The Tennessee Electronic Library (TEL) is an online library that gives Tennessee residents access to magazines, journals, newspapers, essays, e-books, primary source materials, test preparation, homework help, genealogy records, career search, and more! TEL resources are available free to the public from any computer with Internet access in Tennessee.

Tennessee Public Library Directory

Manuscript Collections & Audio Collections

Bernhardt Wall Etchings – Etchings from “Following Andrew Jackson,” a pictorial biography showing scenes from Jackson’s life.

Broadsides in American Culture – A sampling of some of the many broadsides found in various collections at the Library and Archives.

Civilian Conservation Corps – Photographs and interviews documenting the history of the Civilian Conservation Corps in Tennessee.

David Brock Korean War Photographs – Photographs and an oral history chronicling Brock’s military service as a combat engineer in Korea.

Dept. of Conservation Photographs – Thousands of images from the photographic archive of the Tennessee Dept. of Conservation, 1937-1976.

19th Century Agricultural Resources – A selection of items depicting the lives of farmers and the development of agriculture in Tennessee.

19th Century Native American Prints – Selections from a three-volume set of Native American portraits, assembled between 1836 and 1844.

Andrew Jackson Collection – Images, broadsides, manuscripts, and letters that help to define the life of the 7th President.

Andrew Johnson Collection – Photographs, letters, broadsides, and ephemera relating to the 17th President of the United States.

Beautiful Jim Key Collection – Items showcasing the notable career of Dr. William Key and his exceptional horse, Beautiful Jim Key.

Fisk University Scrapbook – Providing a glimpse into campus life at the renowned historically black university from 1926 to 1930.

Library Photograph Collection – Photographs and lithographs from various collections, representing a wide variety of topics.

Highlander Folk School – Documents, photographs, and audio excerpts detailing the work of a leader in labor and civil rights.

James K. Polk Collection – Letters, political cartoons, photographs, and other items relating to the 11th President of the U.S.

Quilts Collection – Images of quilts and oral histories by quiltmakers celebrating the tradition of quilting in Tennessee.

Reconstruction in Tennessee – Photographs and broadsides focusing on Reconstruction and the African American legacy in Tennessee.

Robert H. Cartmell Diaries – Written between 1853 and 1915, the diaries chronicle social, political, and economic issues of the era.

Rose Music Collection – Selections of first editions and imprints from the Kenneth D. Rose Sheet Music Collection.

Ryman Auditorium – Documents and images illustrating the history of Nashville’s iconic “Mother Church of Country Music.”

Stereograph Collection – Stereograph cards dated 1866 to 1917 with views from Tennessee and other locations around the world.

Strickland Sketches – Drawings and watercolor sketches by architect William Strickland and his son, Francis W. Strickland.

Tennessee Centennial Exposition – Photographs and ephemera relating to the Tennessee Centennial Exposition, held in Nashville in 1897.

Tennessee Founding & Landmark Documents – Records documenting significant milestones in the formation and early history of Tennessee.

Tennessee General Assembly Portraits – Composite portraits of members of the TN General Assembly, ranging in date from 1870 to 2016.

Tennessee Postcard Collection – A sampling from TSLA’s collection of postcards, showing the state’s diverse history and geography.

Tennessee State Parks Folklife Project – A sampling from hundreds of hours of audio and thousands of images documenting Tennessee folkways.

The Lost Cause in Southern Memory – Records and ephemera from multiple collections illustrating the myth of the Confederate Lost Cause.

The Scopes “Monkey” Trial – Interviews, photographs, and records related to the landmark case State of TN v. John Scopes.

TN Arts Commission Folklife Photos – A sampling of images that illustrate folkways and unique Tennessee styles, characters, and art.

Photographs

Tennessee Photograph and Image Search

Tennessee Virtual Archive

Bernhardt Wall Etchings – Etchings from “Following Andrew Jackson,” a pictorial biography showing scenes from Jackson’s life.

Broadsides in American Culture – A sampling of some of the many broadsides found in various collections at the Library and Archives.

Calvert Brothers Studio Collection – A collection of glass plate negatives from one of Nashville’s prominent photography studios.

Civilian Conservation Corps – Photographs and interviews documenting the history of the Civilian Conservation Corps in Tennessee.

Comb Graves of Tennessee – Photographs and place coordinates documenting comb (also known as “tent”) graves in TN cemeteries.

David Brock Korean War Photographs – Photographs and an oral history chronicling Brock’s military service as a combat engineer in Korea.