William Henry Sargeant was the first Librarian hired by the City of Norfolk in 1897 and felt very strongly that Norfolk should have a history room devoted to her history and people. Since then, the Sargeant Memorial Room has grown into an impressive collection of Norfolk and Virginia history through the generosity of individuals and organizations who wanted to give back to the community and see to it that records of Norfolk's past were preserved. The collection includes a significant photographic collection of some 60,000 images of Norfolk and the surrounding Tidewater region from prominent local photographers. Many of the most popular images have been copied by local restaurants and businesses and incorporated into their decor. We continue to expand the collection to meet the needs and desires of our patrons. We also engage in projects to allow greater access and ease of our collection for everyone to use and appreciate it. We are always looking for books on history and genealogy for Norfolk, Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia, and Maryland; organizational records - cultural, business, and church; rare and/or significant books; genealogical records; family & personal papers - letters, diaries; newspapers for the Hampton Roads region, publications - newsletters; pamphlets, maps, blueprints, artwork, photographs of Norfolk and the Hampton Roads region, posters, and even postcards. If you wish to give a monetary tax-deductible donation or a planned gift to the Sargeant Memorial Room, the Norfolk Public Library has an endowment set up for the Sargeant Memorial Room that is administered by the Friends of Norfolk Public Library and the Norfolk Public Library Foundation. Your donation to the Sargeant Memorial Room will be appreciated greatly and will make a dramatic difference in the preservation of Norfolk history by raising the level of materials and services offered. We will be able to present more books, conserve historic materials, offer more microfilm and periodicals, and digitize portions of our collection. We will be able to "Preserve our past, for our future." Please contact the staff or mail in the form below to the Sargeant Memorial Room if you wish to help the collection continue to grow.

Please Consider a Gift or Donation
to the Sargeant Memorial Room

NAME:  ADDRESS:   PHONE:   E-MAIL:   How would you like to help? Check all that apply. Volunteer Donate Materials Sponsor a Book or Map or Microfilm A gift of to SMR's Endowment Fund (Please make your check payable to Norfolk Public Library Foundation)

Please print this page and mail it to:
Sargeant Memorial Room
Mary D. Pretlow Anchor Branch Library
111 W. Ocean View Ave.
Norfolk, VA 23503