Posts about Historical Society

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.

Two public meetings later this month will guide the organization's future. "We want to hear from the community on how we can best engage them in our mission to continue to protect the history of Washington," said Julie Koczela, Chairman of HSW's Board of Trustees. The Meyer Foundation is bankrolling the creation of a strategic plan that will determine "what the community wants out of the Historical Society of Washington," according to Koczela.

Meanwhile, the Convention and Sports Authority will assume utility expenses and maintenance costs of the building and grounds while occupying the great hall, adjacent map room, basement, and upstairs office space. It will retain the ability to collect revenue from renting out the space, a popular venue for public and private events.

Koczela said an agreement with WCSA will help to stabilize the organization by ameliorating the restrictive operating and maintenance costs of the building, the old Carnegie Library at Mount Vernon Square. This summer Koczela told the Post's John Kelly, "The electric bills are $15,000 a month."

This operational transfer will allow HSW to focus exclusively on maintaining and making available its collection, growing organizational capacity, and once again becoming active in the community. HSW will maintain its space consisting of the Kiplinger Research Library, storage rooms, and office space of approximately 11,000 total square feet. Among other valuable documents, the library houses District real estate records and resident directories dating back over 125 years.

With the library director recently leaving for a position at a nearby college, HSW is searching for a replacement, but in the meantime plans are to re-open the library with a collection of dedicated volunteers and part-time staff.

With the District's living history evolving every day, its past often framing conversations about what is or is not authentic, those concerned with our city's future would do well to get involved with sustaining one of our city's most valuable institutions.