Jack Mayfield has been writing about Oxford’s and Lafayette County’s history through regular columns that have run in the Oxford EAGLE beginning in 2004.

In 2013, the Lafayette County Historical and Genealogical Society took on the task of gathering Mayfield’s 500-plus columns and in December 2013, the first volume of Mayfield’s “A Sense of Place,” consisting of more than 100 of his early columns, was bound, printed and made available for purchase.

A new volume was created each year after that and now Vol. 5 is available for purchase for a $20 donation that goes to the Historical and Genealogical Society.

The volume 5 book contains 104 columns that Mayfield wrote from January 2013 and December 2014.

Mayfield took a hiatus from writing his column in the Eagle, dubbed, “A Sense of Place,” for medical reasons. Recently, Mayfield said he is considering trying to write the historic column again in the future.

“A lot of people look forward to the new volumes,” Mayfield said last week. “They’re popular for Christmas gifts. I know a woman whose mother grew up here but now lives in Texas and her daughter buys her one of my books every year they’ve come out.”

Until then, residents, history buffs and fans around the country can read his works in the five bound books.

The society is a non-profit organization, whose purpose is to seek, collect, preserve and disseminate facts and information with reference to historical, genealogical and biographical matters, to inculcate and promote interest in historical, genealogical and biographical research, to provide instruction and assistance in the use of scientific principle and efficient procedures in researching recording and publishing historical and related facts.

The society meets on the third Sunday of every other month at 2:30 p.m. at the Lafayette County and Oxford Public Library.

Wil St. Amand, with the Society, personally puts the books together, selecting the columns, indexing them and then takes them to DocuMart to be printed and bound.

“Since we are charged with compiling records for Lafayette County for people, this is just a part of what we do,” St. Amand said. “And I’m happy to do it.”

Vol. 5 contains columns on a variety of subjects including the Chickasaw, early settlers of Lafayette County, African-American history, the Civil War, history of Oxford’s schools, churches, famous Oxford citizens and their homes, the University of Mississippi and its athletic history and more.

St. Amand said he isn’t done yet, and expects Vol. 6 to be ready this time next year.

Books can be purchased by sending a check for $20 plus an additional $3.50 for shipping to: Lafayette County Historical and Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 1382, Oxford MS 38655.