VIRGINIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY the CENTER for VIRGINIA HISTORY Annual Report for 2002
VIRGINIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY THE CENTER FOR VIRGINIA HISTORY Annual Report for 2002 INTRODUCTION CHARLES F. BRYAN, JR. President and Chief Executive Officer FOR much of last year, those of us who work in the history field became accustomed to hearing a continuing litany of grim financial news from col- leagues across the country. Although the VHS has been more fortunate than many institutions, we also discovered difficulty during 2002 in bringing in the revenue necessary to maintain our ambitious programming. And yet, in spite of formidable obstacles, we persevered. In the end, thanks to the gen- erosity of our friends, the leadership of our board, and the dedication of our staff, 2002 was a year of great accomplishment for our institution—in our collecting, in our programming, and in our interpreting of Virginia’s rich and varied past. The obstacles we face in the future are great, but the record of last year’s philanthropy, and the achievement that I hope this narrative dis- closes, should make us equal to the tasks that lie ahead. The collections that the VHS holds in trust form the cornerstone of our institution. The care of these collections falls under the able supervision of our three curatorial departments, led by James C. Kelly, director of muse- ums, Frances S. Pollard, director of library services, and E. Lee Shepard, director of manuscripts and archives and Sallie and William B. Thalhimer III Senior Archivist. Under their guidance, we experienced another banner year, acquiring thousands of remarkable objects, books, and papers. From indi- vidual items to mega-collections, our holdings grew at a remarkable pace.
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