By Kelley Conner Lear, CG®
When researching in Virginia or West Virginia, one of the biggest challenges can be determining which sources and collections to prioritize after you’ve completed an initial search and are ready to dig deeper. Thousands of diaries, family papers, local organization records, and loose documents are often scattered across countless institutions. That’s why Archival Resources of the Virginias is such an amazing resource for Virginia researchers.
ARVAS brings together finding aids from archives, historical societies, museums, libraries, and university special collections across both states. Instead of searching each institution’s website individually—often with very different interfaces—you can conduct a single search across a broad range of repositories. For genealogists, it can be a tremendous time-saver and a powerful way to uncover collections that might otherwise go unnoticed. (The extensive member institutions list can be viewed here: https://arvasarchive.org)
What You’ll Find
ARVAS is built around finding aids, the detailed guides archivists create to outline the content and structure of manuscript and archival collections. These usually include:
- The creator of the collection (a family, business, organization, or individual)
- The types of records contained in the collection such as correspondence, diaries, scrapbooks, account books, legal papers, photographs, etc.
- Date ranges, subjects, and geographic coverage
- A collection, box, and/or folder inventory number
- The physical location of the materials
While the site doesn’t host the materials themselves, it can show you what exists and point you to where you’ll find it. It can also help you understand some of what’s inside before you contact the repository or plan a visit.
For example, a search for the surname Brizendine returns three unique results, two from the Library of Virginia, and one in William & Mary’s Swem Research Center. A search for “Snow Creek” yields results from several collections including Virginia Tech and Virginia State University, ranging from personal papers to architectural drawings. Because the participating institutions range from small local societies to major universities, coverage of records is wide-ranging and can document both every day and prominent individuals, regional events, and family networks across the colonial, early Commonwealth, and modern eras.
How ARVAS Can Help Your Research
For genealogists, ARVAS can fill many important needs and contribute to reasonably exhaustive research by helping you:
- Locate materials you won’t find in the most frequently used genealogy databases. Many manuscript collections never make it into Ancestry, FamilySearch, or even some state-level indexes. ARVAS provides an opportunity to search personal papers and local records that can add historical and social context to your research and may even include a mention of an ancestor.
- Understand context. Finding aids typically summarize the records they contain. These notes can clarify timelines, migrations, occupations, and community relationships—especially helpful when multiple people share similar names.
- Plan research efficiently. Because each finding aid lists the holding institution and may provide access details, you know who to contact for an appointment, reproduction requests, or permission to examine fragile materials.
- Expand your geographical reach. Families moved across county, and even state lines (or the counties moved around them!) and they may have carried family papers, or bibles with them. By searching across Virginia and West Virginia simultaneously, ARVAS helps you spot records in unexpected repositories.
Search Tips
Start with simple keywords. A surname, county, river, creek, church, or organization name can be enough to mine for relevant collections. Consider occupational terms like “merchant,” “railroad,” or “mill.” You can then refine results by drilling down in the returned subjects. A search for “grist mill” may offer subjects ranging from “Westmoreland County” to “Civil War,” among others.
Use filters to narrow your results. After your initial search, you can apply filters such as repository, date range, subject, or collection type. If your search returns a large set of hits, categories such as “Subject” and “Publisher” help you sift through to find the most relevant materials.
Explore the Advanced Search tools. If you know a specific collection number or institution, or if you need to target particular types of materials, the Advanced Search can be particularly helpful.
Check scope and content notes closely. This section often reveals the “hidden gems” within a collection—unexpected correspondents, overlooked family names, or small sets of loose papers.
Check access information.
Some materials may require appointments, have use restrictions, or be stored off-site. Finding aids typically include contact information so you can ask clarifying questions or make plans in advance.
Search with variant spellings.
Archivists typically record names as they appear in the documents. If your surname has known variants, search them all.
Try related place names. Communities changed names, counties divided, and boundaries shifted—especially in early Virginia and the counties that became West Virginia. Cast a wide geographical net.
Archival Resources of the Virginias is an indispensable tool for anyone researching families, places, or the broader history of the Virginias. By consolidating access to manuscript and archival finding aids from dozens of institutions, it streamlines discovery of materials that enrich your research. Whether you’re beginning a new project, or refining ongoing research, ARVAS can help you locate sources that add a historical and social context—and ultimately ring richness and dimension beyond names, dates, and places.