The National Sporting Library (NSL) at 102 The Plains Road in Middleburg, Virginia is an American research center for horse and field sports. Among their activities, they sponsor the Thoroughbred Heritage website, one of the most important sources for Thoroughbred horses and racing on the Internet.
The library was founded in 1954 by George L. Ohrstrom Sr., president of the Orange County Hunt, and Alexander Mackay-Smith MFH, editor of The Chronicle of the Horse.[1]
In its 15,000-square-foot (1,400 m2) facility, the National Sporting Library has over 17,000 books, including a rare book collection on horsemanship, periodicals, photographs, films, and manuscripts as well as over 200 works of art, including paintings and sculptures, by celebrated sporting artists.
In 1999, Kenneth Tomlinson was named president and director of the National Sporting Library. Since September 2005, Nancy Parsons has served as President & Chief Executive Officer.
The library hosts exhibits of sporting art, including paintings and bronzes, from its own collection and from other museum collections. Educational lectures, book signings and film screenings are also offered.