That’s a wrap on our 2024 Summer Reading Challenge! Thank you to everyone who read and learned with us. Whether it was diving into books, trying new things, or exploring new places, we think it’s safe to say that this summer was quite an adventure. Read on to learn more about all of your accomplishments.

As Varina Area Library celebrates its eighth anniversary, we’d like to highlight the only HCPL library situated on the Capital Trail! Opened in June of 2016, Varina’s current LEED-certified location on New Market Road replaced the smaller Varina branch which served the community since 1970. Varina Library is a 43,885-square-foot two-story building equipped with designated adult, teen, and children’s areas; study and meeting spaces; a Digital Media Lab; a demonstration kitchen; a grand stairwell for events; and a nature trail. In 2017, Varina won the prestigious Library Building Award presented by the American Institute of Architects in conjunction with the American Library Association. Read on to learn more about this serene and nature-inspired library nestled in the East End!

Happy Pride Month! Pride is an annual commemoration dedicated to recognizing the impact of the LGBTQIA+ community. In celebration, we’re reading across the rainbow and highlighting some of our collection’s newer LGBTQIA+ reads for teens and adults. Read on for some of our recommendations!

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.

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. 

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.

The library will host a full line-up of programs for Black History Month. Whether you watch a performance, attend a lecture, view a film, or participate in a book discussion, we hope you will visit the library over the coming weeks to learn with us about Black history and culture! Read on for a full list of upcoming events and recommended reads from our collection.

We are thrilled to announce that All Henrico Reads, our signature author event, will feature author Cheryl Strayed, who will discuss her bestselling memoir Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail! We invite the community to join us on Thursday, March 28 at 7PM at Henrico’s new Sports and Events Center for an in-person discussion, Q&A with the author, book sales from Book People, and a book signing. Read on to learn more about the event and how to take part in this year’s all-community read!