Royal Archives
Round Tower, Windsor Castle

The iconic Round Tower of Windsor Castle is home to the Royal Archives – a unique collection of documents relating to the history of the British Monarchy over the last 250 years. The Royal Archives preserves the personal and official correspondence of monarchs from George III (1760-1820) onward, as well as administrative records of the departments of the Royal Household. From diaries and personal letters to account books and speeches, the collections held by the Royal Archives record and reflect some of the most significant moments in British history and provide a fascinating insight into the life and work of past monarchs, their families, households and residences.

The Royal Archives were first established in 1914, during the early years of the reign of George V. The need for an archive for the papers of the Royal Family and the Royal Household had become evident only a few years earlier, following the death of Queen Victoria in 1901. Previously, historic records had been stored in tin trunks, cupboards and storerooms in the various royal residences, with no appointed archivist to care for them. However, the legacy left by Queen Victoria’s 63-year reign, in the form of a vast collection of official and private correspondence, required a permanent home, and the royal records were transferred to the Muniment Room in the top half of the medieval Great Hall in the Round Tower.

The last few years have seen the Royal Archives embark on some exciting projects. In 2012, to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen, all 141 volumes of Queen Victoria's Journal were digitized, transcribed, and made available online. That same year, records of Royal Household staff from 1660 to 1924 were also digitized and made available online by Find My Past at www.findmypast.co.uk.

Please join us on the Ells Crane Trail as we discuss Finding the Mother Tree by Suzanne Simard. It is not necessary to have read the book, to participate in the hike. To find out more about this illuminating book and to register for this program, please visit here.

TED Talks Discussion:
Isaac Lidsky, "What Reality Are You Creating for Yourself?"
Monday, September 19, 1:00 p.m. via Zoom

Reality isn’t something you perceive; it’s something you create in your mind. Isaac Lidsky learned this profound lesson firsthand, when unexpected life circumstances yielded valuable insights. In this introspective, personal talk, Lidsky challenges the concept of cognitive dissonance and encourages us to let go of excuses, assumptions, and fears, and accept the awesome responsibility of being the creators of our own reality.

Visit here for the Zoom link.

The Norfolk Library Teen Advisory Council is hosting a teen-only movie night. Seventh graders and up are invited to join them for a screening of Ferris Bueller's Day Off at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, September 23. No need to RSVP or register. Just show up! Popcorn and beverages will be served. Library staff will be on hand as well.

Photo by RJ Eldridge

The Brendan Gill Lecture: Tomi Obaro
Norfolk Library
Friday, September 30, 6:00 p.m.

Tomi Obaro is the author of the novel Dele Weds Destiny and the culture desk lead editor at BuzzFeed News.

Click HERE to register to attend in person at the Library.

Click HERE to register to watch via live-stream on Zoom.

"Fierce Enough to Be Free: Five 19th Century Women Who Helped Spark the First American Civil Rights Movement"
Saturday, October 1, 10:30 a.m.

Janice Nimura, author of The Doctors Blackwell, in conversation with Dorothy Wickenden, author of The Agitators

Click HERE to register to attend in person at the Library.

Click HERE to register to watch via live-stream on Zoom.

Click here to View the More Information About The Norfolk Library: Night Owl - September 16, 2022