Read Together, Watch Together
Many books have been made into fabulous film adaptations. So what is the best option… read it and then watch it? Watch it and then read it? The choice is for you and your family to make. You could even listen to the audiobook first. Here are some of…
Spotlight on Staff: Earth Scientists
Our staff are a talented bunch, and as we continue discovering their special skills to share on our blog, we noticed many folks at HCPL are passionate about science and the natural world. From birding to animal training and conservation, people who…
New Birding Stations at the Library
Birding, or birdwatching, is an activity the whole family can participate in to discover the abundance of wildlife diversity in our own backyards. We’ve found the best places for birdwatching in our libraries, and set up birdwatching stations with a…
2022 Summer Reading Wrap-Up
That's a wrap! Summer Reading has come to a close and we can't thank you enough for reading with us. Whether you explored new books, programs, or challenges (or all of the above), we hope you enjoyed diving into oceans of possibilities at the Librar…
Citizen Science: Birding
As part of the Citizen Science movement, we are hosting several Birding Workshops this month! Families are invited to learn the best ways to spot birds in the wild, do a fun bird craft, and practice your bird watching skills outside at the library…
Birding at HCPL
We’re gearing up for the annual Great Backyard Bird Count, so whether you're an amateur or an expert, we're inviting bird enthusiasts of all ages and levels of experience to join us at the library this February! Read on to learn more about upcoming…
Eclipses & Community Science
April is Community Science Month, a celebration of the public’s power to gather information, collaborate with scientists, and contribute to new discoveries. You don’t have to be an expert to aid in the scientific process! This year, the Great Americ…
HCPL Tour Series #6: Varina
As Varina Area Library celebrates its eighth anniversary, we’d like to highlight the only HCPL library situated on the Capital Trail! Opened in June of 2016, Varina’s current LEED-certified location on New Market Road replaced the smaller Varina bra…
Book to Movie Adaptations
Whether you’re ready to visit the theatre or love watching from your couch, there are television and movie adaptations of some of our favorite titles to look forward to this fall and into 2022. Despite some productions being delayed, it’s never too…
Native American Heritage Month
November is Native American Heritage Month, and the Library has a full line-up of performances, speakers, film screenings, and book discussions about Indigenous history and culture. Read on to learn more about upcoming programs and recommended title…
What to Read if You Love Dungeons and Dragons
If you’re missing D&D or your gaming group, Henrico Library’s collection has you covered. Between books, audiobooks, and graphic novels, there are plenty of fantastic stories featuring swords and sorcery to choose from. If you want to lose yourself…
Did You Know: Digitization Resources at the Library
Did you know that you can digitize your memories at the library? Scan old photos, film and slides or transfer a VHS home movie to digital format using equipment available in our Digital Media Labs. Use the library’s resources to see what’s in that i…
Libraries Were Made for “Inside Weather”
Whether in the sweltering heat of summer, or the blustery cold of winter, Libraries offer a comfortable indoor refuge from the elements, and supplies you can take home to enjoy the great indoors. Read on for some of our recommended winter offerings…
Rainbow Reads: Romance
Fall in love with LGBTQIA+ romance this Pride Month! Love takes many forms across multiple genres in our collection. So whether you prefer your romance in the real world, fantastical worlds, or worlds of the past, we have a wide range of titles to h…
March Movies!
With the weather in March so unpredictable, it is nice to have a few indoor activities ready to go for unexpectedly cold or windy days. While we always love to suggest a good book to read, sometimes it is more fun to watch a movie. Henrico County Pu…
August Programs at HCPL
Come enjoy the last days of summer with some fun learning opportunities at the library! You can watch a movie with us, create a craft, meditate, catch a concert, share stories, improve your financial literacy, celebrate our furry friends, and much m…
Spooky Reads for the Whole Family
Fall is officially here, and with darker nights and brisker air upon us, it’s no wonder that many of us seek something equally chilling to read or watch. This season, look no further than the library for all of your spooky needs. From slightly spook…
July is Graphic Novels in Libraries Month
July is Graphic Novels in Libraries Month, and while popular favorites like Batman, Superman, and other Marvel and DC comics come to mind, the library offers even more to explore. Search thousands of titles in our catalog or in our Hoopla collection…
Hitting the Trail
The sun is setting earlier, the air is getting cooler: time to go on a camping adventure. Camping is a great way to reconnect with nature, and there are several resources available at the library to help you plan your next camping endeavor. Read on…
Spooky Reads for Teens
Spooky season is upon us! It’s a time when shadows dip and dance about, when macabre beings bump and twist in the night, and when one can never be too certain that something isn’t lurking—silent and watchful—in some darkened corner. To draw you full…
Explore Electric Vehicles
The 9th Annual RVA Environmental Film Festival is this month and we are excited to participate! EVolveKY and Drive Electric RVA present Evolve: Driving a Clean Future in Coal Country at Varina Library on Saturday, February 16. There will be screenin…
Get in the Spirit of All Henrico Reads with One of These Teen Thrillers
Calling all super sleuths! Can you spot a plot twist coming from a mile away? Can you identify the murderer by the fifth… no, third chapter? Then look no further. Whether you’re in the mood for murder, keen on kidnapping, or thirsting for thievery…
Juneteenth
Celebrate Juneteenth with the library and this list of titles available at HCPL. Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. Based on the words “June” and “Nineteenth,” the celebration started to commemorate an order issued by a…
Homework Resources for Teens
The cool fall weather is finally here, but school is in session and your homework is piling up! Don’t worry, the library is here to help you out with resources that will help you get your homework and papers done, so that you can spend more time out…
October Online Programs
Our virtual event lineup for October is full of fun programs for everyone, perfect for the cozy afternoon or evening in. Take a break from raking leaves to discuss what you’re reading, sing and dance along to storytime, or learn something new with u…
Celebrate Black History Month
We are offering a wide range of programs in February to celebrate Black history and culture. Join us for a month full of speakers, film screenings, book discussions and more. Read on for upcoming programs and descriptions – we hope to see you at the…
Oceans of Possibilities: Exploring the Eastern Shore
Discover the Eastern Shore! In the spirit of Summer Reading, we’re exploring all things ocean. What better place to start than Virginia’s coast? Read on to learn more about upcoming programs and titles that explore the region’s unique landscape and…
Black History Month 2023
We're gearing up for a full month of Black History programs, displays, and reading in February. Explore contemporary local street art with Hamilton Glass, learn about Emancipation Towns in our region, research your family’s history with the African…
2024 Staff Picks for Adults
We couldn’t let this year come to a close without sharing our 2024 Staff Picks. Find new reads for your TBR (to-be-read) pile or to gift to someone special this holiday season. From feel-good romances to out-of-this-world science fiction, staff read…
Winter Break Wonders: Library Kits, Streaming Platforms, and More
Whether it's stargazing, bird watching, exploring the outdoors, connecting with loved ones, or discovering new books, the library has several curated kits to help kick start activities with friends and family. Read on to learn more about our kits as…
What’s Your Friendship Style? Teen Reads About Friendship
Friendships play a vital role in our lives—especially when we are teenagers. Friends offer connection, adventure, and support. Whether you love meeting new people, prefer one-on-one connections, or feel more comfortable talking to people online, the…
Older Americans Month
May is Older Americans Month. Since 1963, the Administration for Community Living (ACL) has led a national campaign to honor the contributions of older adults to their communities. To commemorate, we are highlighting some of the many HCPL programs a…
The Stories Behind the NACo Awards
Henrico County Public Library (HCPL) was recently honored to receive three National Association of Counties (NACo) Achievement Awards. The accolades were part of Henrico County’s overall total of 48, which is the most of any county in Virginia for t…
Spotlight on Staff
We’re back with another edition of Spotlight on Staff! This month we’re featuring individuals who, in addition to their wonderful library work, are also skilled in multimedia production, fiber arts, law research, records analysis, and career consult…
Spooky Stories at HCPL
A chill is creeping into the air, leaves are skittering across the ground; it’s official: spooky season is here! Whether you’re a scaredy-cat or a thrill seeker, the library has something for everyone to get into the spooky spirit. However you choos…
Black Voices in Mystery, Crime, & Noir
This February, HCPL is highlighting Black Voices. And with next month’s All Henrico Reads event on the horizon—an evening with author Walter Mosley and his latest novel, Gray Dawn—we thought what better time is there to feature Black mystery writers…
Teens Love the Library!
Teens love to read, teens love books, and they love their libraries! This month, in particular, is all about showing love to the library. Henrico County Public Library offers so much more than just books: there are meeting spaces, quiet study areas…
Celebrate Read Across America Day!
March 2nd is Read Across America Day and there are so many ways you can celebrate! You can choose to read a book, watch a movie based on a book, or take part in wacky Dr. Seuss activities. But wait, what is Read Across America Day? It is an annual r…
Family Fun for the Spooky Season!
The temperature has dropped, leaves are changing color, and Halloween is right around the corner! We are celebrating with magic shows, special storytimes, spooky science, and fun events for the whole family. We love Halloween at HCPL. Each year we h…
Amazing Animals: Stories So Unique, it is Hard to Believe They are True!
Go on, admit it—everyone loves animals at least a little bit! You might enjoy cute animal videos, or even have pets of your own, and the library has a lot books with amazing animal stories. Get to know some truly amazing furry friends and learn abou…
Survive Exam Week!
Exam week is coming up, but don’t panic! We can help. The library is the perfect place for studying, with spaces to read and revise, expert researchers, and fun events to help you de-stress. Sometimes there are too many distractions at home to have…
2019 Staff Picks for Kids
It is once again time for us to share our favorite books of the year. We are starting with our favorite books for kids (and those young at heart!). Be sure to keep an eye out for our favorites for teens and adults later this week. There were so many…
Black History Month Events at the Library
During Black History Month, we recognize the enormous cultural contributions and civil rights achievements of African Americans. We are offering a wide array of events for adults, children, and teens including a presentation by the Petersburg Chapte…
Bake Your Own Sourdough and Breads
In our All Henrico Reads featured novel Sourdough, the gift of a sourdough starter jump starts Lois’s foray into baking, giving her a new outlook on life. Rejuvenate your relationship with food by baking your own bread! Baking can be a fount of crea…
Friday Night Films on Hoopla
Explore free streaming movies on Hoopla this Friday night and beyond with some recommendations from HCPL staff. It’s hard wading through the digital morass - why not make searching a little easier with a curated list from a librarian? Our selections…
Nurture Your Garden
Springtime is here! Warm sunlight and gentle breezes are calling us to spend some time outside. Whether you have a huge back yard, a tiny patch of earth, or a porch with a few pots, gardening is a great way to do just that. Henrico County Public Lib…
¡Mira nuestros libros en español!/Check Out Our Spanish Language Books!
Con cada año que pasa, el idioma español crece en importancia dentro de los Estados Unidos. Según un informe del censo de los Estados Unidos de 2015, unos 37 millones de hispanohablantes residen en el país y en Virginia, esos números son casi 600,00…
YA Books and Music: What to Listen to While You Read
Movies and soundtracks are like two peas in a pod, but we’d argue that books and music make a great pair too! What better way to amplify the environment, characters and mood of a story than listening to music while reading? Below you’ll find our pic…
Listen, Learn, and Limber Up
Picture books are more than colorful images paired with words. Great picture books insist that the reader and the listener actively play and talk. Learning is made dynamic when you add dancing, imagination, and verbal responses. Movement makes liter…
Explore April’s Virtual Programs!
We have a bunch of fun programs coming up this April! Test your knowledge at one of our trivia nights, learn about the weather with hands-on experiments, or learn to create audio recordings for music, podcasts, and more. Here are just some of the aw…
Improv at the Library!
The public library might not be the first place people think of when they hear the words ‘improv comedy’. However, in Henrico County, that is exactly where folks can go to learn more about improv, and even give it a try! Improv programs have been ha…
Hispanic Heritage Month at HCPL
In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, Assistant Library Manager at Varina Library and chair of the HCPL IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Anti-Racism) committee Cristina Ramirez has penned a special guest contribution to our blog…
Famous Foods and How to Cook Them
Ever wondered what a Krusty Burger tastes like? What about Buddy the Elf’s Breakfast Pasta? Luckily for our taste buds, creative chefs have compiled, created, and in some cases re-created, recipe collections of famous foods from cinema and televisio…
Did You Know: Movies, Television & Streaming
The library isn’t just for books and reading! Use your library card to check out movies, documentaries, television shows on DVD, or use Hoopla to stream directly to the device of your choice. HCPL has a great collection of DVDs that can be checked o…
It's Astronomical: The Perseid Meteor Shower
Did you know that the Perseid meteor shower will be at its peak from August 11-13? Enhance your viewing experience by learning a bit more about the science behind this beautiful phenomenon. Browse titles and resources from the Library’s collection t…
Fandomonium
Summer is officially here, and so is this year’s Summer Reading Challenge! Celebrate both by attending HCPL’s festival of fandoms—Fandomonium — on Saturday, June 24, 1-5PM at Fairfield Library. We hope you’ll join us for an afternoon full of drop-in…
Connecting Communities with Quilts
Quilting bees, stitch-ins, and sewing circles have long been community gatherings. In the spirit of our “All Together Now” Summer Reading challenge, join us to explore quilting and other textile arts this summer. Events include collaborative art ins…
Laughing Together: Funny Titles for Kids
Laughter is a wonderful way to bring people together, and scientific studies have shown that it can even help improve your overall health by improving circulation and reducing stress. Reading funny books is a great way to connect with your little on…
Black History Month 2024
The library will host a full line-up of programs for Black History Month. Whether you watch a performance, attend a lecture, view a film, or participate in a book discussion, we hope you will visit the library over the coming weeks to learn with us…
Books About Quests
Did you love Cheryl Strayed’s Wild but aren’t ready to hop on the Pacific Crest Trail yourself? One of the easiest ways to travel is from the safety of a book. Armchair adventures abound within the doors of your local Henrico library. Some of these…
Arab American Heritage Month
April is Arab American Heritage Month, a time to commemorate the history and culture of the Arab community. Our collection features several titles from Arab and Arab American authors. Read on for a list of titles for children, teens, and adults that…
The Scarlet Veil by Shelby Mahurin
24 December 2024 Teen Librarian The Scarlet Veil by Shelby Mahurin The Scarlet Veil is a fast paced and climatic book starring mainly Michal, Celie, Odessa, and Dimitri. It is set in a medieval world with witches, witch hunters, werewolves, vampires…
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