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Commitment of Respect
The staff of the Tennessee State Library and Archives affirms its ongoing dedication to treating all people with respect and dignity. Libraries and archives have a long history of working to provide equal access to resources and services for all communities. We also recognize our duty to achieve an archival collection that reflects the experiences of Tennessee’s diverse population from urban to rural, farm to factory, and across the demographic spectrum. We acknowledge that our work in this area is never complete and remain available to community partners from every part of our society. We will continue to apply the highest standards of professionalism and respect in our work as we welcome visitors and develop new ways for Tennesseans to access information and interact with their historical records. As individuals we stand with all persons seeking justice and an end to any discriminatory practice that undermines the value of human life.
Per state and local guidelines, face coverings are now optional for the public and staff. Staff will continue maintaining the recommended six feet distance when interacting with visitors.
Briefcases, bags, totes, purses, and notebooks are subject to examination by a staff member when entering or leaving the Reading Room.
Lockers are available for patrons to store belongings during their visit. The Library & Archives is not responsible for any personal items left unattended. Visitors using original manuscripts will be required to leave their belongings in a locker.
Backpacks must be stored in a locker. If a backpack is too large to fit in a locker, then it must either be locked in the patron's vehicle or stored in the main lobby while using Library & Archives materials.
The Tennessee State Library and Archives has copies of the court minutes for circuit, chancery and county courts in Tennessee. The document Courts Where Tennessee Court Cases Were Tried will explain which court heard a particular type of case during a specified time period. You may wish to check the Index to County Microfilm Reels or the Genealogical Fact Sheets About Tennessee Counties to see what records we have available for a specific county.
The Library and Archives will, for a fee, search a five year date span in the indexed minutes from the County or Quarterly Court, Circuit Court, or Chancery Court. Please go to Ordering Records for instructions on ordering a court record.
The records at the Tennessee State Library and Archives are open to the public. You are welcome to come in 8:00am - 4:30pm (Central Time) Tuesday through Saturday to search the court records yourself & make your own copies for research. Please see the Tennessee State Library and Archives Visitors Page for information on directions, parking, and holiday hours.
Please note: Archival materials are available for retrieval between the hours of 8:00 am – 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm. If you know you will need materials between 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm, please call ahead to the Public Services section at 615-741-2764 or visit the Ask Us a Question! web page. We will do our best to accommodate your request.
- If needed, the Library and Archives can certify a copy of a record held in our collection. There is a fee of $5.00 to certify one copy of the document, in addition to the initial search fee. If you wish for more than one copy of a record to be certified, each additional certification is $5.00.
- If you think certification may be needed, please indicate this when the initial copy order is placed, as we cannot certify after-the-fact any copies that have left our facility. We cannot certify copies of items that we have not copied ourselves. If you decide at a later date that you need items certified that you have already received, we will have to charge you for the order a second time and re-copy all the materials.
- The Library and Archives cannot certify electronic copies (scans) of documents.
- If you pay in advance for a record search and certification and the record is not located, neither the search fee nor the certification fee are refundable. For this reason, when searching for a record that you wish to have certified, the Library and Archives suggests that you use our downloadable forms and pay by credit card. If you pay by credit card and a record is not located, then you will not be charged the additional $5.00 certification fee.
Yes, however, in the case of events to which tickets are being donated to a charitable organization, the professional solicitor is responsible for attaining a written commitment from the charitable organization stating that they will accept donated tickets and specifying the number of tickets they are willing to accept. No more contributions for donated tickets that will be accepted may be solicited by the professional solicitor.
"Professional solicitor" means any person who, for a financial or other consideration, solicits contributions for, or on behalf of, a charitable organization, whether such solicitation is performed personally or through such person's agents, servants or employees or through agents, servants or employees specially employed by or for a charitable organization, who are engaged in the solicitation of contributions under the direction of such person, or a person who plans, conducts, manages, carries on or advises a charitable organization in connection with the solicitation of contributions. Any independent marketing agent or entity to whom a professional solicitor assigns fundraising or solicitation responsibilities shall be deemed to be a professional solicitor for purposes of this part. A salaried officer or permanent employee of a charitable organization is not deemed to be a professional solicitor. However, any salaried officer or employee of a charitable organization that engages in the solicitation of contributions for compensation in any manner for more than one (1) charitable organization is deemed a professional solicitor. A professional solicitor does not include an attorney, investment counselor, or banker who in the conduct of such person's profession advises a client. See T.C.A. §48-101-501(7).
The Library & Archives provides free patron parking in its garage. To access the garage, patrons must obtain a library card at the first-floor receptionist desk.
First-time patrons may temporarily park in the parallel street parking on Rep. John Lewis Way N. After receiving an activated library card from the security receptionist, patrons should move their vehicles to the garage via the ramp on Jackson Street/Junior Gilliam Way.
On weekends, visitors may also park free in the state employee parking lots around the Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park.
Yes, a professional solicitor shall, prior to orally requesting a contribution and at the same time a written request for a contribution is made, clearly and conspicuously disclose at the point of solicitation the solicitor’s name as on file with the Division of Charitable Solicitation and Gaming and that the solicitation is being conducted by a “paid solicitor”. In the case of a solicitation campaign conducted orally, professional solicitors are required to send written confirmation to each person who has contributed or pledged to contribute within five (5) days after that person has been solicited. The written confirmation shall include the above disclosure.
A commercial co-venturer is any person who is organized for profit; is regularly and primarily engaged in trade or commerce, other than in connection with soliciting for charitable or civic organizations or charitable purposes; and conducts an advertised charitable sales promotion for a specific limited period of time. The charitable organization being promoted by the co-venturer must be duly registered or be exempt from registration with the Division of Charitable Solicitations. Commercial co-venturers are required to have a written agreement with the charitable organization on whose behalf the sales promotion is to be conducted. Such co-venturers are also required to keep all records in connection with the charitable sales promotion for no less than three (3) years after the end date of the promotion.
"Professional fundraising counsel" means any person who, for compensation, plans, manages, advises, consults, or prepares material for a charitable organization for the solicitation of contributions in this state, but who does not solicit contributions and does not employ, procure, or engage any person to solicit contributions on behalf of a charitable organization. "Professional fundraising counsel" does not include an attorney, investment counselor, bona fide salaried officer, employee, volunteer, or banker who in the conduct of such person's profession advises a client. See T.C.A. §48-101-501(6).