Learning a new language can feel daunting and intimidating at first, but the benefits are immense and rewarding. Learning a new language can help increase your career opportunities, broaden your travel experiences, and introduce you to a world of new literature and other cultures. According to research, learning a new language can help stimulate your brain, improve your memory, boost your self-esteem, and improve your first language. Henrico County Public Library can support you on your journey to learning a new language. Read on to learn more about some of our resources!

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!

Happy Week of the Young Child! Founded by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), this annual event is a time to celebrate early learning, children, their teachers, and families. HCPL is a strong supporter of early learning and invites you to explore our resources. Read on for early learning tips you can try at home, as well as books, materials, and programs available at the library!

We’d like to thank Cheryl Strayed and the community for joining us for an evening of conversation about connection, compassion, conservation, and the natural world. Read on for more about this year’s wonderful All Henrico Reads event!

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!

March 17-23 is World Folktales and Fables Week, and we’re celebrating by exploring different folktales available in our children’s collection. For thousands of years, communities across the globe have passed down tales that reflect their unique history and lore. As readers, these folktales allow us to access a world beyond our own and connect to other cultures. Over time, retellings have emerged too, providing familiar tales reframed through different cultural lenses. Read on to find recommended folktales and retellings from our collection to bring home and share with your family!

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.