This week, April 19-25, is National Library Week! We have had a great year, and we hope you can join us in celebrating all the ways the library transforms lives and benefits our community. Your support, whether you are connecting with us on social media or checking out our digital collection, makes HCPL an essential resource for literacy and learning in Henrico.

In Animal Crossing: New Horizons, players pack their bags and head to their very own deserted island. On your island, you’ll develop your town, fish, catch bugs, and meet new villagers. The island has everything you could want — except a librarian. The Teen Services staff members at Fairfield Area Library have stepped in to fill that void. Here’s what we would recommend for some of our favorite villagers to read.

Getting creative in the kitchen can be very soothing. We are here to help with a huge assortment of cookbooks available now in Overdrive and Hoopla. Following a recipe can help calm your mind with engaging and simple physical tasks, plus you get to eat something tasty! Read on for a small sampling of our favorite titles.

Children notice everything. They meet and see new people every day, and notice all of the similarities and differences among themselves and others, which can contribute to a child’s self-image. Here are some ideas on how to build confidence in your child and help them love the skin they are in.

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 include family friendly feature films and documentaries.

The study of genealogy and family history is a great way to connect with the past, and the library offers a variety of high-quality genealogical resources online. There are many reasons to research family history, but most of all it is a fun puzzle. When you dive down the research rabbit hole, you not only learn about your own family, but about the period they lived in.

One of the very best things about books is that they can take us to amazing places without having to ever leave home. What’s even better is that we can use our own imaginations to create those places and take other people there with our own writing. Whether the stories you create are long or short doesn’t matter—what matters is that you have the power to take people to other places and times with your words alone.

We really love audiobooks here at HCPL, and have shared in the past some of our favorite narrators and audiobooks to make you laugh. When listening, it is easy to be carried away… swept up in the tale and transported by the storyteller. This time we are sharing some of our favorite stories, new and old, that take on a new life when read aloud.

Our Teen Services Librarians put together a list of some of the library’s online resources that are particularly helpful for teens. You can get free online tutoring and help with assignments and test prep, learn about health and wellness, keep up with your reading goals, and even earn community service credit from the library – all online!