News · Research

U.S. Lighthouse Society In Search of New Home for Library

Current Situation: The United States Lighthouse Society (USLHS) Library, officially named the “Unites States Lighthouse Society Wayne Wheeler Library,” currently occupies about 200 linear feet of shelf space. (At this time the Society is only interested in transferring its books, but would also consider including its photo and document collection if circumstances warrant.) We anticipate two more significant book collections to be added to the current library, resulting in about 400 total linear feet. Our current facility in Hansville, Washington, will not allow us to accommodate this expanded library. Furthermore, the remote location of Hansville does not make the library readily available to potential users.

USLHS is therefore conducting a nation-wide search to find a suitable home for the library.

Preferred Library Considerations:

  1. Climate control, fire and intrusion detection systems.
  2. Professionally trained staff.
  3. Non-lending research library.
  4. Accessible location with parking and good public transportation.
  5. Maritime and/or technical focused collections.
  6. Open to the public on a regular basis (can be by appointment)

Conditions of Library Transfer:

  1. USLHS library will be a long-term transfer, but ownership of the library will remain with USLHS. Length of term of transfer is negotiable.
  2. Other than the two collection additions mentioned above, occasional small additions to the library will be permitted to the collection.
  3. Any duplicates between the hosting library and the USLHS collection must remain in USLHS collection.
  4. USLHS library will be so identified and kept together in one contiguous section of the hosting library.
  5. An annual hosting fee, if necessary, is negotiable.
  6. USLHS will pay for all costs related to the move of library to the hosting library.
  7. USLHS staff will be available to help with answering lighthouse-related research requests.

Who we are:

The United States Lighthouse Society is a nonprofit historical and educational organization dedicated to saving and sharing the rich maritime legacy of American lighthouses and supporting lighthouse preservation throughout the nation.

The USLHS Wayne Wheeler Library includes many 19th century publications, including Annual Reports of the U.S. Light-House Board, Light Lists, and technical publications related to optics and fog signals. Secondary sources include guidebooks, popular and scholarly work, and some periodicals. An inventory of the collection is available upon request. Any duplicates will be removed and disposed of before transmission. Although the collection deals primarily with the United States, books on international lighthouses are also included.

USLHS is in the process of creating a large digital archive for lighthouse research. Most of it is derived from primary sources. The archive will be made available online through the Society’s website <uslhs.org>. This archive, along with the physical library, will bring together vast resources for research on lighthouses, which in turn will produce more books and articles that would be available in one central location.

For more information or expressions of interest, please email Candace Clifford at candace@uslhs.org.

Submitted by Candace Clifford, USLHS Historian, June 1, 2017

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U.S. Lighthouse Society News is produced by the U.S. Lighthouse Society to support lighthouse preservation, history, education and research. Please consider joining the U.S. Lighthouse Society if you are not already a member. If you have items of interest to the lighthouse community and its supporters, please email them to candace@uslhs.org.