
McClung 101 – How to Research at the McClung Historical Collection
23 September 2025Learn where to look for your family genealogy and local history at the Calvin M. McClung Historical Collection! The sheer volume of resources available at the McClung Collection can be intimidating, so this workshop will provide strategies both in the print and online collections to make the most of your time in the McClung Collection. We will learn about the history of the collection, general research guidelines, print resources, special collections, and digital collections. Many resources can be searched from home with your Knox County Public Library card. The workshop will last approximately 45 minutes and will be followed by a guided tour of the McClung Collection.
About the presenter:
Brandie Ledford is a reference assistant at the Calvin M. McClung Historical Collection. She has a B.A. in History from Eastern Illinois University and M.Ed. from Western Washington University in Adult and Continuing Education. Recently a library director for 15 years in Iowa and Kentucky, she specialized in library programming, facility planning, and innovative new services. Brandie was appointed by Iowa Governor Terry Branstad to serve on the Iowa Commission of Libraries from 2012-2016 to represent small public libraries and was elected Commission Chair the last two years of her term. She currently facilitates the History Parlor Book Club at the East Tennessee History Center which meets on the second Thursday of each month in the auditorium at 10:00 a.m.