Dive into Summer Reading

Southern Noir: An Evening with S.A. Cosby

Summer Reading: Sustainability

Central Library Youth Services Summer Open House

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black and white photograph of 4 black students entering Stratford Junior High in 1959

Ronald (Ron) Deskins: A Quiet Pioneer for Civil Rights

At the young age of 12, Ron Deskins played a crucial role in integrating Virginia public schools.

Book covers of "Freewater" and "My Halls Hill family: more than a neighborhood."

Commemorate Juneteenth at The Library

Local Author Talks & Black Voices Booklists.

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Milton Rowe: Dedication to Country, Community and Family

Green Valley, Dunbar Housing Community and Work at the White House

Arlington Public Library Celebrates Pride Month

Explore LGBTQIA+ booklists and events.

Washington Nationals Summer Reading Ambassador Sean Doolittle

2022 Summer Reading: Oceans of Possibilities

June 1 – September 1

Photo of a COVID-19 Rapid Antigen At-Home Test Kit.

Free COVID-19 Rapid Antigen At-Home Test Kits Available on a First-Come, First-Served Basis

No proof of Arlington County residency or library card required.

Oral History: Gertrude “Trudy” Ensign

Intelligence analyst for the United States Army during World War II.

Bookshelf with Spanish kid's literature.

Arlington Public Library Receives Large, One-Time Increase to its Collections’ Budget

$543,000 for FY 2023

Link to blog post about events and book lists.

Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Explore the important role that Americans of Asian and Pacific Island descent play in our country’s history.

Big Book Podcast: King Lear / Fool

Ep. 7: Revisting Shakespeare with Christopher Moore

Video: Arlington Reads with Kiese Laymon

Available to watch online until June 19, 2022.

Big Book Podcast: A Room with a View / Sex and Vanity

Ep. 6: Revisiting Forster with Kevin Kwan.

Video: Equity and Diversity in the Great Outdoors

Three local naturalists discuss the joys and challenges of their work in the field.

Big Book Podcast: Jane Eyre / The Eyre Affair

Ep. 4 & 5: Revisiting Jane Eyre with Jasper Fforde.

Video: “Off Our Chests” Author Talk with Dr. John and Liza Marshall

A surprisingly open memoir co-authored by the married duo of a world class oncologist and a cancer survivor.

Video: “We Refuse to Be Enemies: How Muslims and Jews Can Make Peace One Friendship at a Time “

Two American citizens, a Muslim woman and Jewish man, concerned with the rise of intolerance and bigotry in our country along with resurgent white nationalism.

Video: Marcia Chatelain, Author of “Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America”

A surprising history of fast food companies, black capitalists, and civil rights leaders in the fight against racial inequality.

White woman with long brown hair faces the camera.

Video: Arlington Reads with Emma Brown

Brown discussed her book “To Raise a Boy,” an investigation into how we teach boys to be men—and how we can do better.

Video: Interview with Freddie Lutz

A lively conversation with the owner and operator of Freddie’s Beach Bar, Arlington’s only LGBTQ+, straight friendly restaurant and bar.

Photo of a white woman with long curly dark hair facing the camera.

Video: Arlington Reads Signature Author Laila Lalami

Laila Lalami discusses her life, her work, and the question, “What does it mean to be American?”

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Video: Arlington Reads with Jenny Offill

Acclaimed fiction writer joins us for a conversation about her latest work, “Weather.”

MLK holds banner under the words "Poor People's Campaign"

Video: Multiracial Coalitions in the Civil Rights Era

The Poor People’s Campaign was held in Washington, D.C., during the spring of 1968.

Video: New APL Kids YouTube Channel

Storytimes designed to help your child learn reading readiness.

Video: Live from Diane’s Living Room

Diane speaks with Arlingtonians who have made a difference in our community.

Library Service News and Updates

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Arlington Reads:
Rebooting the Classics

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REAL Archives Project:
Re-Encuentro de Arlington Latinos

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Read today’s headlines and the latest magazines.

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SYNC Audiobooks

Get two free YA audiobooks each week, April – August.

Staff Picks

Sartore's mission is to photograph every animal species in human care. This volume of the Photo Ark includes amazing pictures of disappearing animals, captioned with the impact of human activities such as the real cost of a cup of coffee.

Sarah C

Arlington Public Library

2022-05-05T14:26:41-04:00

Sarah C

https://library.arlingtonva.us/testimonials/the-photo-ark-vanishing/

A Thousand Ships

Calliope, the goddess of epic poetry, inspires the poet to tell the story of the women of Troy. He may not like it but it must be told. If you loved Circe by Miller or The Silence of the Girls by Barker, then this book is for you. It is full of strong female voices.

Karen G

Arlington Public Library

2022-05-05T14:28:52-04:00

Karen G

https://library.arlingtonva.us/testimonials/a-thousand-ships/

The Dead Mountaineer’s Inn

A mystery book for people who don't like mysteries, like Poirot meets Arthur Dent. When a murder occurs at a remote mountain inn, a disinterested and unqualified bureaucrat on vacation must solve the crime. Absurd and poignant with a touch of Twin Peaks and sci-fi.

Pete P

Arlington Public Library

2022-05-05T14:32:05-04:00

Pete P

https://library.arlingtonva.us/testimonials/the-dead-mountaineers-inn/

The Only Good Indians

This is a horror book with real gore. This is a book about revenge. This is a book about life on the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana and how that life stays with its residents through time and distance. This is even a book about basketball. This is a book you should read.

Heather C

Arlington Public Library

2022-05-05T14:35:48-04:00

Heather C

https://library.arlingtonva.us/testimonials/the-only-good-indians/

The Luminous Dead

Psychological SF thriller: a cave diver hired to explore a system of caverns and tunnels for a mining company begins to suspect that her employer has a hidden agenda. There may be ghosts or worse underground with her. Or she may be losing her grip on reality.

Charlotte M

Arlington Public Library

2022-05-05T14:37:17-04:00

Charlotte M

https://library.arlingtonva.us/testimonials/the-luminous-dead/

Jane in Love

This is a wonderful book for Jane Austen lovers and even Jane Austen likers. This rom-com will make you laugh and cry while also exploring how time travel into the future can really mess things up. I highly recommend this delightful read!

Mike N

Arlington Public Library

2022-05-05T14:39:03-04:00

Mike N

https://library.arlingtonva.us/testimonials/jane-in-love/

Shadows of Swanford Abbey

Taking place in Swanford Abbey, a luxury hotel that is rumored to be haunted, Rebecca is a guest when she becomes a suspect of a murder. What happens next is if you combine Agatha Christie with Jane Austen and a dash of the Brontes. Perfect for historical mystery fans!

Deborah K

Arlington Public Library

2022-05-05T14:40:36-04:00

Deborah K

https://library.arlingtonva.us/testimonials/shadows-of-swanford-abbey/

Collective

A stunning and heart-wrenching documentary about how the aftermath of a tragic fire led to the exposure of corruption in the Romanian health care system. Following the reporters who wouldn't drop the story and a health minister trying to fix it, it's gripping and timely.

Jennie R

Arlington Public Library

2022-05-05T14:42:34-04:00

Jennie R