Thomas Balch Library. Advisory Commission

Ordinance number 94-0-16, adopted 24 May 1994 by the Leesburg Town Council, established the Thomas Balch Library Advisory Commission to encourage citizen involvement in Thomas Balch Library. The commission's mandate includes long-range planning for the Library, and it serves in an advisory capacity to the Library Director with regard to Library operations, staffings, maintenance, capital improvements and funding, the Library's annual budget, and promotion of the Library, including cooperation with Friends of the Thomas Balch Library, Inc. Commissioners liaise with their respective Council members and with the Town Council regarding Thomas Balch Library. The commission sponsors the annual Loudoun History Awards. The awards were established in 1993 to recognize contributions of local historian John Elbert Divine (1911-1996) in preserving Loudoun County history. The Loudoun History Awards highlight diverse aspects of the county's history.They honor individuals who have made significant contributions to preserving Loudoun's past through collection of county documents and memorabilia, preservation of historic landmarks, visual arts, writing, and long-term involvement in local history organizations. Presented annually except in 2000 when renovation of Thomas Balch Library prevented the event, these awards have recognized some of Loudoun County's best known historians, writers, preservationists, and conservationists.