{{short description|Library in Virginia, United States}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox building | name = Thomas Balch Library | image = TBL1922HistoricLibrary.jpg | image_caption = Thomas Balch Library | coordinates = {{coord|39.1167726|-77.5683237|display=inline}} | address = 208 West Market Street | location_city = Leesburg, VA | opened_date = 1922 | renovation_date = 2000 }}

The '''Thomas Balch Library''' is a history and genealogy library located in Leesburg, Virginia.<ref name="kanter"/><ref name=Friends>{{cite web|title=Balch Library Information |url=http://www.balchfriends.org/ainfo.htm |website=balchfriends.org |publisher=Friends of Thomas Balch Library|accessdate=25 February 2015}}</ref> The library, owned and operated by the town of Leesburg, serves as a designated Underground Railroad research site and has an active research program.<ref name="kanter">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bpXQAgAAQBAJ&dq=underground+railroad+%22Thomas+Balch+Library%22&pg=PA145|title=Maryland and Virginia|last=Gasserud|first=Michaela|publisher=Avalon Travel|date= 11 February 2014|isbn=9781612385174}}</ref><ref name=research>{{cite news|last1=Gibson|first1=Caitlin|title=New research aims to connect Loudoun slaves to modern-day descendants|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/new-research-aims-to-connect-loudoun-slaves-to-modern-day-descendants/2012/02/21/gIQApJcsTR_story.html|newspaper=Washington Post|accessdate=25 February 2015}}</ref><ref name=research2>{{cite web|title=Thomas Balch Library Adds Database of President Monroe's Slaves|url=http://www.loudoun.daily-monitor.com/thomas-balch-library-adds-database-of-president-james-monroes-slaves/11895/|publisher=Loudoun Daily-Monitor|accessdate=30 March 2015}}</ref>

==History== The library was incorporated in 1918.<ref name="hw">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jyEEGPIE6P4C&dq=%22Thomas+Balch+Library%22&pg=PT259|title=Legends of Loudoun: An Account of the History and Homes of a Border County of Virginia's Northern Neck|last=Williams|first=Harrison|publisher=Library of Alexandria|date= |isbn=9781465513755}}</ref> The architect for the library was Waddy Butler Wood.<ref name="wood">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lDEx_l49Da0C&dq=%22Thomas+Balch+Library%22&pg=PA19|title=Along Virginia's Route|last=Ballatto|first=Josie|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|date= 2015|isbn=9780738567389}}</ref> In 1922, the Thomas Balch Library was constructed in Leesburg, Virginia as a memorial to historian Thomas Balch, a Leesburg native. Thomas Willing Balch (1866-1927) and Edwin Swift Balch (1856-1927), sons of Thomas Balch, originally endowed the subscription library.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.leesburgva.gov/index.aspx?page=84 |title=Thomas Balch Library |accessdate=2011-01-12 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100413134323/http://www.leesburgva.gov/index.aspx?page=84 |archivedate=April 13, 2010 }}</ref> The Library is part of the Leesburg Historic District.<ref>{{cite web|title=Historic District |url=http://www.leesburgva.gov/government/boards-commissions/board-of-architectural-review/historic-district|website=leesburgva.gov |accessdate=25 February 2015}}</ref>

The Thomas Balch Library operated for fifty years under a private Board of Trustees. The library was staffed by volunteers and part-time employees. In 1960 the library dropped its subscription and became a free, though segregated, public library. It was desegregated in 1965. In 1973, the Loudoun County Public Library system was established. The Thomas Balch Library joined as a full service public library branch in 1974, alongside the Purcellville, Purcellville Bookmobile and Sterling libraries.

In 1994, ownership of the Thomas Balch Library was transferred from the Loudoun County Public Library system to the Town of Leesburg. Under the Town of Leesburg, the library began operating as a history and genealogy library.<ref>[http://www.leesburgva.gov/government/departments/thomas-balch-library Leesburg, Virginia: Thomas Balch Library]</ref> The [http://ead.lib.virginia.edu/vivaxtf/view?docId=tbl/viletbl00072.xml;query=;brand=default#scopecontent_1.1 Martin L. Cook] photograph collection was acquired by the library in 2008. Cook was commissioned after training at the Tuskegee Army Flying School and went on to serve in the U.S. Navy in the Department of Defense as an aeronautical engineer.

In 2003 a Palladio Award in the category "Traditional Buildings" was given to Bowie Gridley Architects for a "sympathetic" addition to the Library building.<ref name=Palladio>{{cite web|title=Traditional Building: The Palladio Awards|url=http://www.traditional-building.com/palladio/pw200301.htm|accessdate=25 February 2015}}</ref> The addition doubled the size of the 1922 building.<ref name=Palladio/>

In 2013, the state legislature passed a special bill enabling the Library to receive a gift of $618,000 left to it by Virginia L. Bowie, a Leesburg resident and longtime library volunteer.<ref name=Assembly>{{cite news|title=Assembly Clears Path For Balch Library Endowment|url=http://www.leesburgtoday.com/news/assembly-clears-path-for-balch-library-endowment/article_779f5bba-7b69-11e2-a332-001a4bcf887a.html|accessdate=25 February 2015|publisher=Leesburg Today|date=20 February 2013}}</ref><ref name=Hager>{{cite news|last1=Hager|first1=Hannah|title=Thomas Balch Library receives large donation|url=http://www.loudountimes.com/news/article/thomas_balch_libr787ary_receives_large_donation|accessdate=25 February 2015|publisher=Loudon Times|date=9 November 2010}}</ref><ref name=Wagoner>{{cite news|last1=Wagoner|first1=Jana|title=Balch Library receives more money from Bowie estate|url=http://www.loudountimes.com/news/article/balch_library_receives_more_money_from_bowie_estate456|accessdate=25 February 2015|publisher=Loudon Times|date=3 November 2010}}</ref> The Library also holds an annual fundraising event at various local historic sites.<ref name=Morton>{{cite news|last1=Morton|first1=Margaret|title=Hospital, Balch Library Team Up For Unusual Fundraiser Sunday|url=http://www.leesburgtoday.com/community_life/hospital-balch-library-team-up-for-unusual-fundraiser-sunday/article_8c115cec-2888-11e4-9f0f-001a4bcf887a.html|accessdate=25 February 2015|publisher=Leesburg Today|date=20 August 2014}}</ref>

==Services== The Thomas Balch Library offers patrons many services. Research and reference services include general collection research, databases and electronic resources, the Loudoun County cemetery database, research guides and book indices, and digital exhibits. The special collections include archives, manuscripts, cemetery records, census records, deeds and wills, genealogies and family histories, historic house files, maps, microforms, military collections, newspapers, oral histories, rare books, tax rolls, vertical files, visual collections, and vital records.<ref>https://www.leesburgva.gov/departments/thomas-balch-library/research-reference-services/explore-our-collections</ref>

==Loudoun History Awards== Every year, the Thomas Balch Library presents the Loudoun History Awards. These awards are sponsored by the Thomas Balch Library Advisory Commission. The awards were established to recognize contributions of local historian John Elbert Devine (1911-1996), in preserving Loudoun County history. The Loudoun History Awards were initially started in 1993.<ref name="lha">{{cite web|url=http://www.leesburgva.gov/home/showdocument?id=10451|title=Loudoun History Awards|last=|first=|publisher=Thomas Balch Library|date=2012}}</ref>

<gallery> TBL1922HistoricLibrary.jpg|Thomas Balch Library Thomas_Balch_Library_Front_View.jpg|Thomas Balch Library Front View Thomas_Balch_Interior_1_April_2015.jpg|Thomas Balch Library Interior #1 Thomas_Balch_Interior_2_April_2015.jpg|Thomas Balch Library Interior #2 Thomas_Balch_Library_Interior_3_April_2015.jpg|Thomas Balch Library Interior #3 Thomas_Balch_Library_Interior_4_April_2015.jpg|Thomas Balch Library Interior #4 </gallery>

==Research== In February 2012 the library published work connecting slaves with their modern-day descendants.<ref name=research />

The library now serves as a designated Underground Railroad research site.<ref name="kanter"/>

On March 31, 2010, the Thomas Balch Library and George Mason University announced an agreement for academic cooperation.<ref name="gmu">{{cite web|url=http://www.leesburgva.gov/index.aspx?page=29&recordid=486&returnURL=%2findex.aspx%3fpage%3d84 |title=Thomas Balch Library and George Mason University Sign Memorandum of Agreement for Academic Cooperation |publisher=Wayback Machine |date=9 April 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100626055529/http://www.leesburgva.gov/index.aspx?page=29&recordid=486&returnURL=%2findex.aspx%3fpage%3d84 |archivedate=June 26, 2010 }}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist|2}}

== External links == * {{official website|http://leesburgva.com/government/departments/thomas-balch-library}} * [http://balchfriends.org/ Friends of Thomas Balch Library]

{{Loudoun County, Virginia}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Balch, Thomas, Library}} Category:Public libraries in Virginia Category:Library buildings completed in 1922 Category:Historic district contributing properties in Virginia Category:Libraries on the National Register of Historic Places in Virginia Category:National Register of Historic Places in Loudoun County, Virginia Category:Brick buildings and structures in Virginia Category:1922 establishments in Virginia