The North Carolina Collection
The North Carolina Collection preserves and makes available materials related to the history of Durham city and county. The Collection also offers a wealth of materials for people interested in researching North Carolina-related topics.
You can contribute to the collection by donating Durham history-related materials. Contact staff for more information.
Common tasks
Did you know?
At the North Carolina Collection, you can:
- Browse all issues of the Durham Herald Sun on microfilm
- View old yearbooks from Durham schools
- Build your family tree using genealogy resources
…and more.
More about the North Carolina Collection
Staff
Lauren Menges
Head of the North Carolina Collection
Email: lmenges@dconc.gov
Lauren went to library school at the University of Pittsburgh and studied archives and special collections. She is a certified archivist and has worked in several university special collections libraries before coming to Durham County Library in 2017. Lauren loves hiking, camping, biking, and yoga, and she is a dedicated dog and cat mom.
Pronouns: she/her
Barbara Ilie
North Carolina Collection Librarian
Email: bilie@dconc.gov
Barbara graduated from library school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and worked at the Louis Round Wilson Special Collections Library in public services and on the North Carolina Historic Newspapers project before joining Durham County Library. Barbara enjoys container gardening, entertaining, Nordic noir, and volunteering with the Horse and Buddy Therapeutic Riding Program. She lives with her husband, son, and green-cheeked conure. She travels regularly with her family to Romania and delights in discovering this beautiful and intriguing country.
Pronouns: she/her
Stephanie Barnwell
North Carolina Collection Relief Librarian
Email: sbarnwell@dconc.gov
Stephanie came to love libraries and archives way back in middle school through projects for National History Day. Since then, she has earned degrees in library science and public history and worked with archival collections and digital humanities projects at academic libraries across the Triangle before landing at Durham County Library. Outside of work, she volunteers with the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival and the Triangle Weavers Guild. Stephanie lives near downtown with her husband, twin daughters, and two hounds. She enjoys sewing, weaving, good books, and good food. She also loves to travel; recent favorites include Iceland and Spain, but she also has a soft spot for the mountains of NC.
Pronouns: she/her
Jo Overstreet
North Carolina Collection Relief Librarian
Email: joverstreet@dconc.gov
Jo Overstreet has a bachelor’s degree in History and a master’s degree in Library Science in Archives and Records Management. They have experience in a wide array of librarianship including archival processing, conscious editing of archival descriptions, teaching with primary sources, metadata and digital asset management, digitization, reference, and circulation. They are dedicated to work which seeks to identify and include those in the archival record who have historically been purposefully omitted and underrepresented. Outside of work, they enjoy outdoor activities and being active in the queer community. They have two fat brown tabby cats named Mani and Minerva who are 9 years old, and a bear-sized black lab mix named Luther who is 5 years old.
Pronouns: they/them/theirs
Beth Morris Weiss
North Carolina Collection Relief Librarian
Email: eweiss@dconc.gov
Beth Morris Weiss has a degree in library science in archives and records management from the University of North Carolina. Prior to working as a librarian, Beth worked as grant manager and museum educator at the Museum of Life and Science, researched exhibits for the Museum of Durham History, and managed data for the Pauli Murray Center for History and Social Justice. Beth enjoys spending time with her husband and their two teenagers, creating photo collages, and taking dance breaks.
Pronouns: she/her