Dedicated to the collection and preservation of the records of the Commonwealth. Spanning nearly 400 years of history, the collections consist of 114 million archival items including 1.7 million books, serials, federal documents, audiovisuals, and maps as well as photos, family histories and more. The Library mounts exhibitions and sponsors lectures.

As the Commonwealth's library and archives, the Library of Virginia is a trusted educational institution. We acquire, preserve, and promote access to the unique collections of Virginia's history and culture and advance the development of library and records management services.

The Library of Virginia was created by the General Assembly in 1823 to organize, care for, and manage the state's growing collection of books and official records - many of which date back to the early colonial period. The Library occupied rooms on the third floor of the Capitol in Richmond until 1895, when Virginia erected a new Library and office building on the eastern side of Capitol Square. Outgrowing this location, the Library in 1940 moved to a handsome, new art-deco building on Capitol Street, adjacent to City Hall and the Executive Mansion. By the 1990s, space considerations and an increasing dependence on sophisticated new technology led to the construction of a spacious new six-story building at 800 East Broad Street, which opened to the public in 1997.