Juneteenth celebrates the end of the institution of slavery in the United States, commemorating the date a Union general issued an order to free all enslaved persons in Texas on June 19, 1865. If you are interested in celebrating Black lives this Juneteenth through literature, we have created a list of excellent Black authors for adults and young adults, whose work you can explore free at the library. If you are interested in learning more about anti-racism, we have also included a list of recommended resources. We hope you all find a way to celebrate and contemplate this Juneteenth, and because we know reading has the power to change the world, we hope that this literature will inspire you.

The One Henrico Reading Challenge started as a fun way to share reading activities during the stay-at-home order, and starting June 15, it is the official Henrico County Public Library Summer Reading Challenge! If you haven’t already, sign up to participate in our fun weekly activities designed to help you grow your love of reading and discover a great big world of learning. Logging your reading and learning will earn you chances to win cool prizes, provided by the Friends of Henrico County Public Library.

In a challenging job market, you may need assistance reworking your resume, refreshing your skill sets, or exploring career alternatives. HCPL has free online resources and print books to help you in your job search – all you need is a library card.

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 Library has a plethora of online options to get you growing!

Aliens, strange worlds, sentient robots, interstellar spaceships… science fiction focuses on worlds and realities that we can only imagine. It can be wonderfully fun and even comforting to escape to these unknowns. Here are some of our favorite titles, both new and old, that push the limits of imagination.

Historical fiction immerses you in a different time and place. You can travel back to 16th Century England, 19th century Liberia, 1920s Mexico, -- the possibilities are endless. Historical fiction can also give us insight to the lives of historically marginalized people, and allow us to deepen our understanding of the past.

Springtime in central Virginia is beautiful, but there’s a dilemma. Should you read, or should you work in the garden? Try some sleuthy-ness and plots based on, well, garden plots! These cozy mysteries are satisfying, quick reads that are perfect companions when digging in the dirt. Murder and mayhem notwithstanding, they can be very refreshing after a day in the backyard.

Get a head start on Summer Reading and join your friends at the Henrico County Public Library for weekly challenges designed to help you connect with the library and discover a great big world of learning, all while you Stay Home!

Exactly 50 years ago, April 22, 1970, the very first Earth Day was celebrated. At that time, environmentalism was growing and concerned people were looking for a way to generate even more interest in protecting the natural world. Over the years, Earth Day has continued to grow but one key point has always remained: it isn’t just a day of celebration, it is a day to lend a hand with conservation.