News Release | April 1, 2020

The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and community are top priorities at the Library of Virginia. To help contain the spread of the corona virus (COVID-19), the Library is closed to the public until further notice. Please check our website at lva.virginia.gov regularly for the most up-to-date information on our operating status. We are monitoring the developing situation closely and following directives from the Office of the Governor and guidelines from the Virginia Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Library has suspended all in-person public events, workshops, programs, and tours through May. We hope to reschedule as many events as possible—and we’ll be offering some webinars—so please check our News and Events calendar at lva.virginia.gov/news/ and follow us on social media.

Library users who have books or other materials checked out are asked not to return them until the Library reopens. Loan periods will be extended and no fines will accrue while the Library is closed.

Library staff members are working during this public health emergency from Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM, and will respond to your questions and research inquiries. For Library Reference assistance, call 804.692.3777 or email refdesk@lva.virginia.gov. For Archives Reference assistance, call 804.692.3888 or email archdesk@lva.virginia.gov. For general inquiries, call 804.692.3535 or go to lva.virginia.gov/about/contact to find a staff directory. As many staff are teleworking at present, please leave a voice message and a staff member will get back to you promptly.

While our building is closed, researchers are encouraged to use our numerous online resources. Links to our most frequently used online collections can be found at
https://lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?vid=01LVA_INST:01LVA&lang=en.

Resources for students and teachers can be found at edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/ and
https://lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?vid=01LVA_INST:01LVA&lang=en.

For an online version of our current exhibition, We Demand: Women’s Suffrage in Virginia, see edu.lva.virginia.gov/wedemand/.

Services to state agencies through the State Records Center on Charles City Road are continuing as normal.

The research room at the State Records Center, however, is closed to the general public until further notice.

Virginia public libraries needing assistance can continue to call upon our staff in the Library Development and Networking Division. Library of Virginia resources for library professionals and trustees can be found at lva.virginia.gov/lib-edu/LDND/ and vpl.virginia.gov/.

Thank you for your continued patience as we navigate this unprecedented situation together.