Virginia Beach Public Library will host a dedication ceremony Saturday, Aug. 11, at 10:30 a.m. at the Meyera E. Oberndorf Central Library in honor of the late Edgar T. Brown and his extensive local history collection. Speakers will include Dr. Stephen Mansfield, historian for the Princess Anne County/Virginia Beach Historical Society, and members of the Brown family. The event is free and open to the public.
Often called the “unofficial historian of Virginia Beach,” Edgar T. Brown was a collector and preserver of Princess Anne County and Virginia Beach history. In 2010, his wife, Sue Brown, gave the library permission to digitize his entire collection and make it accessible via the library’s local history website, www.VBgov.com/localhistory. Since then, library staff have scanned and cataloged thousands of postcards, pictures and more, including contents of 38 binders, 48 books and 36 oral history tapes.
“Edgar T. Brown’s collection is a significant contribution to the fine art and study of local history,” said Library Director Marcy Sims. “We’re grateful to Sue Brown and family for this valuable addition to the library’s archives.”
About Virginia Beach Public Library
A community anchor for more than 50 years, Virginia Beach Public Library includes a central library, eight area libraries, a law library and a bookmobile. Services include workforce development and job-search support, small business resources, computer and technology classes, early childhood literacy classes and local history archives. In addition to books in a variety of formats (print, audio and downloadable), the library provides online research tools accessible from home or work, as well as movies, music, and a variety of specialty collections. In fiscal year 2010/2011, the library saw 1.9 million people through its doors and checked out more than 3.3 million items. Visit www.VBgov.com/libraries for more information.
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