Westover Library parking lot is inaccessible today, Apr. 27.
Street parking surrounding the library is available.
Westover Library parking lot is inaccessible today, Apr. 27.
Street parking surrounding the library is available.
Dr. Phoebe Hall Knipling and Valerie B. Kitchens were Arlington women who advocated for environmental conservation and education.
Today marks the 54th anniversary of Earth Day, first celebrated on April 22, 1970. Earth Day commemorates the birth of the modern environmental movement and invites us to renew our commitment to protecting the planet.
Environmental activism in Arlington predates the first celebration of Earth Day by over a decade. World War II triggered a major shift toward industrialization in Northern Virginia – Arlington County’s population soared while urbanization and development increased. As open land quickly diminished, some Arlingtonians began to recognize the need to improve environmental awareness and conserve the disappearing natural landscape. Two such pioneers were Dr. Phoebe Hall Knipling and Valerie B. Kitchens.
Phoebe Knipling riding a scooter at the Arlington Public Schools Science Fair, 1959. From RG 111: Arlington Outdoor Education Association Records, 1947-2017.
Dr. Phoebe Hall Knipling (1910-1988) was the first female Science Supervisor for Arlington Public Schools (APS) and the first woman to hold such a position in the state of Virginia. In the late 1950s, Dr. Knipling started a summer science enrichment program that incorporated outdoor education for students.
This program transported students to various public and private lands in Northern Virginia to study life sciences, astronomy, geology, meteorology, agronomy and conservation, among other subjects that benefitted from firsthand encounters with nature.
Students, Stars, and Outdoor Education pamphlet, page 2. From RG 111.
As open, natural lands became increasingly unavailable, Dr. Knipling argued that it was necessary for APS to acquire their own land for outdoor education. With the help of community representatives, parents of APS students and five school staff members, she established the Arlington Outdoor Education Association (AOEA) as a volunteer-run nonprofit on July 3, 1967, to create an outdoor lab exclusively for APS student use.
On March 14, 1968, the AOEA purchased a 200-acre site in Fauquier County at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The site featured a spring-fed stream, a pond, hiking trails, a natural amphitheater and diverse plant and animal life. At Dr. Knipling’s suggestion, the land became known both as Tahl which means “Wonderful Valley” and as Floraunaretum, meaning "interaction of flora and fauna in an outdoor setting."
Visitors exploring a stream at the Arlington Outdoor Education Association Outdoor Lab, 1975. From RG 111.
After Dr. Knipling retired in 1975, the AOEA board voted to rename the property the Phoebe Hall Knipling Outdoor Lab to honor her years of service to science education in Arlington County. Currently, four APS classes visit the Outdoor Lab every week in addition to three week-long summer camps.
Learn more about Dr. Phoebe Hall Knipling and the Arlington Outdoor Education Association.
Valerie Kitchens’ “Clean Water” bumper sticker. From RG 348: Valerie Kitchens Papers, 1967-2010.
Valerie B. Kitchens (1937-2013) was a local activist for conservation, wildlife, parks and other political issues that affected Arlington County and Northern Virginia. Born in Cresskill, New Jersey, she earned a master’s degree in Foreign Affairs from Georgetown University in 1964.
In the late 1960s, Kitchens attended the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s graduate school and became active in the Audubon Naturalist Society, contributing articles and research on the endangered Eastern Bluebird. She served as President of the Northern Virginia Chapter of the Virginia Society of Ornithology and was involved in local birdwatching groups.
Plans for a Bluebird house distributed by Valerie and her husband, Allen, in the late 1960s for the Audubon Naturalist Society. From RG 348
As an active member of Friends of Arlington Parks from the late 1970s through early 1990s, Kitchens fought to preserve Arlington’s natural and historic landscape, including what is now Fort C.F. Smith Park. She served on the Board of Directors for the Arlington Outdoor Education Association in the mid-1980s, supporting the Outdoor Lab that Dr. Knipling established in 1967.
Kitchens continued to appreciate and protect the natural beauty of Northern Virginia until her death in 2013.
Learn more about Valerie B. Kitchens.
The Center for Local History (CLH) collects, preserves and shares resources that illustrate Arlington County’s history, diversity and communities. Learn how you can play an active role in documenting Arlington's history by donating physical and/or digital materials for the Center for Local History’s permanent collection.
Do you have a question about this story, or a personal experience to share?
Use this form to send a message to the Center for Local History.
Do you have a question about this story, or a personal experience to share? Use this form to send a message to the Center for Local History.
"*" indicates required fields
It’s not an April Fool’s joke when we say that this month has some great books coming out!
Kate Parker knows she’s billionaire Hank Tudor’s sixth marriage, so she’s not expecting much. She’s especially not expecting to find the headless corpse of a woman who may or may not be wife number 5. Six meets Succession in Karen Olsen’s "An Inconvenient Wife," a fun modern twist on Henry VIII.
Gory body horror meets tender love story in "Someone You Can Build a Nest in" by John Wiswell. A hungry sentient blob disguised as a human finds refuge with a kindly woman whose family is out for revenge, forcing both to grapple with who the real monsters are.
In examining shipwrecks–from the ships to their cargo, and then expanding out to the world they sailed in and why they sank, David Gibbins offers a fascinating take on world history in "A History of the World in Twelve Shipwrecks."
"The King of Diamonds" by Rena Pederson tells of a notorious jewel thief who broke into the homes of Dallas’s elite, often while their owners were still there. The thief was never found, but this thrilling and suspenseful read offers a credible suspect.
The son of travel bloggers, lived in 27 different places and is determined not to move again. As he sets in motion his plan to build roots, he also teams up with a new friend in his apartment building to solve a robbery in Gillian McDunn’s middle grade read, "Trouble at the Tangerine."
Three teens meet up at the Bastille Invitational tennis tournament in "The Misdirection of Fault Lines" by Anna Gracia. In this story of friendship, family and elite tennis, Violetta has the perfect life on social media but is starting to crack under parental pressure. Alice is reeling from her father’s recent death and Leylah needs to prove herself after being betrayed by her former best friend.
Celebrate National Poetry Month with books picked by Arlington's Poet Laureate, Courtney LeBlanc.
Celebrate stories of winners of the Arab American Book Award in National Arab American Heritage Month.
This is a special year for me: my 50th year working in libraries.
When I began working at the Library of Congress in 1974, there were no computers, no Internet, no social media, no Alexa to wake me up in the morning, no telework, no eAudiobooks.
Then the nation was a couple of years past the enactment of Title IX which has made possible the careers of outstanding women athletes. More than 12 million people tuned in to watch the rematch between Caitlin Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes and Angel Reese's LSU Tigers — a new record for a women's college basketball game. (Sports and books have been some of my favorite pastimes.)
Over the past 50 years, libraries also have undergone significant change.
The replacement of the manually generated catalog card with machine-readable data was a major disruption. An essential resource for nearly 200 years, the passing of the venerable card catalog made way for online cataloging of library collections, now available on an app on your phone.
In 1990, the American Library Association implemented a policy to ensure equal access to information for all persons by recommending removing barriers like fees and overdue charges. Arlington Public Library eliminated fines and fees for overdue books in July 2020.
Banned Books Week was established by the American Library Association in 1992 in response to a surge in book bans in libraries and schools. In the U.S. today, book bans and challenges have risen at an unprecedented rate. Especially affected are books written by LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC authors. Arlington Public Library became a Book Sanctuary in September 2023.
From the beginning of my career, I have stood up for intellectual freedom. I believe books change lives and connect us to the world. Books and what they teach create more opportunities for us, our community and the world. Books and their stories promote tolerance, acceptance and understanding.
And I can’t say it often enough, libraries are more than books. They are “third places,” not home, not school or work. They are community hubs that connect people to information and connect people to people. For young people, librarians are “third” adults – not teachers or parents – trusted adults who will listen with compassion and without judgment.
For older adults, we offer a variety of programs to make connections (like book clubs, mindfulness practices and chair yoga) and learn new things (such as digital preservation, knitting and foreign languages). And the list goes on …
I have devoted 50 years of my life to what I still believe is essential, affirming work. Libraries are central players for the public good. Libraries are places of belonging. Libraries are free. Libraries are open to all.
Join us this week to celebrate books, those who write them and those who make them available to you.
Diane Kresh
Director, Arlington Public Library
A year ago, County Manager Mark Schwartz called for libraries to engage the public in envisioning our future.
Last summer, Arlington Public Library held “Future of Libraries” conversations with staff which included in-person and virtual meetings and a digital staff survey. In the fall, the library conducted a search for an outside consultant to lead the public-facing portion of the project. Accenture was awarded the project.
Accenture will develop future state scenario concepts with accompanying visuals of potential Arlington Public Library experiences, services and interactions.
Community members, library staff and County stakeholders will provide input into scenario development. These scenarios will be pushed out to active library patrons and Arlington residents via a digital survey and through a community engagement day aimed at attracting non-library users.
Participants will be asked to prioritize and consider tradeoffs among scenarios. The process will assist in establishing priorities for moving the library forward in a resource-constrained environment. A final report will be delivered with the results of the community engagement and recommendations for implementation will be provided.
Site visits by Accenture staff at libraries. Accenture staff will observe programs and patron engagement at various locations. They will not visit all locations due to time constraints and will see a representative sample of library locations.
Interviews with the Public. Accenture staff will conduct intercept interviews with a sampling of the public at sites across Arlington County. These are informal conversations meant to capture people where they work, play and live.
Co-Creation Workshop led by Accenture. Invited community members, a limited number of staff from the library and other County departments, and County stakeholders will gather at Central Library to dream big about libraries. Senior library leadership will observe but not participate.
A digital survey created by Accenture will be distributed in early May. Flyers with QR code will be displayed at all library locations and linked here in early May.
Community Voices Day on May 21 at one or two County sites (TBD) facilitated by Accenture. This will be a chance to attract non-library users and for anyone interested to take part in evaluating and prioritizing scenarios. Flyers will be provided for all locations to promote the event once details are finalized.
If you have questions or want to share your thoughts, email: libraries@arlingtonva.us.
Arlington Public Library is launching a new art program—The Incubator—to provide opportunities and space for artists to showcase their work in a public setting. Each library location features opportunities for artists to display their artwork and to engage the public.
The Incubator will spotlight local artists and community arts so that a greater number of diverse perspectives can be seen and more voices can be heard.
According to Arlington Public Library Director Diane Kresh, "This all-ages catalyst will allow community members—ranging from teens to older adults—to participate in a creative community dialogue and to express themselves. It’s a perfect extension of our maker program and makerspace, The Shop and our signature community engagement program Arlington Reads."
Artists interested in showing their work in a temporary exhibition at the library should submit an application. The library accepts proposals on a rolling basis. There is no application fee or age restriction for submissions.
The library has a long-standing tradition of showcasing temporary and permanent art at its library locations. Partnering with Arlington Arts, Arlington Public Art’s Portable Works collection, community organizations and individuals, the library promotes art as a means to inspire, to connect and to facilitate thought-provoking and timely conversations.
Complete the online application, including:
Artists are invited to submit a proposal with a common theme, style or medium.
A conversation between author Anna Malaika Tubbs and Library Director Diane Kresh about Anna Malaika Tubbs' book, "The Three Mothers: How the mothers of Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X and James Baldwin shaped a nation."
Recorded March 28, 2024.
The Friends of the Arlington Public Library (FOAL) invite you to the 2024 Spring Book Sale!
The much-anticipated semiannual sale returns to the Central Library parking garage and features thousands of books, games, puzzles and other items for all ages and interests at incredible bargains with proceeds supporting library programs and collections.
Central Library, 1015 N. Quincy St., parking garage
Major credit cards, checks and cash will be accepted.
Please bring your own bags or boxes.
Teachers and librarians with school IDs enjoy a 50% discount on purchases Friday and Saturday, while everyone saves 50% on Sunday!
Looking for signed books, first editions, full sets and other rare finds? We have plenty for you to peruse inside!
Take the elevator or stairs up from the book sale and visit the Glebe Room (on the first floor of the library by the Quincy Park entrance), open on Thursday from 5:30-8 p.m., on Friday and Saturday from 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and on Sunday from 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Looking for signed books, first editions, full sets and other rare finds? We have plenty for you to peruse inside!
Take the elevator or stairs up from the book sale and visit the Glebe Room (on the first floor of the library by the Quincy Park entrance), open on Thursday from 5:30-8 p.m., on Friday and Saturday from 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and on Sunday from 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
FOAL will be using the G1 floor of the parking garage beginning April 15 throughout the sale. Please use G2 and G3 in the parking garage or park in the outdoor lots surrounding the Library. The closest Metro stations to Central Library are Ballston and Virginia Square on the Orange and Silver Lines.
For accessible parking, use the surface lot behind Central Library. The elevator inside the building will take you to G1 and the sale.
Thursday night is Members Only Night! To become a FOAL member, use the online application form.
Contact volunteer@arlingtonlibraryfriends.org or fill out the volunteer application form to find out more about volunteering opportunities for the Friends of the Arlington Public Library.
For Women’s History Month, learn what life was like for Paula Strother, a student at Arlington Hall Junior College for Women, from her 1940s scrapbook.
A peek into what Paula Strother’s scrapbook looked like upon donation. Documents and pictures that could be safely removed have since been rehoused to prevent further damage from the acidic paper. This and all the images following are taken from RG 312: Eric Dobson Collected Materials.
Eric Dobson is always searching for artifacts of Arlington’s history to donate to the Center for Local History for preservation and research. One of his many discoveries was this scrapbook, compiled by Arlington Hall student Paula Strother.
A picture of 18-year-old Paula Strother taken ca. 1940 while she was attending Arlington Hall.
Paula Claire Strother was born on August 24, 1922, to Claire (née Farmer) and Paul Strother in Mt. Sterling, Kentucky. She attended Arlington Hall for her junior year of college from 1940-1941. Arlington Hall was founded in 1927 as a private post-secondary women’s educational institution, which had acquired the name “Arlington Hall Junior College for Women” by the time Paula enrolled. The school suffered financial problems in the 1930s during the Great Depression and became a non-profit institution in 1940.
A photograph of Paula’s friends in front of Arlington Hall’s historic main building, ca. 1940-1941.
Arlington Hall was a finishing school that aimed to instruct young women in social graces as a preparation for entry into society. This is reflected in Paula’s packed class schedule, which shows that she took lessons in speech, hygiene and “physical grace and charm” alongside more conventional courses in French, history, biology and English.
Paula was less than fond of her busy course load. In letters to her parents, she often complained about studying for exams and felt her teachers’ grades were too harsh. In one letter to her mother, Paula sums up her feelings quite succinctly: “College — Bah!”
A document sent to Paula’s parents detailing the “social permissions” granted to students based on their grade and academic standing.
Life at Arlington Hall was regimented. There were strict rules about how students could spend their time outside of school functions. They were expected to abide by curfews, travel in groups or with escorts and avoid “fraternity houses or Cocktail Lounges” altogether. In multiple letters, Paula reveals that she is writing in secret, hiding in the bathroom after “lights out.”
Disobedient students were forbidden to leave the school grounds — “campused,” as Paula calls it. She experienced this when she was punished for smoking in her dorm and cutting class. She made the most of it by forming the “Campused Coquettes Club” in solidarity with other campus-bound women.
Paula’s report card from January 25, 1941, with two reprimands for smoking and cutting class.
Although she was busy with her classes, Paula still found plenty of opportunities to explore the East Coast, go on dates, attend dances and play bridge. She visited many of the same sights that bring tourists in every year, including the Lincoln Memorial, Mount Vernon and Arlington Cemetery, where Paula saw President Franklin Roosevelt while attending an Armistice Celebration.
On a school trip to New York City, she saw the Rockettes perform at the Radio City Music Hall, caught a play on Broadway and watched the Ice Follies accompanied by Abe Lyman.
Program for the Queen of Hearts Ball that Arlington Hall put on around Valentine’s Day, 1941.
Paula chose not to re-enroll at Arlington Hall for her senior year. From her letters, it’s implied she was considering putting her photography skills to work the following year by finding a job at home in Kentucky. Either way, Arlington Hall Junior College for Women would close a year later due to lack of funding.
Following the attack on Pearl Harbor and U.S. entrance into World War II, on June 10, 1942, the U.S. Army took possession of the facility under the War Powers Act for use by its Signals Intelligence Service. The historic main building of the girls' school currently houses classrooms and administrative offices for the Foreign Service Institute, while the western part houses the Army National Guard Readiness Center.
Paula (second from right) with friends and teachers.
It is worth reflecting that were it not for incredible luck and the generosity of donor Eric Dobson, Paula’s story would have been lost. This is true of many women’s histories, particularly those recorded in formats like scrapbooks that have only recently been acknowledged as important cultural artifacts that capture the daily lives of ordinary people.
Thank you, Eric, and thanks to everyone dedicated to preserving women’s history!
If you’re interested in learning more about Arlington Hall, check out RG 3: Arlington Hall, Collected Archival Materials from the Community Archives. See also the “Spinning Wheel” Arlington Hall yearbook for the class of 1940.
The Center for Local History (CLH) collects, preserves, and shares resources that illustrate Arlington County’s history, diversity and communities. Learn how you can play an active role in documenting Arlington's history by donating physical and/or digital materials for the Center for Local History’s permanent collection.
Do you have a question about this story, or a personal experience to share?
Use this form to send a message to the Center for Local History.
Do you have a question about this story, or a personal experience to share? Use this form to send a message to the Center for Local History.
"*" indicates required fields
On March 23, Arlington Public Library and BizLaunch are hosting the inaugural Women’s Maker Fair.
A variety of local woman-owned businesses will be at Central Library Auditorium. There will also be a demonstration stage where attendees will learn about the artistic process and materials that go into their craft. We encourage you to buy local and to enjoy meeting local makers.
We champion the power of stories, information and ideas.
We create space for culture and connection.
We embrace inclusion and diverse points of view.