Free and open to the public, this annual event is a celebration of Virginia Archives Month in our region. Visitors can meet with representatives of institutions throughout the Valley who collect archives and regional history, and learn about the resources each offers for local historians and genealogists. Exhibitors will share the scope of their collections including unique primary sources, and explain how to conduct research with their collections. more
Katrina M. Powell, Ph.D., is the author of "The Anguish of Displacement: The Politics of Literacy in the Letters of Mountain Families in Shenandoah National Park" and the editor of "Answer at Once: Letters of Mountain Families in Shenandoah National Park, 1934-1938." Dr. Powell is the founding director of the Center for Refugee, Migrant, and Displacement Studies and a professor of rhetoric and writing at Virginia Tech. In this final session of the Deyerle Program Series on Local History, Dr. Powell will discuss the displacement of families that occurred to create the Shenandoah National Park. more
Shenandoah National Park was established in 1935. At the time, Virginia was a "Jim Crow" state with laws that legalized racial segregation. By 1940, a segregated area that included a campground, picnic area, lodge, and cabins was developed at Lewis Mountain. Learn about Shenandoah National Park in the Jim Crow Era from Park Rangers Allysah Fox and Karl Rand. This session is part three of our annual four-part Deyerle Program Series on Local History. more
Learn with Shenandoah National Park Ranger Margo Roseum about the wonders of the neighboring Blue Ridge Mountains! Have you ever wondered why some rocks are so hard and others are like sand below your feet on the trail? What kinds of animals are living on this land? How is it managed and protected? What is its history? What else is there to be discovered? This overview of natural and cultural history will guide you on a journey through Shenandoah National Park and give you an idea of the fun and adventure that awaits you on your next visit! This session is part two of our annual four-part Deyerle Program Series on Local History. more
Kids ages 4-9 can join us at Central Library in downtown Harrisonburg on Saturday, October 12th for Fun Fossils! From 1 to 2 PM they'll become archeologists as they dig for and create fossils! more
All adult books will be $1.00, while children's titles will be just $0.25. We'll have a variety of genres available, so stop by and browse through some bargain books! Are you interested in donating books to MRL? We'll gladly accept gently-used books at all of our seven branches. With each donation to MRL or purchase at our book sales, you're directly supporting our nonprofit mission! more