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Visiting the Jefferson Library

Contact Information:

Visiting the Jefferson Library

The Jefferson Library welcomes all researchers interested in learning about Thomas Jefferson and his world. If you are considering a visit, be sure to explore our Collections page to get an idea of what we have here and whether a visit may be fruitful for you. If you do decide to visit, please read on for important information on how to plan your visit and what to expect when you arrive.

Make an Appointment

If you are planning to visit the Jefferson Library to do research on a Jefferson-related topic, we strongly recommend that you make an appointment with us ahead of time. This will help us to make your visit more productive, and ensure that your visit does not conflict with any events occurring in the library. Our staff is also quite small, and we want to make sure that the appropriate staff members will be available to assist you during your visit. To make an appointment, you may use our online form, email us directly, or call the Reference Desk at (434) 984-7543.

Research Ahead of Time

You may wish to get a head start on your research by exploring our online catalog, which you can access from any computer with an Internet connection. Simply go to http://tjportal.monticello.org. For tips on how to make the best use of our catalog, see our online guide.

Getting Here

The Jefferson Library is down the road from Monticello; directions are available here.

Registration

Once you arrive, please stop in the front office to register. Registration involves filling out a short form with your name, contact information, and research topic, with a listing of our policies requiring your signature. Registration requires a photo ID, so be sure to have one with you.

Jackets and bags larger than a large handbag are prohibited in our Reading Room and Multimedia Center; we have a coat closet and lockers available for storing personal belongings while you are using our collections.

General Contact Information

Phone: (434) 984-7540

Fax: (434) 984-7546

Email: library

Reference Desk

Phone: (434) 984-7543

Email: reference

Library Staff:

  Jack Robertson Anna Berkes
  Foundation Librarian Research Librarian
  (434) 984-7545 (434) 984-7544
  Email: jrobertson Email: aberkes
     
  Endrina Tay Eric Johnson
  Associate Foundation Librarian for Web Services Librarian
       Technical Services (434) 984-7540
  (434) 984-7541
Email: ejohnson
  Email: etay  
     
  Leah Stearns Marty Perdue
  Thomas Jefferson Digital Library Technical Processing Assistant
       Project Coordinator (434) 984-7540
  (434) 984-7550 Email: mperdue
  Email: lstearns  

 

Please note: For each person or department, we have only specified the first portion of email addresses. Please add @monticello.org to contact us via email.

Hours

The Jefferson Library is open every Monday through Friday, from 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.

We are closed on the following holidays:
  • New Year's Day
  • Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
  • Presidents' Day
  • Memorial Day
  • Fourth of July
  • Labor Day
  • Thanksgiving
  • Christmas Eve
  • Christmas Day

Location:

Street Address (for emergency services and FedEx and UPS deliveries):

1329 Kenwood Farm
State Route 53

Charlottesville, VA 22902


Off State Route 53, the Thomas Jefferson Parkway. (See directions below.)

Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 316
Charlottesville, VA 22902



Directions:

From Washington D.C. (North)

  • Take Interstate 66 West.
  • Get off Interstate 66 onto Route 15/29 South.
  • As you approach Charlottesville from Route 29 South, continue onto the Route 250/29 Bypass South.
  • Get off the bypass onto Interstate 64 East (Richmond).
  • Take Interstate 64 East and get off at Exit 121A. (Follow the signs for Monticello.)
  • At the second stoplight, turn left onto Route 53 (Thomas Jefferson Parkway).
  • Follow Route 53 up the mountain for several miles. You will pass Michie Tavern on your right, and then you will pass under a large stone bridge. Keep driving past the entrance to Monticello, which is on your right just after the stone bridge.
  • The Jefferson Library is approximately 1/3 mile further on your right. You will see a white gate and an oval sign that says "Kenwood Jefferson Library" in front of the property. If you pass the Jefferson Vineyards, you have gone too far.
  • Turn in through the white gates and continue up the driveway. There are parking lots to the right and left, and handicapped parking available directly in front of the library or around the back.

From Richmond (East)

  • Take Interstate 64 West.
  • Get off Interstate 64 at exit 121, and turn left onto Route 20 South. (Follow the signs for Monticello.)
  • At the second stoplight, turn left onto Route 53 (Thomas Jefferson Parkway).
  • Follow Route 53 up the mountain for several miles. You will pass Michie Tavern on your right, and then you will pass under a large stone bridge. Keep driving past the entrance to Monticello, which is on your right just after the stone bridge.
  • The Jefferson Library is approximately 1/3 mile further on your right. You will see a white gate and an oval sign that says "Kenwood Jefferson Library" in front of the property. If you pass the Jefferson Vineyards, you have gone too far.
  • Turn in through the white gates and continue up the driveway. There are parking lots to the right and left, and handicapped parking available directly in front of the library or around the back.

From Lynchburg (South)

  • Take Route 29 North to Charlottesville.
  • Get on Interstate 64 East to Richmond and follow this until you get off at Exit 121A. (Follow the signs for Monticello.)
  • At the second stoplight, turn left onto Route 53 (Thomas Jefferson Parkway).
  • Follow Route 53 up the mountain for several miles. You will pass Michie Tavern on your right, and then you will pass under a large stone bridge. Keep driving past the entrance to Monticello, which is on your right just after the stone bridge.
  • The Jefferson Library is approximately 1/3 mile further on your right. You will see a white gate and an oval sign that says "Kenwood Jefferson Library" in front of the property. If you pass the Jefferson Vineyards, you have gone too far.
  • Turn in through the white gates and continue up the driveway. There are parking lots to the right and left, and handicapped parking available directly in front of the library or around the back.

From Staunton (West)

  • Take Interstate 64 East and get off at Exit 121A. (Follow the signs for Monticello.)
  • At the second stoplight, turn left onto Route 53 (Thomas Jefferson Parkway).
  • Follow Route 53 up the mountain for several miles. You will pass Michie Tavern on your right, and then you will pass under a large stone bridge. Keep driving past the entrance to Monticello, which is on your right just after the stone bridge.
  • The Jefferson Library is approximately 1/3 mile further on your right. You will see a white gate and an oval sign that says "Kenwood Jefferson Library" in front of the property. If you pass the Jefferson Vineyards, you have gone too far.
  • Turn in through the white gates and continue up the driveway. There are parking lots to the right and left, and handicapped parking available directly in front of the library or around the back.

Request Forms

Intern and Volunteer Program

The Jefferson Library welcomes volunteers and interns from the local community. To learn more about these opportunities, please see our Intern and Volunteer Program page.