drawn carriages and the heights of the utility poles. In the right foreground, a business sign on an awning states, “Wilkins-Jenkins Co.” This was a clothier located at 2614 Washington Avenue. In 1906, the manager of the business was Leroy Jenkins. On the left, an awning announces, “Grocers.” This may have been W. O. Heath and Brother at 2619 Washington Avenue.

Library, there are two collections of The staff of the Newport News postcards and a collection of early Now anyone in the world Public Library System have used Old Dominion Land Company multiple methods for preserv- documents and booklets. The digi- with Internet access ing and providing access to the tal library is an ongoing project. unique collections held within The final method of access is can view these maps the Martha Woodroof Hiden a twelve-panel exhibit that the and learn more about the Memorial Collection. It has defi- library created utilizing documents, nitely been a learning experience maps, and photographs from the City of Newport News. that will continue for many years Old Dominion Land Company to come. The collections in this Collection. The exhibit, “The Old article can be accessed at Newport Dominion Land Company and the a bequest made to Main Street News Digital Library (www.nngov. Development of the City of New- Library by Dr. Herbert Neisser and com/library/resources/digital) and port News, Virginia,” is available the Virginia Foundation for the “The Old Dominion Land Com- in both physical form and online. Humanities. Records contained in pany and the Development of the The library system contracted with the Virginiana Room were used City of Newport News, Virginia” Mellon Street Graphics to help cre- to provide a very creative form of (http://216.54.6.251/odlcexhibit/ ate it. Funding was obtained from public access. index/). VL PAGE 14 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010

Building Digital Archives Collections at Northern Virginia Community College

by David Anderson

e might not think of video, and audio. They might also searchable and browsable on the community colleges include born-digital items. Digi- Web. in Virginia as insti- tal collections aim to extend the Given the limitations of our Wtutions with deep historical roots. reach of these items beyond their staff, it was important to start The Virginia Assembly established permanent homes in an archive to with a project modest in scope. the Virginia Community College anyone with Internet access. Digi- Digital collections can start small. System (VCCS) in 1966 in order to tal collections make it possible to We identified the most appealing fill the need for two-year college display items online that might items in our archives — student programs in the state. The fiftieth not get as much exposure in their newspapers, Campus Council min- anniversary of VCCS will arrive in utes, commencement programs, 2016, and that event suggests an and photographs. These core items opportunity to look back at the made up our initial collections. history of community colleges in Done well, a digital The student newspapers reported Virginia. At the Alexandria Cam- on events throughout the college’s pus of Northern Virginia Com- collection should tell history and in some cases remain munity College, we have already the only record of those events. begun this process by developing the story of thematically Campus Council minutes describe a digital collection to house and similar cultural objects… . the nuts-and-bolts decision-mak- display historical documents from ing processes that contributed to our campus archives. We have the development of the Alexandria identified student publications, Campus of NOVA. Commence- meeting minutes, event programs, analog formats. Done well, a digi- ment programs include the names and photographs as candidates for tal collection should tell the story of graduates and their programs digitization. of thematically similar cultural as well as the names of speakers. In “Defining Collections in objects to an audience. Photographs of people and origi- Distributed Digital Libraries,” Carl It is my hope that NOVA’s expe- nal building and site plans for the Lagoze and David Fielding define rience will enlighten and guide Alexandria Campus add depth a collection as a “set of criteria other similar institutions in creat- and color to the collections. These for selecting resources from the ing their own digital collections. items have comprised the core col- broader information space.”1 Essen- While institutions with valuable lection we have built to show the tially, collections are sets of items treasures in their collections might capabilities of digital collections that meet some specific criteria of have a digital collections librar- on the Web. provenance and pertinence. They ian or digital initiatives librarian, There are some preliminary are commonly found in libraries, no one involved in this project at steps that institutions should take archives, museums, and other cul- NOVA had any prior experience tural institutions. Digital collec- with digital collections. Despite tions take the concept and apply that, we learned by trial and error David Anderson manages the Arling- it to images of items on the Web. and have managed to establish an ton Center Library of Northern Virginia Those items might include printed effective workflow for digitizing Community College. He can be con- text documents, printed images, our documents and making them tacted at [email protected]. OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 15

Digitally archived materials include these early sketches of the Alexandria Campus of Northern Virginia Community College.

Newspapers published by students at the Alexandria Campus of Northern Virginia Community College — October 24, 1975, and November 11, 1985. PAGE 16 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010

before engaging in a digitization teers, an intern, and students to lections software, CONTENTdm, project for digital collections. work on the digitization. We tried allows us to create metadata tem- Through trial and error, we learned to make the workflow simple so that plates that conform to Dublin a few: almost anyone could contribute to Core and other metadata stan- • Identifying items. What should the scanning of items. For storage, dards. Fields that vary from item be included? we used a networked server to store to item can then be filled in. • Software. What kind of digital large files as well as a portable hard • Upload to the Web. CON- collections software will be used drive to transfer them from one TENTdm allows us to monitor to display items on the Web, and computer to another without tax- files uploaded to the Web and what kinds of capabilities should ing the network’s resources. We approve them once they are it have? What kind of image pro- are still determining what level of uploaded. cessing software is necessary? quality of archival digital files we • Build menus. CONTENTdm • Hardware. Should digitization will be able to keep. allows users to do searches for be done in-house or outsourced? As we researched this project, items, and we have built custom What kind of scanners should be we saw that a robust workflow is menus to browse to collections purchased? How many comput- essential to making sure that digi- of items as well. ers and monitors will be needed tization, metadata creation, and Some challenges we have faced for the project? the building of a website are as include finding networked server • Staff. How can this be done smooth as possible. We realized space to store files, finding the without additional staff funding the importance of tracking each most time-efficient ways to scan or new positions? item through each step in the pro- and process images, and deter- • Storage. Files will need to be cess — removal from the archives, mining best practices for meta- stored on some kind of server or digitization, moving digital files, data within the context of our other storage device. Digital files processing digital files, adding digital collections software. CON- can be quite large. What quality metadata to those files, upload- TENTdm is widely employed for of archival digital files should be ing them to the Web, and finally digital collections, and the option kept? preserving them in some form on to use it for free was an attractive • Metadata. How much metadata a server. Establishing a clear work- one; but it required some time for should be recorded for each flow ensures that items are not development and troubleshooting. item, and how detailed should scanned or processed twice and We worked with CONTENTdm’s that metadata be? allows staff to pick up right where customer service to deal with prob- • Intellectual property and pri- they left off regardless of where lems as they arose. vacy. Is it legal to display items they are in the workflow process. We are continuing to work to on the Web? Does posting items A basic workflow for digital achieve our goal of building a like photographs on the Web collections has the following stable, extensible, scalable, search- violate anyone’s privacy? components: able, browsable digital collection We identified items to be • Scanning items. A copy stand or that can serve to capture NOVA’s scanned that contributed to build- large flatbed scanner works well. history for years to come. We hope ing a historical picture of North- • File management and storage that our model will inspire other ern Virginia Community College. space. Once files are scanned, community colleges to build their We reviewed a number of digital it is important that they have own digital collections. collections software options, com- a place to be stored. Scans of paring costs, ease of use, search images and documents can take Notes features, and development time, a great deal of space. and we selected CONTENTdm • Image processing. Files directly 1. Carl Lagoze and David Fielding, from OCLC. Based on our current from the scanner will probably “Defining Collections in Distrib- subscriptions with OCLC, we were require straightening, cropping, uted Digital Libraries,” D-Lib Maga- able to use CONTENTdm to display conversion to PDF or other file zine 4 (November 1998), http:// up to 1,000 items or 10 GB of items formats, and optical character www.dlib.org/dlib/november98/ on the Web for free. We purchased recognition (OCR) processing lagoze/11lagoze.html. VL a copy stand and a large flatbed that allows for full-text search- scanner to digitize items. We were ing of items. able to use existing computers and • Metadata creation. Once files monitors to process images. For are ready to go on the Web, they staffing, we relied on staff volun- need metadata. Our digital col- OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 17

Civil War 150 Legacy Project: Document Digitization and Access

by Laura Drake Davis and Renee Savits

he 150th anniversary of the American Civil War provides an unparalleled Topportunity to examine the con- flict that defined our nation like no other. One third of the battles were fought in Virginia, and four years of war ravaged the Virginia landscape. To prepare for and com- memorate the sesquicentennial of Virginia’s participation in the American Civil War, House Bill 1440 was introduced in the Vir- ginia General Assembly in 2006, creating the Virginia Sesquicen- tennial of the American Civil War Commission. The commission has developed numerous plans for the commemoration, including trav- A digital donor shares eling exhibitions, conferences, material with Library of educational resources, document Virginia Archivist Jessica Tyree digitization, and much more. In (left) prior to scanning in Danville. 2010, the commission and the Library of Virginia (LVA) partnered to establish the Civil War 150 Leg- Civil War are still held and main- by the commission and through acy Project: Document Digitiza- tained in private hands. These a partnership with LVA and a net- tion and Access, a statewide online items range from single letters and work of statewide connections, the collection of original Civil War diaries to substantial collections of manuscripts that remain in private correspondence between soldiers hands. and families at home. These first- Laura Drake Davis is the archivist for A multiyear digital project, hand accounts, often in fragile or the CW 150 Legacy Project, Western the Civil War 150 Legacy Project: deteriorating condition, are care- Region, at the Library of Virginia. Davis Document Digitization and Access fully guarded treasures that many is a member of the Academy of Certi- focuses on manuscript materials families are reluctant to relinquish. fied Archivists and an active member of created during the period 1859– By scanning these items and pro- the Society of American Archivists and 1867 that reflect social, political, viding online access, the CW 150 the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Con- military, business, and religious Legacy Project will allow individu- ference. She can be reached at laura. life in Virginia during the period of als to retain their original items, [email protected]. the Civil War and the early period yet preserve the intellectual and of Reconstruction. The library’s historical content of these valuable Renee Savits is the archivist for the CW experience and recent acquisitions documents. 150 Legacy Project, Eastern Region, have determined that many origi- Working with local sesquicen- at the Library of Virginia. Email her at nal manuscripts concerning the tennial committees established [email protected]. PAGE 18 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010

The CW 150 Legacy Project: Document Digitization and Access

Eastern Region — Renee Savits Western Region — Laura Drake Davis

Renee Savits will coordinate CW 150 Legacy Project efforts in the Eastern Region (light); Laura Drake Davis will coordinate efforts in the Western Region (dark).

CW 150 Legacy Project will pro- donors could be accommodated 2010. A list of scheduled scan- vide individuals an opportunity to during their scheduled times. At ning events will be available on have their historic letters, diaries, the appointments, digital donors the commission’s website, www.­ and other collections scanned to met with LVA archivists, who VirginiaCivilWar.org/legacy. The preserve their valuable intellectual scanned the material for inclu- coordinators are currently contact- content. The goals of the CW 150 sion in the CW 150 Legacy Project. ing individual local sesquicenten- Legacy Project are to provide a Information about the scanned nial committees to schedule events central digital repository for newly materials was collected from each and appointments and assist with discovered original materials; to digital donor onsite and used publicity. Following each event, seek a broad-based collection, both to augment the library catalog materials will be cataloged and geographically and topically; to records that would accompany the loaded onto the Virginia Mem- foster cooperation through part- scans. Following the scanning of ory website. The CW 150 Legacy nerships with local commissions, materials, images were loaded into Project materials can be accessed heritage organizations, and librar- LVA’s digital asset management through www.virginiamemory. ies; and to enhance the commis- system, DigiTool, and made avail- com/cw150. sion and library’s websites using able through the Virginia Memory The CW 150 Legacy Project: selected materials gathered during website (www.virginiamemory. Document Digitization and Access the project. com). During the pilot phase of the has potential to become a premier The digital images will be stored project, a total of 909 images were resource for Civil War-era materi- by LVA and made available through created from public events in Dan- als in Virginia and to help make both websites. All digital images ville and Winchester and materials the Civil War relevant today. By will be scanned at a high resolution from private collectors. unearthing the numerous manu- and cataloged using current archi- Following the success of the pilot scripts and collections in private val cataloging standards and Dub- project, LVA and the commission hands across Virginia, the com- lin Core metadata standards. When decided to proceed with the CW mission and LVA aim to provide the commission ceases its work in 150 Legacy Project in earnest. In access to the personal stories of 2015, the commission website will June 2010, two library staff mem- those who lived in the 1860s, giv- be transferred to LVA as a state bers, Renee Savits and Laura Drake ing today’s society a better sense archival record and made available Davis, were selected to coordinate of the challenges they faced, the through the library’s website. the project, with each assigned to hardships they endured, and the In the pilot phase of the project, a specific region of Virginia. The difficult decisions they made that LVA archivists traveled to Danville coordinators have established for- led to our nation’s greatest conflict. and Winchester, Virginia, to gauge mal policies and procedures for the This material will strengthen our interest in the process. Individuals CW 150 Legacy Project and have knowledge of this pivotal event by contributing materials for scan- made contact with local sesqui- confirming or repudiating current ning — or “digital donors” — made centennial committees to schedule scholarly opinions and long-held appointments with their local ses- scanning events. beliefs — either of which can only quicentennial committees to mini- The first scanning events of enhance our understanding of this mize wait times and ensure that the project are scheduled for fall era in history. VL OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 19

Special Libraries in the Baptist Church

by B. Dawn Fisher

he Virginia Library Asso- The abbreviated book is an excerpt import much of the MARC record ciation (VLA) and the Vir- from the twenty-first edition of the provided through computerization. ginia Baptist Library Asso- full Dewey Decimal Classification by Of course, the Library of Congress Tciation (VBLA) have much in com- Melvil Dewey and is a well-used online catalog is always a standby mon. In addition to their interest in tool in the religious sector because resource for libraries not able to libraries and the people who work it is in the 200s that the majority of invest in automation, but only if in them, both associations seek to nonfiction literature for churches the DDC 200 resource is at hand. support services (otherwise known will be clustered. Warnings about accepting at face as ministry in the church) and Page through the 200 Religion value the records from catalogs not advance knowledge (literacy and Class and find terms like theod- tied to the religious community learning in the public library; theol- icy, knowability, pseudepigrapha, proliferate in training sessions, ogy and Christianity in the church and are by and large prefaced by a library) through the progressive modification of the old adage, “Do assimilation of information and its Page through the it right or don’t do it at all.” disbursement to those who will use Most Baptist church libraries it. VLA and VBLA provide work- 200 Religion Class house a large number of biographies shops and links to resources to help about missionaries. The common the person in charge of running the and find terms like rule of thumb is to make sure they library make educated decisions. theodicy, knowability, are Southern Baptist missionaries, Finally, both associations know the but in recent years, a softening of value of networking among their pseudepigrapha, the stance on denomination versus members to assist with both patron and purchase problems. Thus, it and ecclesiology. is in the materials housed on the B. Dawn Fisher, a recent MLIS graduate shelves in the individual libraries from the University of South Carolina, that we find the greatest differences and ecclesiology. Before the intro- Columbia, functions in the role of man- between the two organizations. duction of affordable and user- ager for the Montvale Branch Library One such example is the library friendly cataloging systems like of the Bedford Public Library System in at Hunting Creek Baptist Church ResourceMate®, the one Morehead Virginia. She worked as assistant man- in Big Island, Virginia. Walk into purchased a couple of years ago, ager at the Forest Branch for one and a the well-lighted room and scan the collection development in the reli- half years and as an associate at the Big shelves. It is immediately appar- gious library could be a study in Island Branch for more than eight years. ent that the nonfiction section is sacrosanct terminology as well as Carolyn B. Morehead, manager of the nowhere close to being synony- a testament to the faithfulness of Big Island Branch since it first opened as mous with a typical public library volunteers with a burning desire a station in 1982, assisted in providing and is visibly unbalanced. Carolyn to see their congregation provided information for the article. Fisher worked B. Morehead, the church librarian, materials that help elucidate church under Morehead’s mentorship at the Big uses Dewey Decimal Classification: language. Thankfully, the reduc- Island Branch and was encouraged by 200 Religion Class (Albany: Forest tion in prices of new technology her to become involved in the Flat Creek Press, 1997; ISBN-10 0910608601) has made it possible for many Church Library. Morehead has worked on a regular basis to clear up any such libraries to be able to click on the staff of the Hunting Creek Church questions she might have when their way to cataloging by search- Library since the mid-1970s and has entering a new item in this genre. ing other sources from which to been the director since 1993. PAGE 20 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010

Left, new shelving units purchased at Target are in place for the juvenile and children’s books.

Right, Flat Creek Library reveals very little open space in the adult fiction and nonfiction sections, despite a recent weeding.

Christianity has produced a more manuals, one of which is How to reader away from the truth of what expansive selection. Books pub- Classify and Catalog Media: Techni- is being taught by the pastor and lished by the International Mission cal Processes Guide 2 by Jacqulyn other leaders. Although libraries Board, the organization in charge of Anderson, which furnishes more may contain books about various assigning and supporting mission- explicit instructions about biog- religions to educate members about aries, provide cataloging informa- raphies. Missionary stories, those beliefs and practices, it is generally tion that is trustworthy, eliminating designed to teach mission facts an error of judgment to have con- a couple of recheck steps in the pro- and written in mission settings, version manuals to another faith cess. Naturally, Lifeway Publishing are to be classified 266.09. With on the shelf. Even the fiction sec- (an agency of the Southern Baptist biographies, however, the cata- tion provides reason for concern: Convention) and the Baptist mis- loger gets four choices: individual for instance, Amish books are very sion organizations are more attrac- biographies, including family, and popular in the church libraries tive because of this feature, but excepting Bible persons, mission- mentioned in this article, and yet churches are self-governing in all aries, and Shakespeare; collective some would argue that this reli- areas, including the library. Regard- biographies (two or more people) gion does not fully support Bap- less of the predilection for favored in the 920s; Bible biographies, tist beliefs. Along the same lines, suppliers, the materials found in the which are shelved in the 220s and inspirational fiction and religious biography section of public libraries subdivided by Old Testament, New fiction are not synonymous, and are generally cataloged differently Testament, or special persons (i.e., it behooves the librarian to make in the church, some by choice and Jesus Christ, Mary, and Joseph); sure the collection represents the some by design. and missionary biographies in the views of the church. Taking into consideration the missions section (266.092).2 Materials for children are a little importance of missionaries in the The Dewey 220s (Bible) and less restrictive. The librarian looks Baptist church, the 200 Religion 248s (Christian living) in the for items that encourage character Class reprint gives very specific church library generally comprise development, good citizenship, instructions about classification in the largest sections. The 220s con- and polite behavior, while at the Dewey 266. For instance, the cata- tain various translations of the same time reinforcing faith devel- loger is advised to use 266.023 for whole and studies of individual opment according to the consti- “foreign missions originating in books of the Bible (and pseudo- tution of the church. When the specific continents, countries, local- Bibles); the 248s, materials about church librarian also works in the ities,” but at that level, instructed worship, witness-bearing, giving, public library, there is more oppor- to go to 266.009 for “foreign mis- and guides for various groups of tunity to examine materials being sions characterized only by place people on how to live according considered, as well as to query served.”1 (Is it any wonder librar- to the principles established in the readers about their selections. ians try to buy books about mis- Bible. Apart from the Dewey num- Library committee members often sions and missionaries published ber, the one thing librarians are will help with the reading and are by a press they can trust to have most particular about is making good resources to determine the the correct cataloging information sure the item being processed does appropriateness of the media in on the title page?) Lifeway Publish- not promote behavior discour- question. When all else fails, the ing provides a series of training aged by the church, or direct the pastor may be the best resource to OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 21

Left, juvenile fiction and nonfiction, as well as picture books and nonfiction children’s books, have outgrown this shelving unit recovered from a renovation project.

Right, Hunting Creek Baptist Church Library has full shelves on all four walls with over 4,000 items available for checkout.

determine if a book goes against when the top position is the only books. In a church library, that’s a what the church espouses. one filled. good problem to have. As mentioned earlier, church Staffing for the church library is Flat Creek, on the other hand, libraries in Virginia — Baptist ones generally on a volunteer basis. Sel- has only one or two dedicated adult in particular — are autonomous; dom is a librarian paid; and even readers in a congregation with just like public libraries, each serves when there are other members to fewer than eighty members. The a different community. Some of help out with processing, purchas- lack of interest in the library causes the media centers are so small they ing, and shelving, these assistants the librarian great angst, but she could have easily been converted often follow the same volun- has hope — circulation can’t drop from a janitor’s closet, while oth- teer conventions as in the public much farther, and it can always go ers are larger than many of their library — being answerable to their up! The children are more inter- counterparts in the public arena. own schedules and preferences in ested than the adults, so a summer Chester Baptist Church Library in work type and time. Hunting Creek reading program is on the docket Chester, Virginia, which uses the Baptist Church’s librarian, Carolyn for 2011. Promotion sells the small Concourse automation system, was B. Morehead, services a congrega- library, and the goal at Flat Creek is planned and expanded during a tion with an average attendance of to eventually put a link to a search- building and renovation project, 120–140 people. Her circulation in able catalog on the church website and services a preschool held in the August was 139. She is constantly to make the collection accessible to church. The library workers prepare looking for ways to encourage the other congregations. Of course, that Sunday school packages with maps, congregation to read and has, for would create an entirely different supplementary books, and other many years, held a child-magnet set of problems: what hours would resources for teachers of children’s summer reading program. This is the library be open to the public classes. They actually have a work- one area where her staff shines; (so to speak), and who would vol- room — with microwave and small they come up with a theme, order unteer to be there to serve potential refrigerator included — for process- supplies, decorate the library, and users? There is indeed some flex- ing media. On the other hand, the kick the event off with a Sunday ibility in the church library — as Flat Creek Library in Lynchburg morning open house complete long as a church member is avail- is as old as the church (1952), has with finger foods. The same women able to unlock the door, writing shelves designed to hold trade- are willing supporters at the grand the patron’s name and barcodes of paperback-sized outdated Study finale. Yet, despite a team of six, materials checked out on a note for Course materials, and currently the majority of purchasing and the librarian is perfectly acceptable. houses just over 2,000 items. Space cataloging at the Hunting Creek Currently, the library is open before is a big issue here as well as in the Library falls to Morehead. Her own and after church on Sunday morn- Hunting Creek Library (collection time constraints make it difficult ing, sometimes on Sunday night, of 4,000+), even though it is double to stay ahead of the game. In par- and occasionally on Wednesday the physical size of Flat Creek; to ticular, one group of older women night. Unlike at the public library, add new materials in both of these reads so quickly that Morehead is budget cuts can’t be blamed for locations, items have to be weeded hard-pressed to keep new fiction reduced hours; instead, conflicting on a regular basis. This job is often on the shelves, especially when she priorities of volunteer staff mem- left up to the director, especially must weed to make room for the bers determine the schedule. PAGE 22 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010

In many cases, however, the instances, people will purchase of responsibilities: there’s a sat- budget (or the lack thereof) does the next book in a series already isfying joy in being able to put a become an issue in the church owned by the library, read it, and book in the hands of a teacher or library. Once this ministry is des- then present it to the librarian for other church worker when class ignated as a line item, planning processing. This works well as long is beginning and a key piece of an annual budget takes on greater as the givers are not also the only information is missing. And again, significance; unless the librarian is readers in the church. serving in the position of librarian able to pack business meetings with A simple library, be it public or is especially gratifying when some- readers, it’s often hard to convince private, may invite added input one who has never been a reader the participants that supplying the from its users solely because staff suddenly discovers an author who library with new materials is desir- is more familiar and accessible. It’s makes the written word come to able and necessary. Lifeway Chris- a full-time job guarding the feel- life, especially when the new reader tian Stores offer a how-to resource, ings of well-meaning advice-givers continues to check out books even Church Library Ministry Information while providing good customer when the series ends. Service, which includes a section on service, but even more difficult Finally, providing access to books administration to help the director to make musty, dusty donations for parents who may not have time prepare the budget; information to go to a public library, or whose on promotion gives suggestions to job schedules don’t coincide with increase awareness of the library … the people who complain open hours, makes the process of and draw users who will support selecting, purchasing, cataloging, requests for funds. seldom find anything shelving, and weeding a worthy Some libraries are so small that on the table appealing way to work in the church. Cer- they rely totally on donations, do tainly Jesus, a middle-class citizen minimal cataloging, and allow enough to take home. at most, did not own a personal people to take out materials on the copy of the Old Testament, but honor system. For the most part, used a library of sorts when attend- donations are encouraged, but a disappear without causing com- ing synagogue, where he learned collection development policy plete panic. The excellent idea of passages of scripture. Likewise, is necessary so that the librarian putting weeded books on a table Christ’s followers should have the has the right of refusal (without labeled “Free! Take what you want” opportunity to do the same under alienating the giver). The Flat seems wise until a church member the mission of an organization Creek selection policy begins with catches you in the hall and gives devoted to collecting, organizing, this statement: “In order for the you an earful about getting rid of and disbursing information as pre- Media Library Center to support books donated by her grandmother sented in the official statement of the total program and mission of or raises the age-worn argument of the media center: “Our mission is the church fellowship, all materi- the “historical value” of the tomes to provide resources and services als must be of the best quality and being withdrawn. Interestingly which advance learning about benefit for members and leaders. enough, the people who complain God, stimulate Christian growth, The church membership and the seldom find anything on the table enrich worship experiences, and library staff have affirmed the fol- appealing enough to take home. enable the ministry of the mem- lowing selection guidelines: 1. All In many small churches, the bers and leaders of our church.” materials are subject to approval by library media center may be the the library staff and church leader- storehouse for audio-visual equip- Notes ship as necessary.” The policy ends ment, and the librarian the most with the words, “All gifts, other advanced technology guru in the 1. Melvil Dewey, Dewey Decimal than money, must meet the same church. Old documents, minutes to Classification: 200 Religion Class, standards and no provisional gifts business meetings, church directo- reprinted from Dewey Decimal Clas- will be accepted.” The conscien- ries, pictures, and even quilts from sification, 21st ed., ed. Joan S. Mitch- tious librarian will have to know anniversary celebrations are often ell, et al. (Albany: Forest Press, how to accept, and reject politely, stored alongside the books; histo- 1997), 72. gifts to the media center. Tight rian, archivist, and preservationist 2. Stephen Gateley, Using the budgets may make the job look less simply become addenda to the title Dewey Decimal Classification Sys- critical, but bad books are still bad of library director. The benefits of tem (Nashville: The Sunday School books even when the shelves don’t church library work, however, far Board of the Southern Baptist Con- display many new titles. In some outweigh the seeming cacophony vention, 1994), 10. VL OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 23

A Special Relationship: The Virginia Baptist Historical Society and the Boatwright Memorial Library

by Jim Gwin

ounded in 1876 on the campus of Richmond Col- lege (University of Rich- Fmond), the Virginia Baptist His- torical Society (VBHS) has housed and managed the University Archives for the University of Rich- mond (UR) since 1981. This long relationship has proved beneficial to both organizations and contin- ues to evolve as the emphasis on and importance of original source materials to research increases. VBHS is located in a wing of Boatwright Memorial Library (BML). VBHS contains a large col- lection of books, manuscripts, and other materials related to Baptist history. Under a contractual agree- ment, research services for the University Archives are provided to students, faculty, staff, alumni, and anyone interested in the his- tory, official records, and cultural life of the 180-year-old institution. tory. The university agreed to pay tutions gained in prominence and Though the University Archives VBHS for housing, preserving, and reputation at the state and national was established in the library by providing research services for its levels. Boatwright public service the University of Richmond’s archives. and reference staff constantly refer Board of Trustees in 1975, little was Since the original agreement UR students with class assign- done with the collection until Den- was negotiated, UR and the Baptist ments, or others with questions nis Robison, the university librar- General Association of Virginia, concerning the history of the insti- ian, and Fred Anderson, executive the parent organization for VBHS, tution, to the University Archives director of VBHS, came together to changed their relationship. A spe- resources in VBHS. Library staff work out a special agreement with cial agreement between VBHS and University of Richmond admin- UR to continue to administer the istration to transfer the archives University Archives was reaffirmed Jim Gwin serves as head of collections from the library to VBHS. At the in 1999. The unique ties and rela- development and as special collections time, this collaboration was a win- tionships between the library staffs librarian for Boatwright Library at the win situation, since both institu- of BML and VBHS also continued University of Richmond. He can be tions shared much of the same his- to grow and develop as both insti- reached at [email protected]. PAGE 24 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010

are encouraged because of VBHS staffing limitations. Warm and friendly part-time VBHS staffer Elsie Richards is usually the first person most students encounter when they come to visit VBHS/Uni- versity Archives or telephone for an appointment. Both telephoning ahead for appointments and send- ing written requests by mail are encouraged. Email research is also available, but more limited. Fred Anderson has reported that well over 3,000 individual researchers have used the University Archives resources since 1981. In-house archives usage is expected to expand greatly in the coming years with the increased emphasis in the university curriculum for students to participate in and use primary sources in undergraduate research. The resources and services of the archives will play an increasingly vital role for this part of their aca- demic work. Real collaboration between the library staffs of VBHS/University Archives and Boatwright Library over the years has often been lim- ited. Some of these efforts were lim- ited to things such as Boatwright Library staff encouraging faculty and staff or alumni to deposit their individual or departmental records with VBHS/University Archives. Occasionally the two organizations have worked together on exhib- its for special university events or celebrations. Copies of various uni- versity publications, programs, and documents have been forwarded through the library for deposit in VBHS/University Archives. No reciprocal union cataloging or can often be heard directing stu- viduals have developed encyclope- published finding aids have been dents and other researchers to the dic memories concerning UR and created to make the resources of VBHS wing of Boatwright Library its history and people. Herod is a the University Archives available by saying it is “just to your left and graduate of the university and has for the wider public due to lack of up the path from the tower.” a keen memory of its alumni and funding. Possible NEH and other Users are encouraged to seek the faculty and their roles in building grants have been considered over expertise of Fred Anderson, VBHS UR. Though most of the archives the years as a way to make this director and university archivist, research is accomplished through happen, but without success. or Darlene Slater Herod, research walk-in appointments, scheduled Discussion about more col- assistant. Over the years, both indi- individual research appointments laboration between the library and OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 25

VBHS/University Archives began a joint artifacts and digital online early nineteenth century. The uni- in earnest when the university and exhibition to celebrate the open- versity will soon be celebrating the library began to adopt the new dig- ing of the new on-campus stadium one hundredth anniversary of its ital technologies in all areas and for UR in the fall of 2010. Mike move to the current Westhampton departments of the institution. In- Whitt, special projects assistant, location. It is expected that these house and outsourced microfilm- and Fred Anderson from VBHS/ new digital resources will be an ing of certain publications had, for University Archives organized and important and exciting part of this many years, been a regular part of curated a large exhibit of sports upcoming celebration. the preservation practices of VBHS/ materials from the archives enti- Through the increased use of University Archives. In 2003, as tled “UR Football Comes Home.” digital technologies and build- a part of the preparation for the This timely and fun exhibit of ing on these cooperative efforts, 175th anniversary of the University historical artifacts, photographs, VBHS/University Archives and of Richmond, some special funds programs, letters, and other mate- Boatwright Library hope to pro- were approved by UR through the rial is housed in eight display cases vide an ever-increasing treasury of vice president for information ser- on the second floor of Boatwright important institutional documents vices to create a digital database of Library. Chris Kemp and his staff and artifacts that will provide the Collegian, UR’s student news- future scholars and researchers paper. The library staff, working with important original primary with VBHS/University Archives source materials. staff, outsourced the microfilm For the first time, a For additional information archives of the Collegian, and a about research materials available searchable full-text database was major exhibition of through the Virginia Baptist His- created for the years 1914–2003 torical Society, please go to http:// at http://­collegian.richmond.edu/ historical materials from www.baptistheritage.org/. gsdl/html. A major record of the the University Archives For access to Boatwright history of the university was then Library’s digital collections, visit made available to anyone through was made available http://library.richmond.edu/­ the library’s website. Chris Kemp, digital/index.html. head of digital initiatives in the simultaneously on the library, has subsequently made web and in the library… . major improvements to the online Works Consulted Collegian. Plans are afoot to add the remaining years on a regular basis Alley, John Reuben. University of to the public digital archive. worked with Andy Morton, the Richmond. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Further collaboration with Boatwright Library web technolo- Publishing, 2010. VBHS/University Archives con- gies librarian, to create an online tinued in 2007, as Kemp and exhibit with the digital images Alley, Reuben E. History of the Uni- his staff, Crista LaPrade, Marion from the regular library exhibit. versity of Richmond, 1830–1971. Dieterich, and student assistants This exhibit is accessible through Charlottesville: University of Vir- took the Papers of President Frederic the library’s main webpage at ginia Press, 1977. Boatwright, housed within VBHS/ http://news.richmond.edu/news/ University Archives, and digi- article/library/2211/ur-football- University Archives. Annual Reports tized them for general searching comes-home-archival-exhibit. to the University Librarian. Rich- (http://urhistory.richmond.edu/ html. For the first time, a major mond: University of Richmond, electronic.html). This is a valuable exhibition of historical materials 1998- primary source for educational his- from the University Archives was tory, since Boatwright served as made available simultaneously on Virginia Baptist Historical Society. president of the university from the web and in the library, comple- A Ministry through History: The Story 1895–1946, a pivotal period in the menting and placing it in the his- of the Virginia Baptist Historical Soci- university’s history and one of the torical context of the new stadium. ety and the Center for Baptist Heritage longest tenures in all of American Kemp and his staff are now work- and Studies. Richmond: Virginia higher education. ing with VBHS/University Archives Baptist Historical Society, 2001. VL Late last spring, discussions and the university administration began between the library and to digitize important records of VBHS/University Archives to create the institution dating back to the PAGE 26 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010

Discovering the Unexpected: The Margaret Wise Brown Collection at Wyndham Robertson Library, Hollins University

by Beth S. Harris

argaret Wise Brown ing the program in the fall of was “the first author 1935, Brown soon fell under of picture books to the influence of Lucy Sprague Mbe recognized in her own right Mitchell, chair of the school. In … [and] the first author to make addition to teaching, Margaret the writing of picture books an also became involved in the art.”1 In fact, she also broke the Bank Street Writers Laboratory, mold of what was being written a group interested in applying for children during the 1930s and the latest scientific theories to 1940s. Fortunately for research- children’s stories. Referred to ers and aficionados of children’s as the here-and-now approach, literature, Brown’s legacy of their textbooks and readers innovation has been preserved at addressed the everyday world her alma mater, Hollins Univer- and concerns of children. The sity in Roanoke, Virginia. approach “represented a direct The Margaret Wise Brown challenge to the widely held Collection is housed in the Spe- view of librarians and publish- cial Collections Department at Wyndham Robertson Library, Hollins University. Brown’s Beth Harris is currently working at papers, along with the library’s the Wyndham Robertson Library collection of her books, com- at Hollins University in Roanoke, prise one of the most compre- Virginia. As special collections and hensive collections of Margaret government information librarian, Wise Brown materials in the she manages the rare book, manu- country. Behind this unique col- script, university archives, and Hol- lection is the fascinating story lins author collections. In addition, of Brown’s prolific career and how rite Hearsey. Five years after gradu- she oversees the library’s government the manuscripts found their way ation, Brown inscribed a copy of document collection received through to Hollins University. her first published book, When the the Federal Repository program. She has Born May 23, 1910, Margaret Wind Blew, to Hearsey, “Remem- also served as liaison librarian for both Wise Brown grew up in Brooklyn, bering the stumbling words that the sciences and fine arts divisions at New York, and attended her moth- led up to whatever clarity is here. Hollins and worked in the library’s cata- er’s alma mater, Hollins College And always thanking you for the loging and acquisitions departments. (as it was then called), where she first encouragement.”2 A few years Harris received her Bachelor of Music received an AB in English literature after graduation, Brown decided to Education at Houghton College (Hough- in 1932. Although not academically apply for Bank Street’s Cooperative ton, NY) and her Master of Science in inclined, Brown took an interest in School for Student Teachers in New Library Science from the University of writing due to the encouragement York City, a program of the Bureau North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She may of her literature professor Margue- of Educational Experiments. Enter- be reached at [email protected]. OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 27

ers that fairy tales, myths, legends, and traditional nursery nonsense … comprised the best introduction to literature for the young.”3 Dur- ing this time, William R. Scott, a young publisher, met Lucy Sprague Mitchell, who encouraged him to there was a market for more of “devote his list to experimentally Margaret Wise Brown’s books. She tested, here-and-now-style chil- contacted Brown’s sister, Roberta dren’s books.”4 Scott was given an Brown Rauch, about reprinting office at Bank Street and eventu- some out-of-print titles. Rauch, who ally met Brown, who became his had gotten some of her late sister’s first editor in 1938. According to Hay. In addition to picture books, manuscripts published, had grown Leonard Marcus, “she was a highly many of her works were published weary of dealing with large pub- innovative juveniles editor, and in educational textbooks and some lishing and decided to work with throughout her career she played were even set to music. Her life was Gary. During one of Gary’s visits to impresario to the entire field, tak- tragically cut short when she died Vermont where Rauch lived, Rauch ing pleasure in discovering or fur- of an embolism in 1952 at the age casually mentioned a trunk full of thering the careers of illustrators of forty-two. Along with the clas- papers that had been languishing and writers such as Clement and sic titles Goodnight Moon, The Run- in her attic for the past thirty years. Edith Thacher Hurd, Garth Wil- away Bunny, and The Little Island Gary was immediately intrigued liams, Leonard Wisegard, Esphyr (Caldecott Medal, 1947), originally and excited over the trunk’s con- Slobodkina, Jean Charlot, and Ruth published during her lifetime, her tents: sixty-seven unpublished Krauss.”5 Brown published a num- works published posthumously manuscripts Margaret Wise Brown ber of her own books with Scott, continue to grow each year. had been working on before she but eventually moved on to other Along with the posthumous died. The cedar-lined chest also publishers. Brown was illustrated works, newly discovered works contained numerous pieces of cor- by Garth Williams, Clement Hurd, have renewed interest in Margaret respondence to her publishers and and Leonard Weisgard, among oth- Wise Brown. In the early 1990s, other individuals. Since unearth- ers, and sometimes wrote under Amy Gary, president of WaterMark ing Brown’s papers, Gary has spent the pseudonyms Juniper Sage, Press, a small publishing firm near time preparing many of these man- Golden MacDonald, and Timothy Birmingham, Alabama, thought uscripts for publication. PAGE 28 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010

Left, manuscript page from The Fathers Are Coming Home by Margaret Wise Brown, first published in 2010.

Below, letter from Margaret Wise Brown to Georges Duplaix (Simon & Schuster), May 16, 1952, Correspondence Series.

In the meantime, Gary told her grandmother, Fonnie Strang (Hollins, class of 1928), about the discovery. Strang, an active Hol- lins supporter, recognized that these papers with their connec- tion to her alma mater would be a and various organizations. While tremendous asset to their recently most of the letters are addressed to holds her academic records, pho- inaugurated children’s literature Brown, many contain her responses tographs, sound recordings, and program. She urged then-Hollins drafted on the original letters. articles written by Brown, as well president Maggie O’Brien to get in Subjects include contracts, royal- as articles and theses written about touch with Rauch about acquiring ties, copyright, and ideas for books her. the manuscripts and papers, which and songs. Major correspondents Many of the manuscripts have Rauch generously agreed to donate. include editors of the publish- notations and offer, along with After three years of working out ing companies Simon & Schuster, the correspondence, a glimpse into the details, the collection finally Harper & Brothers, and E. P. Dut- the writing and editing process. In arrived at Hollins in the spring of ton. Other correspondents include addition to the day-to-day busi- 1993. composers Dorothy Cadzow and ness of publishing, the letters also These papers include two hun- Ruth Cleary Patterson, illustrator reveal personal aspects of Brown’s dred pieces of correspondence, Garth Williams, photographer Ylla relationships with her editors and more than five hundred manu- (Camille Koffler), Harper & Broth- publishers. In a letter to Brown, scripts, music scores, papers relat- ers editor Ursula Nordstrom, law- Ursula Nordstrom (Harper & Bros.) ing to Brown’s death, and legal yer Harriet Pilpel, and members of reassures her that they will work records. The correspondence com- the Artists and Writers Guild. In out communication difficulties prises letters from Brown’s publish- addition, the University Archives and ends the letter with, “At the ers, editors, lawyer, collaborators, unit within Special Collections risk of sounding very stupid, I’d OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 29

DAVID MAXSON

The Hollins Room, showing a portion of the Hollins Authors Collection, including the Margaret Wise Brown Collection.

like to say again how much hav- Margaret Wise Brown’s published ing even a small connection with Unpaid bills from books. Brown was a prolific writer, some of your books has meant to with nearly one hundred fifty titles me, as editor and just plain civil- the local pharmacy, to her name. She once stated that ian. We’ll now sing Hymn 303, she could write a story in twenty Love Ursula.”6 Not all of Brown’s a “French” cleaner in minutes but spent a year or more 9 frustrations were smoothed over so New York City, and rewriting it. The Margaret Wise easily, however. Georges Duplaix Brown book collection at Hollins, (Simon & Schuster) was visiting the local grocery store numbering more than 270 volumes France when he received an angry in thirteen different languages, letter from Brown, ending with provide insight into her is an excellent example of texts “Happy Fourteenth of July, and be character and life. and illustrations from what Mau- glad that the ocean is there. If you rice Sendak has described as the don’t make good your word to me Golden Age of children’s book pub- I will be over to shoot you with lishing in America.10 The diversity a bow and arrow in August. Love “Smokehouse Hams,” explained of Brown’s books at Hollins allows Margaret Wise Brown.”7 that “Tim” (a nickname) had pur- older readers to enjoy the nostalgic Even the legal papers, complete chased some hams from her but feeling of the early editions from with “legalese” terminology, reveal never paid for them. “Tim and I their own youth, while younger interesting tidbits of Brown’s per- were best friends … I do not want readers can be introduced to book sonal history. Unpaid bills from to do anything which will be design and illustration styles of the local pharmacy, a “French” embarrassing to anyone but I know the period. Both will be delighted cleaner in New York City, and the that Tim wanted me to have pay- by new interpretations through local grocery store provide insight ment for my hams.”8 modern illustrators. Margaret Wise into her character and life. A let- In addition to the manuscripts, Brown still touches readers today ter written to Brown’s lawyer, from the Wyndham Robertson Library with The Runaway Bunny and Good- one of Brown’s friends who owned has a substantial collection of night Moon. Some lesser-known PAGE 30 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010

works in the collection, such as A made clear as I read through the Marguerite C. Hearsey, inscription Pussycat’s Christmas and Baby Ani- correspondence. One can reach in a copy of When the Wind Blew, mals, have been paired with new out and touch the same things Wyndham Robertson Library, Hol- illustrators and appeal to younger Margaret Wise Brown touched and lins University, Roanoke, Virginia. generations. Lastly, the collection created. After working many hours 3. Leonard S. Marcus, Margaret includes new works discovered on this collection, I felt that I had a Wise Brown: Awakened by the Moon within the last decade, including personal encounter with Margaret (Boston: Beacon Press, 1992), 53. Mouse of My Heart and A Child is Wise Brown herself. 4. Ibid., 89. Born, which are being read for the Numerous articles, theses, 5. Ibid., 2. first time and have yet to stand the books, conference papers, and 6. Ursula Nordstrom, letter to test of time. musical recordings have resulted Margaret Wise Brown, TL (type- The Margaret Wise Brown papers from research in the Margaret written letter), March 12, 1951, have seen frequent use since their Wise Brown Collection, including Margaret Wise Brown Papers, acquisition in 1993. Jake Wheeler, Leonard Marcus’s Margaret Wise “Incoming Correspondence, Pub- college professor emeritus, reviewed Brown: Awakened by the Moon, Cyn- lishers,” Wyndham Robertson the collection when it first arrived. thia Rylant’s Margaret, Frank and Library, Hollins University, Roa- A popular speaker on Hollins his- Andy: Three Writers’ Stories, and the noke, Virginia. tory and lore, he has often delved music recording The Noon Balloon: 7. Margaret Wise Brown, letter into this collection to enhance Art Songs for Children by Sandra to Georges Duplaix, TL, May 16, his presentations on Margaret Summer. Other potential uses of 1952, Margaret Wise Brown Papers, Wise Brown. In an address to Hol- this collection include such topics “Outgoing Correspondence, Pub- lins alumnae, Wheeler stated that as Brown’s literary development, lishers,” Wyndham Robertson “reading old manuscripts and see- women authors and the publish- Library, Hollins University, Roa- ing the correspondence has given ing industry (rights, fair treat- noke, Virginia. me not only much amusement but ment, etc.), and literary study. In 8. Mary Watkins McLaugh- insight into the life of a remarkable addition, correspondents such as lin, letter to Harriett F. Pilpel, TL, young woman who went places Clement Hurd, Dorothy Cadzow, November 28, 1952, Margaret after starting at Hollins.”11 Another and Elizabeth Randolph may be of Wise Brown Papers, “Legal Papers,” researcher who has used these interest to researchers. Wyndham Robertson Library, Hol- papers several times noted that she Interestingly, Brown did not lins University, Roanoke, Virginia. found articles, letters, and theses write out of her love for children 9. Margaret Wise Brown, “Writ- that she didn’t know existed and but rather out of her love for lan- ing for Children,” Hollins Alumnae is “eager to return and give those guage. In a 1949 Hollins alumnae Magazine (Winter 1949): 1. papers my attention… . Anyone magazine article, Brown said, “It 10. Marcus, Margaret Wise Brown, interested in the life and work of is not hard to trace an interest in dust jacket. Margaret Wise Brown would find children’s books through a love of 11. Jake Wheeler, “Goodnight a trip to Hollins University more the English language. I don’t think Moon! Margaret Wise Brown and than worthwhile.”12 Recently a I am essentially interested in chil- the Hollins Connection,” address, visitor commented, “Where else dren’s books. I’m interested in writ- alumnae reunion, Hollins Col- can you hold in your hands not ing, and in pictures. I’m interested lege, Roanoke, Virginia, October 9, only Brown’s death certificate, but in people and in children because 1996, Margaret Wise Brown Papers, read scores of unpublished works, they are people — little primitive “Materials About,” Wyndham Rob- examine accounting records, or people — keener in some ways then ertson Library, Hollins University, sift through correspondence? The they themselves will be later on. Roanoke, Virginia. collection is wonderful, including And, I am interested in simplic- 12. Candice Ransom, letter to not only what might be expected ity. In children’s books all these author, TL, August 10, 2004, Special but also esoteric, unusual, and sur- combine.”14 Collections Correspondence Files, prising items.”13 Wyndham Robertson Library, Hol- In arranging, indexing, and lins University, Roanoke, Virginia. Notes preparing a finding aid for these 13. Rory Kraft, email to author, papers, I have found they make 1. Barbara Bader, American Picture- October 14, 2010. history come alive for me as well as books from Noah’s Art to the Beast 14. Brown, “Writing for Chil- researchers and casual observers. Within (New York: Macmillan Pub- dren,” 1. VL The laborious process of writing lishing Co., 1976), 252. and negotiating with publishers is 2. Margaret Wise Brown to OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 31

Virginia Reviews

Beam, Jeffery. Gospel Earth. Nottingham, UK: Skysill From rosehip & goldfinch thorn & bright needle Press, 2010. 230 pp. ISBN- From storm clouds gathering light darting through us 13: 978-1-907489-02-0. From April’s spring torrents creek’s roaring persistence Putting a very short poem on a From pond over-flowing swamp’s restraint ending page by itself creates a certain risk for a poet. If the reader connects with the image or emotion of the That is not to say that the shorter Brand, E. Cabell, and poem, the white space is an invi- poems should be overlooked. They Tommy Denton. If Not tation to savor the reading and let are good enough that I found Me, Then Who? New York: the words resound longer than if myself pausing after reading each iUniverse, 2010. 140 pp. there is more on the page. If, on one, rereading and trying to enter ISBN-13: 978-1-9362-3612-1. $12.95 the other hand, the poem does not the world they create in such a (softcover). engage the reader, the empty paper few words. Here is an example, the We happily live in an age where is like the silence after an awkward poem “Holy Well.” an increasing number of business remark at an intimate dinner. Fol- Hot aching bitter dream heaved leaders are also promoting social lowing the success of his recent to wind consciousness and community book The Beautiful Tendons, poet Ask Time when the enormous involvement. But Brand — founder Jeffery Beam (see http://scholar.lib. flood will stop … of both the Stuart McGuire Com- vt.edu/ejournals/VALib/v50_n2/ pany and Total Action Against Pov- Ask away … beam.html) takes this risk some- erty, and a member of numerous Then sit thing like one hundred and fifty charitable organizations — has been times in his beautifully produced The book is divided into six beating those drums for decades new volume, Gospel Earth; and he distinct sections, and the variety both from within his own com- gives readers many opportunities makes the collection much more pany, where he was generous with to stop and let a small poem work. than a group of short poems. The benefits, and on the public stage of The book, in fact, is beautifully section titled “Travels” is also subdi- regional and federal politics. printed, fitted with a striking cover, vided into groups of poems focused Brand begins and permeates the and produced with plenty of room on the Appalachian Mountains, book with his own story, as cen- for interesting additions to the France, Tidewater North Carolina, tered on his business life. Its suc- body of short poems. These extras Italy, and Ireland, allowing the cesses, failures, and in-betweens reader to hear the same voice as it include a passionate prose intro- are chronicled in detail not to encounters very different settings. duction titled “Illuminations,” establish credentials, but to docu- So, there is quite a bit of variety six pages of quotations gathered ment how he came to believe that in Gospel Earth, but Beam returns by the author over many years of businesses and the community’s to the short poem throughout. I careful reading, a prose piece and well-being were inextricably inter- think one of the very last poems a longer poem near the middle of twined — and how he went about describes my experience reading the book in a section titled “Green attempting to better the commu- the book. It is called “Pause.” Man,” and a very fine introductory nity with lessons learned. This, poem, “An Invocation.” In a collec- Before you turn the page combined with witnessing the tion of unusual and well-crafted Pause with me … injustices of segregation — particu- small poems, I actually found this larly when it was dealt against his There longer piece to be one of the most own employees and friends — and That’s it successful. Its call-and-response the horrors of poverty, convinced The ancient place structure and persistent rhythm him of the truth of the question, help bring the images to life, as in Now go … “If not me, then who?” On today’s this stanza. — Cy Dillon, Hampden-Sydney still-rising wave of economic hard- College ship, Brand promotes the mantra PAGE 32 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010

that employees should be grate- that a rising tide lifts all boats. veys the gripping and incredible ful for their jobs and give all to This short read — Brand accurately story of the American Revolution. their employers; nevertheless, he predicts that it takes about two Nelson’s book, George Washington’s recognized early on that employ- hours — isn’t so much a blueprint Great Gamble and the Sea Battle ers are also nothing without good for activism as a motivating force That Won the American Revolution, employees, and should treat them to convince readers of their own recounts the events that led to accordingly. Happy, satisfied work- power to improve the world around French supremacy at sea and the ers are also more likely to become them. resulting American victory at York- involved in positive ways with Brand never promises that it town in October 1781. their communities. “Doing well by will be simple, but assures readers Nelson begins George Washing- people,” Brand writes, “not only between the lines that it is both ton’s Great Gamble with words from has demonstrable benefits in terms necessary and an endless font a proverbial rhyme: “For want of a of productivity, but the entire of reward. This is a book readers nail, a shoe was lost… .” From here enterprise creates a community of can return to for inspiration and he records the actions that prove interest that, if properly attended energy. Brand rarely points fin- “that seemingly innocuous or at to, thrives and prospers. And it’s least minor affairs can look like also the right thing to do.” Every- major turning points when viewed body wins; everybody comes out in hindsight” (3). ahead. … he assures readers Using firsthand accounts from Each of the subsequent chapters that they themselves correspondence, diaries, and mem- deals with a specific and sometimes oirs, Nelson presents history from seemingly overwhelming problem: can change their all points of view — British, French, issues of economic justice, educa- German, Spanish, and American. tion, health care, the environment, neighborhoods, Doing so reveals the intricacies of racial justice, and peace. Each con- their towns, and their national as well as personal poli- tains detailed reports and statistics tics that influenced each strategic about how far the problems have country for the better. decision in the nearly six years of gone and how deeply they’ve cut war. Again and again, as personali- into our society. Yet Brand is never BRAND AND DENTON REVIEW ties and Providence altered plans, pessimistic. After expressing the the reader sees the wonder of the belief that we cannot rely on poli- outcome. ticians to help us — Brand is in fact gers (and when he does, it’s almost Nelson divides his book into quite critical of them — he assures always at failed government and three parts. Part One, “An Oppor- readers that they themselves can private programs rather than the tunity in Virginia,” introduces us change their neighborhoods, usually well-meaning people who to the leaders in the war. We learn their towns, and their country for implemented them), but instead of their previous experience, their the better. His own experiences offers a hand up with advice, temperaments, and their strategies, may often be very different than encouragement, and optimism. In and we begin to see the genius of the average reader’s, and from a the end, he says, it is up to all of George Washington in recogniz- much different era than many will us; but his faith that we can do it ing strengths and weaknesses both remember, but at their core, they never wavers, and in the end that individual and national. hold similarities that reflect hopes faith proves both infectious and From the first, when in 1775 he and frustrations from across the sustaining. took command of the Continen- human experience. — Danny Adams, evening services tal Army encamped around Bos- Brand impresses upon the reader librarian, Ferrum College ton, George Washington hoped to over and over again that caring retake New York, considering that for each other, and trying to fix to be the winning card against our communities’ problems, is the Nelson, James L. George the British. Washington’s military responsibility of every one of us — Washington’s Great Gamble experience prior to the Revolution- again coming back to the question and the Sea Battle That Won ary War had been mainly on the in the book’s title. He always puts the American Revolution. Western frontier, and he “had had his money where his mouth is; and New York: McGraw Hill, 2010. 376 virtually no exposure to the open- though this is sometimes to his pp. ISBN 978-0-07-162679-8. field European-style tactics that own detriment and sacrifice, he With superb research and skill- would characterize the warfare presses on unflaggingly, convinced ful writing, James L. Nelson con- of the next six years, and he had OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 33

never worked with naval forces” While the first section of the Peter Muhlenberg, and the Marquis (17). Again and again, however, book is sweeping in covering peo- de Lafayette were there to oppose Washington recognized the need ple and places, Part Two, “Greene and even capture him. They were for naval power. and Cornwallis: Looking North,” instead thwarted by the lack of Washington’s first encounter focuses on the face-offs between cooperation from the government with naval issues came with the the southern Continental army, and residents of Virginia. need to stop the resupply of the commanded by thirty-eight-year- Part Three, “The Fight on Land British in Boston. Washington did old General Nathanael Greene, and and Sea,” sees the focus of the war not have naval know-how, but he the British, under the leadership of come to Virginia. The British forces had men in his officer corps who General Lord Charles Cornwallis. were digging in on both sides of did. Colonel John Glover of Mas- Greene and Cornwallis played the York River at Gloucester Point sachusetts explained to Wash- cat and mouse in North and South and Yorktown. It became clear to ington “that capturing unarmed Carolina. The British believed that Lafayette, who had been following merchant vessels required only controlling the south was key to Cornwallis and trying to compre- small schooners armed with a few winning the war. But Cornwallis hend his plans, that the Americans cannons” (17). The schooners were and their allies had “the very real successful, but Washington kept possibility of trapping Cornwal- his “navy” secret from Congress lis’s entire army at Yorktown” if the for two months in the summer of … Washington possessed French fleet could take control of 1775, knowing that they were not a decisiveness and a the seas. The British were pinned in ready to endorse a continental place by the Continental troops on navy, which would look to the Brit- willingness to gamble land. Their backs were to the water. ish like a declaration of war. On August 14, 1781, Washing- Washington realized the advan- that the British general ton received word that the Comte tages of a navy, but also considered could not touch… . de Grasse was headed to the Chesa- that the Americans did not have the peake with between twenty-five resources to match the quality and NELSON REVIEW and twenty-nine ships of the line. quantity of the British vessels that Nelson writes, “He [Washington] “drove the Americans from Que- understood immediately that he bec, dominated the Hudson River, must give up, at least for the fore- carried troops to Rhode Island, took came to think differently. He did seeable future, his idea of moving command of the Delaware Bay, and not find the alleged support from against New York, a plan that had landed the troops that captured British sympathizers in the Caro- been central to this thinking for Savannah in 1778” (19). linas. Frustrated by this, and with nearly three years.” Nelson says “By the time the Comte de the loss of more than one quarter that Washington probably thought Rochambeau [commander of the of his army at the battle of Guil- that a Virginia campaign based French Expeditionary Force which ford Courthouse, Cornwallis chose on French naval supremacy might came to help the American Conti- to head north to Virginia. “Corn- drive Cornwallis from the colony, nental Army] arrived in America, wallis had come to believe that but that he probably did not think Washington entertained no trace the entire southern strategy would that it would end the war. Nelson of doubt that without a superior never work until Virginia was sub- comments again on General Wash- or at least neutralizing force at sea, dued and the American pipeline of ington, writing that “Clinton may the Continental Army could never supplies and communications from have had the upper hand in men, win, and, further, he knew that his the North shut off,” writes Nelson supplies, and naval superiority, but only hope of matching England’s (129). Washington possessed a decisive- strength at sea lay with the French” During the time Greene and ness and a willingness to gamble (19). In his Memorandum for Con- Cornwallis were in the Carolinas, that the British general could not certing a Plan of Operations of 1780, Benedict Arnold had been sent touch, and it would cost Sir Henry George Washington wrote, “In any to Virginia as a British general to the war” (266). operation, and under all circum- destroy all supplies headed south On August 31, the French ships stances, a decisive naval superiority to Greene’s army, and to establish arrived at the mouth of the Chesa- is to be considered as a fundamen- a British base on the Chesapeake peake Bay. Nelson writes, “The tal principle, and the basis upon Bay. He and his troops ravaged British were pretty well bottled up which every hope of success must towns up and down the James at Yorktown and Gloucester, [how- ultimately depend” (19). River. Baron de Stuben, General ever,] and the French fleet was PAGE 34 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010

anchored inside Cape Henry, ready some imprecise markings on the Northerners’ responses to the to meet any force coming to relieve Virginia Tidewater map render it threat of Southern secession via a Cornwallis” (269). difficult to understand. For exam- variety of perspectives and sources, “After all the blood and suffer- ple, there are two dots placed along thus providing readers with mul- ing, after all the years in which it the Chickahominy River, without tiple angles of insight into political seemed impossible that the Ameri- any corresponding marking or thought pervading the North at cans could even hold an army explanation as to what they repre- the advent of Lincoln’s presidency. together, much less defeat a pow- sent. Nelson includes a prologue, a Lincoln and the Decision for War erful, well-trained, well-equipped fictionalized account of the battle focuses on three states: Massachu- enemy — and worse, an enemy at Yorktown. While it makes good setts, New York, and Illinois. By nar- with an overwhelming command reading, it is unnecessary and even rowing his focus, McClintock aims of the sea — now finally, all the out of place. to understand the “immediate ori- stars were aligning,” writes Nelson That a group of colonies with a gins of the Civil War, the antebel- (259). As Nelson’s record shows, ragtag army, but no navy of any lum political system, and the early this did not result from some grand consequence, won independence presidential career of Abraham Lin- plan. “Many factors, each operat- from a ruling world power with coln” (7). McClintock’s other goals ing independently of the others, naval supremacy is a miraculous include chronicling a wide analysis had conspired to let things fall into story. James L. Nelson excels at of the Northern response to seces- place” (259). telling it. sion in hopes of redressing the Washington admitted through- The author of fifteen nautical- absence of analysis of the North- out the war his lack of naval knowl- themed nonfiction and historical ern public’s political attitudes and edge, once writing that some deci- fiction books, Nelson received the actions as chronicled by Kenneth sions “partly depend upon a knowl- 2004 American Library Associa- M. Stampp’s definitive study of the edge of Marine Affairs of which I tion’s W. Y. Boyd Literacy Award, North just prior to secession, And candidly confess my ignorance.” given to an author of a military the War Came (1964). McClintock As Nelson’s history demonstrates, novel that honors the service of charts the Republican Party’s tra- Washington’s humility in admit- American veterans during a time jectory toward confrontation with ting his ignorance and his ability of war, for his novel Glory in the the Southern states and investi- to thus trust those with naval skill Name. In 1999 he was awarded the gates its divergence on the compro- were wisdom that led to victory. Samuel Eliot Morison Award by the mise issue of slavery in the Western Nelson’s book ends with an epi- Naval Order of the United States for states, as well as the predicament logue, a time line, endnotes, and his nonfiction book George Wash- South Carolina’s secession caused a bibliography. He includes eight ington’s Secret Navy. Nelson lives the federal government. pages of illustrations, maps, and with his wife and four children on Readers watch President Buch- paintings between parts one and the coast of Maine. anan maintaining the status quo two. In part three, Nelson, himself — Susan Larson, librarian and and taking no action to offer a sailor, provides illustrations to writer in Fairfax, Virginia national leadership on the trou- correspond with his explanation bles brewing, and President-Elect of the fleet formations and winds Lincoln navigating the politics of affecting the British and French in McClintock, Russell. Lin- cabinet selection. In the months the Battle of the Capes. However, coln and the Decision for between Lincoln’s election and the not until page 272 does Nelson War: The Northern Response first shots of the Civil War, McClin- explain line of battle, “that orderly to Secession. Chapel Hill: tock frames the transformation of line of ships that was the standard University of North Carolina Press, the issue of African slavery that arrangement for a sea battle in 2008, 2010. 388 pp. ISBN-13: 978- Northern citizenry and politicians the eighteenth century, as it had 0-8078-7154-6. held central to their beliefs about been for centuries before… .” This Russell McClintock, a teacher at the Republic, to the belief that the explanation, and a description of Saint John’s High School in Shrews- federal government should evince each type of ship mentioned in the bury, Massachusetts, adds much to authority to maintain itself in light book, would have been useful at Civil War history with Lincoln and of South Carolina’s secession from the beginning. the Decision for War, which exam- the Union. In effect, McClintock Three maps near the front — ines the months following the suggests that South Carolina’s America’s Atlantic Coast, Virginia election of Lincoln through the actions caused the North to “man Tidewater, and the Yorktown secession of the first state, South up” due to the direct threat of Region — are beneficial, although Carolina. McClintock chronicles armed conflict that the Southern OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 35

states intimated given their swerve tion to detail and presentation of he informs us. His poet’s eye toward secession and the forma- his interpretation and information notices that the giraffe’s skin is a tion of a confederacy. in this rich narrative. His ability to “soft patchwork puzzle.” In another By January 1861, governors immerse the reader within the pol- poem, he describes the quail of Mississippi, Florida, and Ala- itics and personalities of the nine- mother crossing the road with “her bama confiscated federal forts and teenth century is skillful indeed. brood pearled out behind her.” arsenals prior to officially seced- Lincoln and the Decision for War Sometimes Stuart seems to ing. Northern public sentiments is recommended for history collec- inhabit the animal, bringing news regarded the actions as treasonous tions with a focus on the Civil War. of its life to us. What does the yak and thus were united by this belief In fact, it should be the one book dream of, on top of her mountain? to stand by and defend the flag, that scholars and interested readers Something hair-raising no matter the cost. At this point, consult on the matter of Northern you can bet, like a haircut a compromise was moot, given the attitudes towards secession at the to take all that load off… seizure of federal property in the brink of the Civil War. Young readers will be intrigued Southern states. — Rebecca Tolley-Stokes, associate with the speculation in “Ex- Chapter Six includes the experi- professor and faculty outreach librar- Files”: “When a creature becomes ences of four conciliationist men, ian, East Tennessee State University extinct, / what happens to it, do Edward Everett, Amos Lawerence, you think?” As he plays with the John Munn, and William Kellogg. distinction between being and Each approached conciliation from not-being — “What does the ptero- different perspectives in their spe- Sometimes Stuart seems dactyl do / not even available to cific political milieus. They agreed to inhabit the animal, the zoo?” — Stuart is sure to get that the way to save the Union was children thinking and dreaming. via compromise and diplomacy bringing news of its The collection is bracketed by through established channels such two poems that invoke the sun. In as conventions, petitions, and reso- life to us. the first poem, the sun cries, “Open lutions. Thus, their attitudes and the gates! / I have been down here STUART AND ELLIOTT REVIEW approaches represented the status in the dark too long.” At the end quo on secessionist thought in the of the book, the weary sun con- North. fesses, “I’m tired / and almost gone Once Lincoln took office, his from my giving,” as it goes down passive approach to neither sac- through the gates until it’s time to rificing the Union nor provoking Stuart, Dabney, and Susan rise again. As the sun prepares to war from the South fell aside as E. Elliott (illustrator). Open start up its arc, readers will surely he dealt with the problem of Fort the Gates: Poems for Young be prompted to start reading again Sumter in South Carolina. Yet his Readers. Montrose, CO: from the beginning. leadership as events unfolded dem- Pinyon Publishing, 2010. 83 pp. Susan E. Elliott’s exquisite water- onstrated his strength of charac- ISBN-13: 9780982156162. $27.00 color paintings accompany each ter, decisiveness, and inflexibility, (softcover). poem. Some are wispy and deli- which directly countered Buchan- This award-winning Virginia cate, like the black and white swirl an’s lame-duck wavering. Once the poet, best known for his personal of shell accompanying the poem announcement of cabinet appoint- poetry and his dazzling variety of “Snail.” Others are bold, like the ments was made, it was clear what styles, has turned his hand here to full page-spread that accompanies the country’s course would be, verse for children, with delightful “Iguana.” Beady eye, horned spine, given its composition of “radicals.” results. and mosaic skin are rendered in The casual reader may feel lost Giraffes and hummingbirds, bright blues, golds, and reds. In the in this book, whose scope is nar- newts and water buffaloes, even illustration for “Whales,” Elliott rowed to the span of seven months’ the extinct and the mythical can uses blocky abstract shapes and a time — from the November 1860 be found here, in a paean to the wash of steel blue to convey the election to May 1861 — and whose varied creatures of the animal king- “Great, gray sloping” creatures. players include major ones such as dom. The poet’s wordplay is sure to Children eight and up will enjoy Lincoln and Seward, but also myr- charm young readers and listeners: hearing these poems read aloud iad lesser players who blend into A born outsider, or reading them independently. one another. The academic reader the water strider’s Stuart’s collection is sure to find will revel in McClintock’s atten- a river rider, a place on library shelves next to PAGE 36 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010

other distinguished anthologies for dusky passage where the bizarre and disturbing games with children such as Valerie Worth’s light was poorest. Like me, him, such as tying fancy knots Animal Poems and The Beauty of the she wore the black dress that using earthworms. Beast: Poems from the Animal King- proclaimed her a maid of the The House of Dead Maids main- dom selected by Jack Prelutsky. Pin- house, but whereas mine was tains an eerie tone throughout as yon Publishing books are available new, hers was spoiled by mil- Himself and Tabby explore Seldom from Amazon.com. dew and smears of clay. Thin House looking for answers to the — Caroline Parr, Central Rappa­ hair, dripping with muddy secrets that the maid and the but- hannock Regional Library water, fell to her shoulders in ler are obviously hiding. The truly limp, stringy ropes. This was creepy experiences with ghosts my companion of the night recur throughout the story, and before — and she was dead. slowly reveal the shocking secrets Dunkle, Clare; Patrick lodged inside the puzzling house Arrasmith, illustrator. The Tabby is so frightened and with no windows on the inner House of Dead Maids. New lonely in the town where Seldom walls. The secret that the house York: Henry Holt, 2010. House is located, without churches and townspeople harbor is shock- 146 pp. ISBN-13: 9780805091168 ing, and leads to a satisfying end- (hardcover). ing that inspires the reader to find Readers will be drawn in right out what Emily Bronte actually away by the intricate setting, quick … teens view the book wrote about in her classic novel, pacing, and cast of fully devel- as a romance rather Wuthering Heights. oped characters in The House of One of the best things about The Dead Maids. Tabby Ackroyd, one of than the desperate House of Dead Maids is that it may many girls living at an orphanage, encourage teens to read Wuther- is selected to be the new nurse- tragedy it really is. ing Heights to look more deeply maid for Seldom House. On her DUNKLE AND ARRASMITH REVIEW into Heathcliff’s character. In my first night at the house, a female experience, talking to many teen- ghost, reminiscent of a non-flesh- age girls who “just love” Wuthering eating zombie, crawls into bed Heights, teens view the book as a with Tabby. Not until later in the and with residents who point at romance rather than the desper- story does Tabby realize that the her and whisper, that she rarely ate tragedy it really is. Somehow cold, wet “girl” who shared her bed ventures out of the house where they ignore Heathcliff’s behavior, is one of the many ghosts she later she’s employed. Thus, it is, in part, which is at times frightening, as encounters, ghosts with blackness a relief for her when her charge, when he hangs a little dog. The filling empty eye sockets. called only “The Young Master” doors Dunkle opens to a deeper Dunkle provides a wonderful or “Himself,” arrives to live at the exploration of his character may excerpt from the book — in addi- house. The child is reckless and make a difference for girls who tion to links for various essays she conceited; after all, he is master of seem to view dominating, posses- wrote about Wuthering Heights and the house at an early age. He lacks sive, and violently passionate men her blog tour — on her website, manners, is unkempt, and goes as romantic. www.claredunkle.com: without shoes most of the time. Fans of ghost stories and of The old looking glass in the Soon after his arrival at Seldom Dunkle’s popular Hollow Kingdom beaded frame returned only House, Himself does reach out series, and those aspiring to read a suggestion of features. I to Tabby, in part because he is so the classics, will all findThe House of longed to see my new clothes, desperate for a playmate and is see- Dead Maids an appealing read. The and as I stepped into the pas- ing his own share of ghosts. Tabby, cover of the book, with its gilded sage, I was just turning over still practically a child herself, silver hue and hollow-eyed “dead in my mind where I might begins to enjoy the young master’s maid,” should make it jump off have seen a better mirror. companionship and seems to find library shelves. It’s a must-have for When first I caught sight of him a source of comfort at times, schools and public libraries alike. the small figure in black, I despite his recklessness and ill-tem- — Laini Bostian, Culpepper County thought it was my reflection. pered behavior. Tabby even seems Library VL She stood very still in the to enjoy participating in rather