Thanks to Mrs. Bagdasarian & guest Ms. Christiansen from @BalchLibrary. Our newspaper students loved digging through historical local papers from as far back as 1820 while looking into LCHS history and scanning some of our decades-old student newspapers. @lchslibrarians@LCHS1954
The Dog Days of summer, those sultry days when Sirius, the Dog Star, rises at the same time as the sun - generally July 3 and August 11, may be just behind us, but there is still time to submit a photograph to Thomas Balch Library's Bark-chive.
Happy Independence Day! Looking for something cool to do while waiting for the fireworks? Why not check out our new catalog thomasbalchlibrary.on.worldc… We found "Biographical Sketches of the Signers of the Declaration of American Independence" by B.J. Lossing [E221 .L756 1866].
Included is a portrait and biography of Richard Henry Lee. Did you know? His grandson, Richard Henry Lee (1794-1865) served as Mayor of Leesburg from 1822-1823.
Join us this Friday for a pop-up exhibit and fun activities! Stop by the Donaldson Cabin this First Friday 5-7 for a glimpse of life in Leesburg and Loudoun in the 1700’s.
We were saddened to learn of the recent passing of artist William Woodward (1935-2023). Woodward is noted for his murals, including Thomas Balch Library's mural, "A Loudoun County Story," and the paintings "Perseverance Through Faith and Strength" and "Meeting the Piscataway."
The shift of the reading room to Library of Congress Classification is complete. We are excited to share it with you. Thomas Balch Library will be open for regular hours beginning Saturday, July 1 at 11 am. Stop by and see what you can discover!
Thomas Balch Library staff and volunteers have been hard at work this week! More than 9,000 books have been relocated into their new LOC classification locations. Curious what it looks like to shift an entire library collection? Check out this timelapse video!
Thomas Balch Library staff will be working diligently to re-organize the books into the Library of Congress classification order while closed to the public. Learn more here >>> bit.ly/46kbtAY
Thomas Balch Library will host author Linda Harris Sittig in a discussion of Opening Closed Doors: The Story of Josie Murray on Sunday, June 25, beginning at 2 p.m. Open to all ages!
Please call 703-737-7195 or email balchlib@leesburgva.gov for info.
@BalchLibrary is debuting its Centennial Catalog, which distinguishes it as an independent research library, owned and operated by the #townofleesburg. The library has converted from Dewey classification to Library of Congress classification >> bit.ly/46kbtAY#leesburgva
Today, June 19 is Juneteenth, a day to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States. Originating in Galveston, Texas, it has been celebrated annually on June 19 in various parts of the United States since 1865.
Exciting News! The library now has its own catalog, the Centennial Catalog . For the 1st time ever, all collection materials are accessible through one platform. The library will be closed to shift the collection 6/26-6/30. Check out the new catalog: tinyurl.com/yck55f36
On 5/21/23, an event celebrating the rededication of the restored Douglass High School was held. Along with a ribbon cutting and tours, close to 500 gathered including Douglass alumni and teachers. Learn more about the renovation and rededication : tinyurl.com/24pck8up
Wynne Saffer will discuss the Northern Neck Proprietary and how to locate the grants using resources available at Thomas Balch Library.
Pre-registration is required. Email balchlib@leesburgva.gov, or visit>>> tinyurl.com/22yuxb8b
Image courtesy of Library of Congress.
Have you been by the library to see the exhibit Highlights of 100 Years of Collecting at Thomas Balch Library? Featured are items from the library’s collections suggested by researchers, volunteers, and staff. For example, in this interesting letter from Lizzie Legare Blake.
ALT Letter from Lizzie Legare Blake writes from Salt Sulphur Springs, Monroe County, VA to her friend Virginia L. Mott in Leesburg, VA to relate the dramatic news of a duel between her brother, J. Davidson Legare of Charleston, SC and John Dunovant of Chester, SC. Want to know what happened? Stop by in May to see the exhibit on view in the Margaret Mercer room.
Speaking of famous Mothers, did you know that Susan Catherine Koerner Wright, mother to Orville and Wilbur Wright, was born near Hillsboro in Loudoun County, VA in 1831?
Wilbur Wright pushed a lever the wrong way and crashed the Flyer III during test flights on May 14, 1908.
catalog.archives.gov/id/2793…
ALT After the greatest of [corrected from “od”] all air ship flights this afternoon the machine of [“Wr” crossed out] Wilbur and Orville Wright was smashed into an unrecognizable [“heap” crossed out] mass. The navigator of the machine, Wilbur Wright, escaped from the accident practically unhurt, [“xThax” crossed out] having received nothing more than a mere scratch on his face [“as a result of the accident” crossed out]. The [“mexbyne” crossed out] machine had already flown eight miles in seven [“second” crossed out] s minutes and [“seven” crossed out] forty seconds under beautiful control. The wrecking of [“the machine” crossed out] it was due to an error on the part of the navigator. Proceeding [“slights” crossed out] slightly in a downward course, it was the [“Wilbur” crossed out] designed by the navigator to elevate its course, but instead of working the lever to accomplish that result,
[full transcription at link]
ALT and which was working to their satisfaction, was hard to manipulate instantaneously, without considerable practice . The Wrights had not had time to practice its manipulation to perfection.
The flight of the machine was [word truly is inked out] a marvelous one, [breaking all is inked out] far out distancing other successful ones that have been recently made at Kill Devil Hill. The machine [inked out had] flew upward of eight miles in seven minutes and forty seconds. Making the ascent from a point near the house in which it is sheltered, one mile from the Kill Devil Hill Life Saving Station, it was steered in a northerly direction, parallel with the coast for a mile and a half. It was then directed westward, over a [inked out "sand hill fifty feet"] small sand hill and between two larger. Then completely circling another sand hill, the course of the machine was turned towards the starting point.
[full transcription at link]
ALT The Wrights state that they will immediately pack up the wreckage of their machine and ship it back to their home in Dayton, Ohio "[several sentences are inked out and illegible]"
Orville Wright had intended leaving here Monday to prepare for a trip to Europe, having engagements there with representatives of foreign Governments who have [2 words inked out] been attracted by the possibilities of their machine.
Not since the Wrights have been here did their machine appear so complete an instrument as it did today, due no doubt to its wonderful performance in the hands of its makers who were daily displaying more skill in [inked in "operating it] The fatal mistake was the result of [inked in importance [?]] with the operation of the new steering gear which the brothers had perfected and installed on the machine. Its working was very satisfactory, but required practice [inked in "for instantaneous manipulation[?]]
[full transcription at link]
ALT a mile beyond. "[two inked out illegible words]" Owing to the refusal of the Wrights to [2 illegible words are inked out] operate their machine when [3 words inked out "witnessed by strangers"] they were possessed of the knowledge that others besides themselves and the life-savers at the Kill Devil Hill Station [3 illegible penciled in words] and the isolation of their location, but few have seen the machine fly. Those who witnessed the flights today and many of the previous, besides [penciled in words "[The Wrights and Life-saving?]"the following newspaper Correspondents: Newton, of the New York Herald; Hoster, of the New York American Macgowan, of the [inked out 2 words] London Daily Mail and Salley.
[the word Salley is inked out]