(MURFREESBORO) The Rutherford County Library System and the Rutherford County Archives have formed a partnership that creates a Historical Research Center in the Rutherford County Archives building at 435 Rice Street. It is expected to open next month. 

Back in 2008 Library Director Rita Shacklett and Rutherford County Archivist John Lodl began work on a potential collaboration of the Library System's Historical Research Room in Linebaugh Public Library and the Rutherford County Archives.

With the building of the new judicial building, the County has recently expanded the archive facility to house additional records. After the expansion, talks were revisited about the “dream” to house both collections under the same roof.

The joint venture was approved by the library's board of directors and the Rutherford County Commission and work is underway to create a Historical Research Center in the Archives building.

The current Historical Research Room at Linebaugh Public Library closed this past Monday (7/26/2021) for those documents and files to be prepared for the move to the new Historical Research Center on Rice Street. Linebaugh Employee Lisa Ramsay is moving along with the collection to run the new library branch. This will allow for one-stop research since patrons are often refer to the Archives and vice versa.

Many of the original documents are in print and digital format at the Rutherford Archives. The Archives staff have specialized knowledge not only in researching local history and documents, but the preservation of those documents while the library has both the research knowledge and the expertise to catalog and organize the materials.

Materials will be made available again as soon as possible after the move. That is expected the first two weeks of August.  Hours will be Monday through Friday, 8:00AM to 4:00PM. An open house will be planned for some time in September to celebrate the addition to the Archives and the new partnership.

NewsRadio WGNS will keep you informed.