THE RECORDS OF THE LIBRARY in the University Archives
Virginia Union University
September 1997
These records reflect the growth and development of the Library at Virginia Union University. Originally housed in the basement of Coburn Hall, the library was relocated into the Belgian Friendship Building in 1950 and named the William J. Clark Library after the university’s third president. In January 1997 the collection moved into the L. Douglas Wilder Library and Learning Resource Center, referred to as the Wilder Library, named in honor of the VUU alumnus, the first elected African American Governor in the United States.
The head librarians have been as follows:
Wallace Van Jackson 1927-1941
William A. Griffey 1941-1942
Ann Goode (acting) 1942-1944
Bertha W. Gibbs (acting) 1944-1946
Verdelle V. Bradley 1946-1985
Sylvia Jenkins (acting) 1985-1986
Wanda Crenshaw 1986-1989
Dr. Vonita Foster 1989-2003
Dr. Delores Z. Pretlow 2003-2012
Pamela Foreman (Interim) 2012-
The bulk of the collection is the annual reports for which there is a virtually complete run from 1927 through 1992, including semi-annual reports and quarterly reports. The Administrative file contains papers created in the day-to-day business such as limited correspondence, floor plans and library objectives and statistics. The Events file contains announcements for library sponsored events such as guest speakers. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is an accreditation committee on which Mrs. Bradley served.
The James Weldon Johnson Tribute files relate to a display in the library presented in conjunction with the 1972 Fine Arts Festival (AR-004) tribute to Johnson. The correspondence is between Ms. O.J. Okala, nurse to Johnson’s widow, and Mrs. Bradley. The display materials are mainly biographical sketches and sheet music (the newspaper clippings have been moved to the Clippings File under Johnson, James Weldon).
Box 1
Administrative
Annual Reports, 1927, 1928, 1937, 1938
Annual Reports, 1940-1949
Annual Reports, 1950-1959
Annual Reports, 1960-1969
Annual Reports, 1969-1970
Annual Reports, 1970-1971
Annual Reports, 1971-1972
Annual Reports, 1972-1973
Annual Reports, 1973-1974
Annual Reports, 1974-1975
Annual Reports, 1975-1976
Annual Reports, 1976-1977
Annual Reports, 1977-1978
Annual Reports, 1978-1979
Annual Reports, 1979-1980
Annual Reports, 1980-1981
Annual Reports, 1981-1982
Annual Reports, 1982-1983
Annual Reports, 1983-1985
Annual Reports, 1985-1986
Annual Reports, 1986-1989
Annual Reports, 1990-1991
Annual Reports, 1991-1993
Annual Reports, 1993-1995
Bibliographies
Circulation Statistics Record
Events
James Weldon Johnson Tribute - Correspondence
James Weldon Johnson Tribute - Display Materials
James Weldon Johnson Tribute - Photographs
L. Douglas Wilder Lecture Series, 1997-
L. Douglas Wilder Lecture Series, photographs
"Library Bulletin"
Lost Books, 1960-1966
Neighborhood Youth Corps, 1968-1969, 1971
"Newsletter", 1997-
Photographs
Sound Recording Lists
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Student Assistants, 1966-1976
"The Tower" (newsletter), 1990-1996