Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials. Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction . Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication . Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Dorothy McCombs Collection, Ms1995-006, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Source of Acquisition

The Dorothy McCombs Collection was donated to Special Collections prior to 1995.

Processing Information

Some initial description was completed in 1995. The majority of the processing, arrangement, and description of the Dorothy McCombs Collection was completed in October and November 2014.

Biographical Note

Dorothy McCombs graduated from VPI in 1976. She went on to work in the libraries as a reference librarian and Appalachian history bibliographer until 1990. Over the course of her career, she researched genealogy, local history/Appalachian history, textiles, and more.

Scope and Contents

The collection contains personal research notes, subject files, and writings; materials relating to the Virginia Tech University Libraries; course notes; dissertation research; work on textiles and arts & crafts history; genealogy notes; brochures on historic sites around Virginia; and maps collected by Dorothy McCombs. Materials date from about 1970-1989.

Although materials cover a wide range of topics and regions, particular emphases include research notes on Appalachian textile production, information on historic Blacksburg and Montgomery County, notes on the Preston family and the Smithfield Plantation, and local/regional genealogy. There are also papers relating to McCombs tenure as a reference librarian at Virginia Tech.

McCombs extensively researched textiles, of which she published "National Context and the Local Experience of Domestic Textile Manufacture in Montgomery County, VA 1776-1830." Several other publications found in this collection include "Local History and Genealogical Research in University Libraries," and her thesis, "Virginia Cloth, Early Textiles in Virginia: Particularly in the Backcountry between the Blue Ridge and Alleghany Mountains until 1830". There is also a copy of her unpublished manuscript, "Virginia Cloth: Early Textiles in Montgomery County, 1776-1830" in the collection as well.

Arrangement

The Dorothy McCombs Collection is organized into nine series by material type. Series include: Brochures; Maps; Subject Files; Publications (in two suberies--Publications by McCombs and Publications by Others); Notes; Census Records; Textiles/Arts & Crafts; Library Materials; and Professional and Personal Papers.

Within each series, materials are arranged alphabetically by folder title. Whenever possible, original folder titles, created by McCombs, were retained. Unfoldered materials were described by Special Collections staff.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Blacksburg (Va.)
• Local/Regional History and Appalachian South
• Montgomery County (Va.)
• Preston family (Montgomery County, Va.)
• Smithfield Plantation House (Blacksburg, Va.)
• University History
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute (1944-1970)
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (1970-)

Rights Statement for Archival Description

The guide to the Dorothy McCombs Collection by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 ( https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/ ).