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.

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.

Whether you want a tale with a villain who plays mind games, an atmospheric spy novel, or an obsession-fraught love story, we have recommendations for books that will keep you turning the pages. Stop by your local library to check out the thriller you’ve been craving!

Sourdough by Robin Sloan inspires many questions about food, what makes a life fulfilling, and the role of technology in our lives. Explore these topics at one of our upcoming programs based on the novel, and be sure to join us on April 2 at 7:00 pm at Glen Allen High School for an evening with the author.

Every ten years, the U.S. Census aims to count each and every person living in the nation, including right here in Henrico County. The collected data helps to determine things like the number of seats Virginia has in the House of Representatives, and how to distribute $675 billion in federal funds to communities like ours. The Library is providing information about the census and assistance filling out the online form starting this month.

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 creativity, as well as a delicious form of stress-relief. Our baking collection will help you put that oven to good use!

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 Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen, performances by Bright Star Theater, and a lecture on African American Art from the VMFA.

This February and March we are hosting programs across the county that explore Founding Era history through primary source documents, with the goal of bringing the community together in dialogue about social issues that persist to this day. The series will reexamine the early history of the United States focusing on the experiences of people of color.