Celebrate Women's History Month

We love celebrating Women’s History Month at Henrico County Public Library. Learning about incredible women and their accomplishments is always fun and enlightening. This year, we asked library staff to tell us about women who inspire them.

Here’s what they said:

“Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of Girl Scouts – ‘Right is right, even if no one else does it.’” – Gayle

“It’s a recent addition to my roster of amazing females, but I have been really inspired by Tiffany Haddish in the last year. She has worked hard for a long time, loves to make people laugh, and always tries to maintain a positive view on things, even when the situation is not so positive. These are several of my own goals!” – Dee

“Canadian short story writer, Alice Monroe, inspires me! I love her visceral style and unsettling stories about human relationships. She began writing in her 50’s and won the Nobel Prize in Literature when she was 81.” – Barbara

“Fran Adams – If I become even half the woman my grandmother is I will be thrilled. Whether she’s bicycling across Europe, geocaching with new friends, or texting her grandchildren, she defies aging stereotypes every step of the way. She is the definition of a life-long learner and inspires me to do the same!” – Jamie

“I am inspired by Dorothea Dix, who worked relentlessly to improve care and conditions for the mentally ill in the 1830’s. She traveled so much that she started carrying a repair kit with her because she got tired of being stranded when stagecoaches broke down! She was also responsible for organizing the Union Army's nursing corps and her pursuit of excellence made her the terror of generals and nurses alike. Because of her campaigns, travels, and writing, people began treating the mentally ill with compassion and care all over the world – and she never sought credit for it.” – Awnali

“Writer, comedian, and actress Phoebe Robinson is an inspiration to me in many ways. She’s hilarious, she stands up for herself without taking herself too seriously, and she uses her platform to speak up about important social issues.” – Amy

If you’re as excited about Women’s History Month as we are, come see the interactive “Who Invented It?” wall in the Libbie Mill teen room to learn about female inventors. While you’re here, stop by the teen office to talk to us about the women you look up to. And if you’re in need of some extra inspiration, check out these great books:

Here We Are: Feminism for the Real World by Kelly Jensen
Radioactive!: How Irene Curie and Lise Meitner Revolutionized Science and Changed the World by Winifred Conkling
Sally Ride: A Photo Biography of America's Pioneering Woman in Space by Tam E. O’Shaughnessy
She Takes a Stand: 16 Fearless Activists who have Changed the World by Michael Elsohn Ross
Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina by Michaela DePrince
Rad Women Worldwide: Artists and Athletes, Pirates and Punks, and Other Revolutionaries who Shaped History by Kate Schatz
Fight Like a Girl: 50 Feminists who Changed the World by Laura Barcella
Being Jazz: My Life as a (Transgender) Teen by Jazz Jennings
Ten Days a Madwoman: The Daring Life and Turbulent Times of the Original “Girl” Reporter, Nelly Bly by Deborah Noyes (ebook only)
Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom: My Story of the 1965 Selma Voting Rights March by Lynda Blackmon Lowery