Exhibits and Programs
New York State Constitutional Conventions
Seventh Floor Exhibit - April 2013
On April 20, 2013, New York State will be 236 years old. To celebrate the anniversary of the adoption New York State Constitution in 1777, the April 2013 public display cases at the New York State Library are featuring historical items from the library's holdings which document our state's Constitutional history.
Previous seventh floor exhibits | Items from the NYS Library collections on exhibit elsewhere
Upcoming Programs and Classes
All programs are FREE and open to all New York State employees and the general public.
Best-selling author of 
Senior Librarian Stephanie Barrett will demonstrate the HeritageQuest and Ancestry online databases, both of which are accessible at the New York State Library. Learn how to access Census records, genealogy and history book, maps and other resources included in these databases. Seating is limited and registration is required.
The New York State Library is a treasure chest of resources for those tracing their family histories. Join us for a tour highlighting published genealogies, local histories, church records, Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) records, United States and New York State Census records, newspapers on microfilm, city directories and more. The tour is limited to 15 individuals and registration is required.
Civil War medicine has been described by the three "B's" – butchery, barbaric and brutal – by many historians on The History Channel and The Civil War Journal—and some of them were physicians also. This is a flawed approach however. We must look at medicine and even soldiering in the context of the time in which it occurred, not from our perspective 150 years later. Civil War medicine was flawed; but great advances occurred in medicine because of the War. This presentation will deal with some of the truths and myths about 19th Century medicine and will cover the practical advances that occurred during the War, but are often overlooked. A replica capital amputation kit and other medical items will be on display as part of this presentation. The presenter, Dr. Matthew Farina, is a retired pediatric cardiologist, who has been a student of Civil War history for many years. He is a past present of the Capital District Civil War Round Table, and has been editor of its newsletter since 2000. Registration is recommended.
Lawrence Van Alstyne descended from Hudson Valley Dutch settlers who had owned slaves. His mother was a Quaker who was adamantly opposed to slavery. When he enlisted with the 128th. New York Volunteers, Lawrence's views on the slavery question were contradictory and confused. And yet, by the Civil War's end, he was an officer commanding a regiment of freed Louisiana slaves, the 60th United States Colored Infantry. Van Alstyne kept a diary of his war experiences. It is primarily from his diary that this account is taken. This program will be presented by historian Steve Trimm of Grant Cottage. Registration is recommended
Reasonable Accommodation: Please let us know if any reasonable accommodation is required (Americans with Disabilities Act) at least three business days prior to the program date by calling 518-474-2274. For information about accessibility at the NYS Library, see Library accessibility.
Location: Unless otherwise indicated, programs are held in:
Librarians RoomNew York State Library
Cultural Education Center, 7th floor
222 Madison Avenue
Albany, NY 12230
Directions and Parking
More information: For more information about these classes, call at 518-474-2274.
You can also receive future program announcements via our RSS feed or our Facebook page.
Evaluation Form: People who have recently attended a class or other event are invited to complete an evaluation online.