Preserving Tennessee’s story through advocacy, support and public engagement

The Tennessee State Library & Archives Friends is a statewide community of people who believe Tennessee’s history should be preserved, studied and shared.

Established in 2010, TSLAFriends supports the work of the Tennessee State Library & Archives by helping strengthen its collections, programs, educational outreach and public visibility. Through memberships, charitable contributions, volunteer service and advocacy, the Friends provide resources for opportunities and special projects that may fall outside the Library & Archives’ regular operating budget.

The Tennessee State Library & Archives preserves the documents that help explain who we are as Tennesseans. Its collections include government records, books, maps, newspapers, photographs, manuscripts, family papers and other materials documenting the people, communities and events that shaped the state.

These collections belong to all Tennesseans. TSLAFriends helps ensure they remain protected, accessible and meaningful for generations to come.

The Tennessee State Library & Archives opened its new 165,000-square-foot facility on Nashville’s Bicentennial Mall in April 2021.  TSLAFriends is a support organization dedicated to advancing the mission of the archives. The Friends provide supplemental support, promotes public engagement and help respond to special opportunities. The organization works alongside Library & Archives leadership and staff while building a broader community of members, donors and advocates throughout Tennessee.

Our Mission

TSLAFriends supports and promotes the Tennessee State Library & Archives by:

• Helping preserve and expand its collectionsSupporting educational programs, workshops and public events
• Encouraging greater use of the Library & Archives and its online resources
• Promoting genealogy, historical research and lifelong learning
• Recognizing and supporting the librarians, archivists and other professionals who care for Tennessee’s documentary heritage
• Building public awareness of the importance of preserving Tennessee history

Why this work matters

Every record carries part of Tennessee’s story.

A family letter may reveal the experience of an ordinary Tennessean during an extraordinary moment. A church register may document a community that no longer exists. A photograph may preserve the only known image of a building, classroom or gathering. A court file may provide evidence that changes how we understand a person, family or event.

When these materials are preserved in a public institution, they become available to everyone. Students can learn from them. Families can reconnect with their past. Scholars can interpret them. Communities can better understand the people and events that shaped them.

TSLAFriends exists to help make that possible.

Looking ahead

Tennessee’s history is still being discovered.

Important records remain in attics, churches, courthouses, businesses and private collections. New technologies are creating opportunities to digitize collections and make them available to wider audiences. Public programs continue to introduce people to resources they may never have known existed.

Through a membership, the TSLAFriends Heritage Circle and other giving opportunities, you can make a lasting investment for future generations.