This September, and throughout the school year, we’re happy to be able to support our students and learners of all ages with helpful, free resources at the library. All month long, library card replacements are free, and we encourage students to sign up for one! We’re also debuting a new homework help resource, HelpNow, on September 1. Read on for more awesome and free library resources that can help you or the students in your life succeed.

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, in which we celebrate the contributions of the disabled community to our workforce and the economy. As noted on the Department of Labor’s website, 2021’s theme is “America’s Recovery: Powered by Inclusion.” One way we can encourage more community involvement and inclusion in the workforce is to read more from self-advocates who are leading the cause in their fields. Read on for some of our recommendations of books to get better acquainted with the disability community.

In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, Assistant Library Manager at Varina Library and chair of the HCPL IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Anti-Racism) committee Cristina Ramirez has penned a special guest contribution to our blog. Please read on to discover how you can learn more about Latinx culture and history and the library, and how members of the Latinx community can engage with library resources.

For the second year in a row, we will feature a family-friendly Spooky Storyline this October. Not-too-scary stories guaranteed to give little ones a slight fright will be available every Wednesday from September 29 to October 27. Read on for details!

Designed to provide an authentic open mic experience for local writers wishing to read their poems in a public setting, our new virtual program series “From the Page to the Mic” is kicking off this month! Join library staff and local poet and writer Kristina Hamlett on Saturday afternoons in September, October, and November for the opportunity to present poetry and hear the work of both novice and veteran poets read out loud.

From all of us at the library, we would like to give a resounding Thank You! to all who read and learned with us during Summer Reading. Together we logged tons of books, shared lots of great book reviews, attended library programs, and completed learning activities all summer long. Read on to get some final Summer Reading stats and check back as we announce grand prize winners.

Come enjoy the last days of summer with some fun learning opportunities at the library! You can watch a movie with us, create a craft, meditate, catch a concert, share stories, improve your financial literacy, celebrate our furry friends, and much more this coming month. Read on to see some highlights from our August program offerings.

We are excited to share our newest educational platform for kids, Just for Kids Access Video. Just for Kids offers a kid-safe and advertisement-free streaming platform where young patrons can learn, explore, and enjoy.

Starting this week, our in-person and virtual storytimes have a brand-new schedule, and can be found on their own dedicated calendar. Read on for more information about upcoming storytimes!