The Historical Society of Washington re-opens Monday. Photo by author.

Closed for the better part of last year, the Historical Society of Washington, DC at the Carnegie Library plans to return to its regular hours in the spring. The organization is getting back on its feet and held an open house this morning to spread the word.

Last fall, Events DC, the city’s convention and sports authority, and the Historical Society reached an agreement on a lease amendment. According to the terms, the HSW will transfer 80% of the Carnegie Library to Events DC, which in turn will develop new uses for the space, including a visitor center.

In exchange, Events DC will operate and maintain the 110-year-old building, with HSW as a tenant. This reorganization allows the Society to singularly direct its resources on core operations and programs.

Additionally, the Kiplinger family, long-time HSW benefactors, donated more than 4,000 prints, photographs, paintings, documents, and DC historical ephemera last month.

With Kiplinger collection, HSW’s holdings documenting local history are now comparable to those in the DC Public Library’s Washingtoniana Division and Peabody Room, and in the Library of Congress. Howard University’s Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, George Washington University, recent recipient of the collection of Albert Small, National Archives, and DC Archives also contain material pertinent to city history.

“We have always sought to have our collection seen, enjoyed, and used by everyone from scholarly researchers to the general public,” said Knight Kiplinger, editor in chief and chairman of the Kiplinger organization. “The Historical Society of Washington, with its large exhibition galleries in the grand Carnegie Library building on Mount Vernon Square, will be an ideal repository for our pieces.”

Jerry A. McCoy, a special collections librarian for the DC Public Library’s Washingtoniana Division and Peabody Room, is pleased to see the library reopening. “It is important for researchers to have access to the resources that the Historical Society holds, and as a long-time member I am elated to see them back in business,” McCoy said.

“Historical Society leaders, members, and volunteer friends will celebrate Dr. King’s memory by committing themselves to a Day of Service providing the Washington community with opportunities to learn more about the Society’s collections and how to use them to explore their own personal stories,” said Julie Koczela, chair of HSW’s Bboard of Trustees.

According to Koczela, the Kiplinger collection is currently in crates in the east gallery. Once cataloged, the collection will join the more than 100,000 pieces already in HSW’s collection.