News
October 23, 2017Albany Public Library Honored by Capital Area Archivists
Albany Public Library’s Local History Room was recently honored by the Capital Area Archivists with the Sister Elaine Wheeler Award for Distinguished Service.
“The History Room was chosen because of the collaborative work between Jim Davies, Local History Librarian, and Tony Opalka, City Historian, to promote Albany history using archival material,” according to Susan D’Entremont of the Capital Area Archivists.
Davies and Opalka accepted the award at a ceremony on Oct. 3.
The library’s Local History Room is located on the second floor of the Washington Ave. Branch. The public may visit the room during open hours to access such materials as historic books, city directories, Albany Common Council minutes, newspaper clippings, pamphlets, periodicals, yearbooks, maps, and postcards. Items from the collection, including archival materials, are used by Davies to plan popular library programs including the annual Albany History Race, trivia nights, and running tours of historic downtown Albany. Opalka often assists with these special programs, and holds regular office hours in the Local History Room.
The Local History Room was created in 2011 after NYS Assemblymember John J. McEneny provided the library with a $50,000 member item to construct a new, secure space for the Pruyn Collection of Albany History.
