Recently Restored
Jones Memorial Library actively acquires, preserves, and stewards books, documents, artwork, and other material of enduring cultural importance.
Pictured below are a few of the items recently restored by the Library. As items are repaired and restored, they return to our collection and are preserved under protocols that reduce further damage. While many restored items are held in restricted access, our practice is to make preservation quality images publicly available in our Digital Collections.
The library has a limited budget for the conservation of items in need of repair. Unrestricted monetary gifts to the library’s Annual Fund support conservation projects, ongoing stewardship of the collections, and related programming – thank you!
Sallie Mahood Pastels: Georgie & Lillie Jones
In 2025, the Maier Museum donated four pastel portraits of the Jones family to Jones Memorial Library. The portraits were painted by Lynchburg artist Sallie Mahood, likely in the 1870s or 1880s.
In August 2025, two of the portraits were restored by art conservator Wendy Cowan in Richmond, Virginia. The portraits will be specialty framed in Richmond by Corporate & Museum Frame before returning to the library.
Due to the cost and specialty care required to repair pastel portraits, the library was only able to fund repairs to portraits of the Jones daughters: Georgie (below left) and Lillie (below right).
After raising additional funds, we hope to restore the two remaining portraits of George Morgan Jones and Mary Frances Watts Jones.
To make a donation in support of this project, please visit our Gifts page.
The Seth Woodroof Account Book
In February 2024, Jones Memorial Library was honored to have The Seth Woodroof Account Book named as one of the Top 10 Endangered Artifacts in Virginia. Funding from this program will support the library’s conservation and preservation projects.
You can read more about the Virginia Association of Museums Top 10 program and see a digital reproduction of the Account Book in our online collection.
