The SARGEANT MEMORIAL ROOM was named in honor of William Henry Sargeant, librarian in charge of the Norfolk Public Library from 1895 until his death in 1917. Although not a Virginian by birth, Mr. Sargeant was interested in building a collection of Norfolk and Virginia materials, believing that a complete file of city newspapers and directories "ought to be somewhere easy to access, and where better than in the library?" His efforts were rewarded in May 1927, when the Library Board Room was made fireproof in order to house the collection begun by Mr. Sargeant thirty years earlier.

Since that time, the staff of the Sargeant Room has continued to collect and maintain a historical collection of Norfolkiana, Virginiana and genealogy. The collection has expanded beyond Mr. Sargeant's vision of a complete file of newspapers and city directories. The room now houses more than 16,000 books, 3,700 microforms and 20,000 photographs.

It is the Purpose of this Department to ASSIST RESEARCHERS in obtaining local historical and genealogical data.

Microform readers and Duplicating Machines are available to patrons.