The Shenandoah County Library's Truban Archives will host its annual Black History Month at 7:00PM, Wednesday February 15 2023. 

This program "Through the Morrison Studio Lens" will focus on photographs of African Americans in our community produced by Woodstock's Morrison Studio led by photographers Hugh, Louis, and James Morrison. During the 20th century this studio was the primary photographer in the community and over 30,000 images survive. Several hundred of these images are of local African American community members. By examining these images, the identified subjects contained within them, and contextual information we can learn about the lives of African Americans in Shenandoah County during this period. 

The event will be held in the County Library's Activity Room located on the east side of the library building, 514 Stoney Creek Blvd. Edinburg Virginia. The presentation will also be live streamed via the Library's Facebook page. 

Contact Archivist Zachary Hottel for more information at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (540)984-8200. 

The Shenandoah Room and Truban Archives largest collection of local history and genealogical material in Shenandoah County. We are committed to providing access to our collections while preserving the historic collections entrusted to our care. 

We are located within the Shenandoah County Library. Our address is 514 Stoney Creek Blvd. Edinburg VA 22824. 

Before You Visit

Contact Archivist Zachary Hottel to ensure the collection you need is available or to make an appointment to have material ready for your arrival.

Research appointments are available between the hours of 10:00AM and 5:00PM Monday-Friday or on Saturdays/evening hours by special request. 

To make an appointment, email Archivist Zachary Hottel at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or contact him via phone at (540)984-8200. 

Individuals who need research assistance or who are conducting in depth research into a topic must make a research appointment. This will allow staff to pre-pull materials and to conduct a more thorough search for items. 

Shenandoah Room

Currently, the Shenandoah Room's collection of local history and family history works, and computer access to Family Search material and other databases, is available to researchers during the following hours:

Monday: 10:00 - 6:00
Tuesday: 10:00 - 6:00
Wednesday: 10:00 - 6:00
Thursday: 10:00 - 8:00
Friday: 10:00 - 6:00
Saturday: 10:00 - 3:00

Please note, staff will not be available to provide assistance during all of these hours unless a prior appointment has been made. 

Archival Materials

We hold a large collection of local history material including photographs, rare books, letters, journals, business records, etc.

Access to items from our Archival Collection, including historic documents, photographs, microfilm, and Family Folders require a research appointment to ensure proper access to items. 

Access to these materials when archival staff or volunteers are not available is prohibited. 

Learn more about our collection

-Search our catalog for relevant material  

-Search our Family Folder index

-Review our Research Guidelines page

When it was founded in 1984, the Shenandoah County Library committed itself to providing the resources our community needs to understand its history. To do this the library developed a collection of published local history works, microfilm, maps, and other works. In 2001 we moved to our current facility and a generous donation by Dr. William Truban allowed us to add an Archives. This helped us expand our collection to include photographs, primary sources, and rare books. Today, we remain committed to our mission of "collecting, preserving, and sharing the history of Shenandoah County."

To fulfill this mission we continue to to operate the Shenandoah Room and the Truban Archives under the direction of our Archivist Zachary Hottel. You can contact him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or via phone at (540)984-8200 for any questions regarding these collections or research. Before visiting, be sure to review our research page. 

We are always looking to expand the size of our collection. Primarily we gather new materials through donations from individuals, businesses, and community groups. Our collection focuses on Shenandoah County and the Shenandoah Valley, and we are especially interested in any type of local history materials including letters, photographs, ledgers, maps, drawings, cards, etc. Contact Archivist Zachary Hottel to discuss a possible donation. 

We also invite you to help us better understand the history of our local businesses and ensure their story is not lost. Please complete a brief survey about any business's you remember or are currently involved with at our Business History Project.