Food is a common thread that unites humanity. Beyond sustenance, food teaches us about identity, history, community, and culture. When we share our food, we share our roots. In the words of renowned American chef James Beard, “Food is our common ground, a universal experience.” And, as culinary historian Michael Twitty wrote, “...your plate is your flag.” While our foodways may vary, the experience of gathering around food is one to which we can all relate. Read on to explore titles that nourish the mind, body, and soul and teach us about food: its history, its many forms, and most importantly, its ability to connect us all.

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. Whether you’re a visual person, want to broaden your reading horizons, or just need a break from pages and pages of type, we recommend giving a graphic novel a try.  Many reluctant readers have found their love of books through graphic novels.   You may be surprised by what you discover!

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 installations at several locations, a documentary screening, presentations from area quilters, and a lecture on Virginia Quilt Trails.  Read on for more information about how you can connect with your community through quilting at the library this summer, and for book recommendations related to quilting and textiles.

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 help you find your perfect romance. Read on to explore just some of the titles we’re gushing over this month.

Taking road trips with the family is a time-honored summer tradition. What better way to engage the whole family while beating that “Are We There Yet” boredom than by listening to an audiobook together? June is Audiobook Appreciation Month, and whether you’re a new listener or an audiophile, we have an extensive, fun-filled audiobook collection to keep you entertained for miles. Read on to learn more about the joys of audiobooks, and to discover some of our favorite audiobooks from the library’s collection.

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 activities, workshops, cosplay, games, and more!

Happy Pride Month! June 1 marks the beginning of Pride, a month-long celebration of the history and impact of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (questioning), intersex, and asexual identifying community. HCPL offers a variety of programs, some year-round, plus books and resources to support LGBTQIA+ individuals and families. Read on to learn more about upcoming programs and recommended titles from our collection to help you learn about and celebrate Pride!

Henrico County Public Library’s 2023 Summer Reading challenge, "All Together Now," is all about celebrating kindness, friendship, and unity. During last year’s Summer Reading challenge, the community read nearly 80,000 books. In the spirit of this year’s theme, the library is challenging the community to read 100,000 books together between June 15 and August 15 (pre-registration begins June 1). Read on to learn more about this year's challenge!

Every May the Administration for Community Living celebrates Older Americans Month. This year’s theme, Aging Unbound, promotes flexible thinking around the idea of aging and encourages us to consider the benefits of a community where everyone, no matter what their age, feels engaged, included, and independent (Administration for Community Living). Read on to learn about how you can support yourself or the older adults in your life by exploring resources available at the library.