It’s official: the HCPL Summer Reading Challenge starts this Saturday, June 1. With plenty of programs, prizes, and fun for everyone, let your summer adventures begin at the library! Read on to learn more about this year’s challenge.

Nearly two hundred years ago, the first permanent photograph was taken by Frenchman Joseph Niépce of the view outside his window. Today, during National Photography Month, we celebrate the advancement of the medium. Once an expensive and cumbersome hobby or trade, the development of point-and-shoot and smartphone cameras has made photography accessible to many, allowing people from around the world to share their perspectives and stories through imagery.

Amateurs and professionals alike can find photographic inspiration at the library. Read on to learn more about our photography workshops, how to check out equipment for in-library use, and our extensive photo book collection. Happy snapping to all the photographers out there!

Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month starts next week, and we look forward to commemorating the occasion with films, book discussions, and a variety of programs. Listen to the sitar, learn to play Mahjong, practice the art of suminagashi (paper marbling), and much more. Read on for details about upcoming events and recommended AAPI titles from our collection. We hope you will join us for the festivities!

This month, Libbie Mill Library will celebrate its 8^th year! Funded by a bond referendum approved by Henrico voters, Libbie Mill opened its doors in October of 2015 as a replacement for Dumbarton Library, which now houses Henrico’s Department of Recreation and Parks. The three-story LEED certified building, whose third floor is home to the non-profit Junior Achievement, is the centerpiece of Henrico’s Libbie Mill Midtown Development, a mixed-use community with housing, trails, retail, and restaurants. Its close proximity to the city line has helped it become one of the system’s busiest branches, with over 300,000 visitors last year alone! Read on to learn more about this bright and bustling library.

April is Community Science Month, a celebration of the public’s power to gather information, collaborate with scientists, and contribute to new discoveries. You don’t have to be an expert to aid in the scientific process! This year, the Great American Eclipse (April 8) falls within Community Science Month, and we’re excited to mark the occasion with programs about how eclipses work. We’ll also explore other projects you can participate in from home. Read on to learn more about upcoming events as well as resources and titles to spark your interest in different scientific topics. 

The word memoir comes from the French word “memoire,” meaning memory. Unlike biographies, memoirs are not just facts about a person’s life; they are the author’s memories. Their feelings and emotions are integral to the story being told. Memoirs focus on a specific period or event in an author’s life, often of a critical nature. In her memoir Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, this year’s All Henrico Reads author, Cheryl Strayed, shares her memories about the circumstances that led her to take a solo hike and the impact the journey had on her life. If this year’s All Henrico Reads title has you craving more memoirs, read on for more fascinating reads from our collection!

This year's All Henrico Reads title, Wild by Cheryl Strayed, has us reflecting on trails: their origins, where they lead us, and the experiences they provide along the way. Read on for upcoming related programs and recommended travelogues, meditations, and guidebooks on trails.

Celebrate Women’s History Month with HCPL!  What better way to kick off Women’s History Month than with a quote from this year’s All Henrico Reads title, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by author Cheryl Strayed:

“I knew that if I allowed fear to overtake me, my journey was doomed. Fear, to a great extent, is born of a story we tell ourselves, and so I chose to tell myself a different story from the one women are told... I was strong.” – Cheryl Strayed, Wild

We invite you to attend a lecture, performance, or film at the library this March to learn about fearless women who had the courage to write their own stories, forge new paths, and impact history. Read on for more details about our upcoming programs and recommended titles about trailblazing women from our collection.  

Multilingual interpreter.  Lionfish hunter.  Master Naturalist.  Believe it or not, these aren't the professions of characters from recent bestsellers - they're areas of expertise belonging to some of our incredible staff here at HCPL.  In addition to library collections and programs, our staff members serve as incredible resources for the community. As students head back to school this fall, remember it’s never too late to learn something new and expand your knowledge and skills, especially with a little help from library staff. Read on to learn about some HCPL staff specialties, and stay tuned to our blog over the coming months to get to know more about the diverse skillsets of our amazing staff.