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COVID-19 Related Library Service News and Updates More Info

Arlington Public Library

Web Editor

Increased Browsing Time at Express Libraries & Expanding Service

Library staff stand outside of Westover pointing at the front door, looking excited.

Express Library Service opening day at Westover; photo by Library Director Diane Kresh.

It's been exactly one month since Express Library Service opened at the Shirlington and Westover Branches!

Since then, more than 16,000 items have been checked out at our Express Libraries, and 60 percent of the items checked out have been children’s material.

We are excited by the opportunity this new service has given us to welcome Arlington readers back into the Library, and grateful for your support and patience over the past year.

As we continue to expand services and offerings to the community, we have some exciting updates to share.

Coming Soon

  • Starting Tuesday, April 13, in-person browsing at Express Library locations will increase to 30 minutes, for 30 people.
  • With warmer weather ahead, look for The Truck at more outdoor community events.
  • We’ll soon hold outdoor story times (limited capacity and safety measures will be in place).
  • Summer Reading starts June 1! Look for more info coming soon.
Program and outreach librarians hand out books, craft kits and info at AFAC.

The Library’s Partnership & Outreach team visited AFAC and other neighborhood organizations for National Library Week 2021.

Looking Ahead to FY2022

The Library will hire new staff this spring, in order to begin opening more locations this summer.

  • Community health metrics are not the driving factor in regard to opening additional locations and services. The County has been under a hiring freeze for more than one year. Libraries cannot open additional locations or services with current staffing levels.
  • The County Manager recently approved exceptions to this hiring freeze for Libraries with a goal to reopen additional locations as soon as possible in FY 2022, which begins on July 1, 2021.

COVID-19 Friendly Programs and Services for You

While we continue to bring in-person Library services back, our online events and socially-distanced programs and services are designed to serve your needs:

We look forward to seeing you online, and reconnecting with you at the Library!

We value your feedback. Tell us what you think about our Library services. We will read and consider all comments.

Library Services Feedback

Express Library Service Open at Shirlington and Westover

We look forward to welcoming you back for 15-minute browsing and holds pickup at the Shirlington and Westover Branches!

Hours:

  • Tuesday to Thursday: 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Friday and Saturday: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Express Libraries look very different — available services, visit length and capacity will be limited and safety protocols will apply.

Read the Express Library FAQs

Before You Visit

  • Review the FAQs and safety protocols on this page.
  • Pay fines of $15 or over on your Library account, as fine payment is not available at self-check.
  • For low-contact self-check, download the Arlington Public Library App and scan your digital library card at checkout.
  • Update your username for easier holds pickup.
  • Review your library account contact information, including your notification preferences.
  • If you haven't used your library card since before June 2020, update your PIN to a new password.
  • If you signed up for a card online and this will be your first visit to the library, bring ID and proof of address with you so staff can verify your account. You will not be able to use self-check until your account has been verified.
  • Check the online catalog for availability and location/call number of items you are interested in.

Holds

When you place items on hold you will now see the option to choose Shirlington or Westover as your holds pickup location. You can also change the pickup location of items currently on hold.

Holds at Express Libraries are self-service, shelved by username.

Usernames

Holds are shelved by username. Your username can be used to log into your account in place of your library card number. If you have never selected a username, the default username on your account is your name: FirstMiddle.Last or First.Last.

Reasons to update your username:

  • Patrons who have a common first name may wish to set a unique username to make self-service holds pickup easier.
  • Patrons who prefer to keep their names private may set a username.
  • Family members may choose similar usernames so their holds will be shelved close together.

Please note: Changes to usernames will not affect items currently ready for pickup.

Examining Dr. Seuss

Libraries across the country, Arlington Public Library among them, are having conversations about how to balance the core library value of intellectual freedom with the harmful stereotypes depicted in many of what are regarded as children's classics.

Last week, Dr. Seuss Enterprises announced that it will cease publication and sales of six titles because they portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong: "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street," "If I Ran the Zoo," "McElligot’s Pool," "On Beyond Zebra!," "Scrambled Eggs Super!" and "The Cat’s Quizzer."

Existing copies of these titles in the Arlington Public Library collection will remain in circulation until they are no longer usable. As they are now out of print, these titles will not be replaced when they leave the collection.

In light of this news, it’s worth taking a look at the books of our childhood with a critical eye. We no longer live in the world Seuss lived in when he created these works. If you want to share classics and older titles with young readers, consider taking the opportunity to have a conversation about the themes, characterization and the time period a book was published. Then balance these stories with other diverse titles.

Diversity in publishing, especially in youth literature, has been a topic of conversation and concern in the industry for a number of years. Arlington Public Library intentionally curates its collections to ensure diversity of themes, characters and authors, and systematically reviews the collection for gaps. We invite you to discover new titles and authors through our booklists, catalog and collections.

Browse Catalog

We value your feedback. Tell us what you think about our Library services. We will read and consider all comments.

Library Services Feedback

Central Library Holds Pickup Closed Thursday, Feb.18 Due to Winter Weather; Online Activities, Phone and Chat Continue as Scheduled

Due to the expected winter weather, in-person Arlington County facilities including Central Library Holds Pickup Service will be closed on Thursday, Feb. 18.

To check the County's snow and ice removal status visit  https://emergency.arlingtonva.us/weather/snow-ice.

 

Central Library Holds Pickup is Open Monday, Feb. 15

Arlington County Government offices and services are operating on modified schedules.

What is the holiday that takes place today? 

  • In Virginia, the official state holiday celebrated on the third Monday of February is named "George Washington Day," and the federal holiday is named "Washington's Birthday."
  • In Maryland the holiday is "President's Day," but until 1996, MD celebrated Lincoln's birthday on Feb. 12 and Washington's Birthday on the third Monday of February.
  • 23 states celebrate Presidents Day; many of these states honor Abraham Lincoln, as his birthday is also in mid-February.

From Cataloging, with Love

The First Stop a Library Book Makes on its Way to You

Valentine created by the Library's Cataloging department, using a card from our retired card catalog, and inspired by the book "The Card Catalog."

When the Library closed last March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our Cataloging team teleworked during the stay-at-home order, preparing our records for the upgraded catalog and library accounts system.

By early June, we were ready to return to our normal work space at Central Library and resume our normal operations. But like everything else in a pandemic, operations were anything but normal. We moved desk space to maintain a 6-foot distance, and took to Microsoft Teams for group meetings and trainings on our new catalog.

Our book vendors had issues with supply and demand, and we were eager to receive four months' worth of new book orders. By early July, book vendors were able to start delivering materials, and huge pallets of books began arriving.

Photo of two huge pallets of books, with hearts drawn on top.

Double pallet delivery in the receiving room at Central Library in August, 2020. (Orange and pink hearts drawn on top of photo.)

In the month of July we received almost 3000 books.

During one especially busy week we received two deliveries of huge pallets, filling our receiving room with boxes. By August, our vendors had ramped up staffing and delivered 6,200 items in one month - double our normal monthly volume.

huge pallet of boxes moving off the delivery truck.

Pallet delivery

huge pallet of boxes moving into the shipping and receiving room.

Pallet delivery

Laurie standing next to a stack of books as tall as she is.

Boxes stacked taller than Laurie

book carts lined up as far as the room is long.

So many books...

On our busiest day, we received 615 new items! Our stacks of boxes were taller than some of the cataloging staff.

Mercedes

Rhiana

Keisha

Lisa

Rebecca

Travis

The publishing "shoulder season," or slow season, is summer and winter, which is normally our time to accomplish big projects. This year, our pandemic winter project has been focused on closing out our backlog of materials from the summer, catching up on training and refining our pandemic workflow.

Because new information never stops, we have been updating the reference collection by replacing the "pocket parts" - the inserts published periodically to amend printed volumes such as the Virginia State Code.

We're also working on cataloging the Center for Local History's collection of periodicals and VHS tapes.

We can’t wait to share what the always busy new Spring publishing season brings us - stay tuned!

Shirlington and Westover Reopen March 9 for Express Library Service

Browsing and Holds Pickup

Westover return bins.

Effective, March 9, 2021, Arlington Public Library is reopening the Shirlington and Westover Branch Libraries for a 15-minute Express Library Service.

"This has been a long year and Arlingtonians have missed their libraries. We are delighted to bring back time-limited, in-person browsing and reconnect with the community we love," says Library Director Diane Kresh.

Open Hours

  • Tuesday through Thursday: 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Friday and Saturday: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

At Shirlington and Westover Express Service locations, library patrons will be able to:

  • Browse books and media
  • Pick up holds
  • Check out items by using the self-serve checkout stations
  • Receive physically-distanced assistance for account management and wayfinding

Patrons will be able to browse and check out books and media for 15 minutes initially with the possibility of expanding to 30 minutes after evaluating patron demand. The library’s priority is to provide library access to as many patrons as possible while ensuring patron and staff safety by limiting the number of people in the building at one time.

All other services will be unavailable, including public seating, meeting rooms and public computers.

Holds Pickup and Online Services

The Holds Pickup Service at Central Library will continue to operate as scheduled and patrons can use online Library resources 24x7. Patrons are encouraged to use these services in lieu of browsing when possible.

"Our plans for reopening have always been predicated on our ability to establish a sustainable model and maintain the safety of patrons and staff. The last thing we wanted to do was reopen prematurely and close again, frustrating patrons and staff, alike," Kresh continued.

All other branches will remain closed at this time, and a reopening date for the remaining branches has not yet been determined. Arlington Public Library continues to work closely with County Government leadership and the Department of Public Health to make decisions about Library operations.

Express Library Service FAQs

Send Us Your Feedback

We value your feedback. Tell us what you think about our Library services; we will read and consider all comments.

Send Us Your Feedback About Express Library Service

If you have a question that requires a response, need help accessing your Library account or placing holds, please contact us by phone, online chat or text.

Poetry by Earlene Green Evans

Earlene Green Evans grew up and attended public schools in Arlington, Virginia, graduating from Hoffman-Boston High School. She received a B.S. degree from Saint Paul’s College in Lawrenceville, Virginia, and an M.S. degree in Library Media from Virginia State University. She worked as a middle and high school librarian until she retired.

Earlene authored a children’s book, "I Love You, Ugly Old Hag," and co-authored three educational books. They are "A Step Beyond: Multimedia Activities For Learning American History"; "Hidden Skeletons and Other Funny Stories," and "3-D Displays For Libraries, Schools, and Media Centers."

Earlene Green Evans and Godfrey Moore, date unknown

Earlene is a member of Pi Lambda Theta International Honor Society, Virginia Museum of History and Culture, Northwoods Civic Association, Virginia State Alumni Association, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and several committees at her church. In addition to writing, Earlene enjoys reading, sewing, and playing the flute. She lives in Henrico County, Virginia with her husband, Alga. They have two adult children and a grandson.

First AKA Cotillion 1958. Image Caption says "Sponsored by Zeta Chi Omega (Arl. VA) First Cotillion, 1958. Earlene Far Right. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.

Earlene Green Evans started writing the poems about four years ago, and continued to add others to the collection as time went by.  Her latest poem was written in 2019, and she still gets ideas for other poems to this day. Ms. Green writes with wit and charm about what it was like growing up during the fifties in Johnson’s Hill (now Arlington View), a predominantly African American neighborhood at that time.  

She describes the general feeling of cooperation and respect among neighbors and the good manners expected from every child; reflects on the influence that radio and television had on families, describes what school was like, popular fashion trends, what was important in the news both locally and nationally as well as what young people did for fun.

In the following poems from her upcoming poetry book, learn what it was like to go to Hoffman-Boston during "School Desegregation", what it was like to attend a high school “House Party,” and having the first “Neighborhood Television" set.

School Desegragation

The eyes of the world are on D.C.,
This side of the ocean, land of the free.
Home of the United States Supreme Court,
Where monumental decisions are not a sport.

Will black and white kids attend the same schools?
Or will they live by the laws of fools?
Black lawyers work to present their case . . .
Of segregation, a national disgrace.

Separate, but equal cannot proceed,
Equality, regardless of race or creed.
Spottswood Robinson, Thurgood Marshall and Harold Boulware,
Aim to reverse racial laws, declaring them unfair.

They are key lawyers to Brown versus the Board,
This terrible situation will not be ignored!
A decision is made by the nine in black,
That segregationists are on the wrong track.

Now, every black child in any public school,
Will benefit from this constitutional rule.
Thanks to the judges of the highest court,
Thanks to the lawyers who challenged and Fought.

House Party

There’s a teen house party on Friday night.
We move to music under a blue light.
Mary’s basement is a cozy place,
The room downstairs has limited space.

Will that stop us from “cutting a rug?”
Not as long as the cord stays in the plug.
We bump each other, but we don’t mind,
During the “Mashed Potatoes,” and the forbidden “Grind.”

The “Uptown,” and the “Bird Land” are favorites too,
Performed by members of a Rock and Roll crew.
A scratched record makes an ugly repeat,
Moving the head forward makes the song complete.

Refreshments are provided by Pam and Jade,
We have homemade cookers and lime Kool-Aid.
Everyone stops for a kissing game,
“Spin the Bottle” and hope for your “flame.”

Dancing continues, fast and slow,
Cheers to the couple who “takes the floor.”
The party is fun until Mary’s parents appear,
And remind us that the end is near.

On the last record, we do a slow-moving dance,
And steal a little kiss, taking a chance.
Then tell Mary, our house party host,
We enjoyed the evening to the utmost!

Neighborhood Television

The Greens bought a television set.
It cost so much, they are deep in debt.
A wooden box, with a small round screen.
Showed pictures like a movie machine.

No other family in our neighborhood,
Can see stars in Hollywood.
We received the Greens’ invitation,
To join a viewing celebration.

We gladly accepted and rushed next door.
Neighbors were sitting all over the floor.
The large crowd squeezed one another,
Lacking air, we thought we would smother.

Bodies were twisted, and turned just right,
To behold a show in black and white.
Eyes bulged and mouths dropped wide.
To see what a TV would provide.

The Lone Ranger chased a mean outlaw.
We joined the action with a big, “Hurrah!”
He took out his lasso, aimed it, and threw,
As zigzag lines interrupted our view.

Mr. Green turned knobs from left to right,
The lines on the screen were an awful sight.
We were calm and patient; we had to wait.
After a minute, the picture was straight.

The lasso missed as the picture started to roll,
This interruption was harder to control.
Frustrated, Mr. Green turned different knobs.
We shifted, squirmed, and suppressed our sobs.

When the rolling stopped, we read on the screen,
Words that could spark a mad mob scene.
The message was clear, it made us shriek . . .
“Tune in to The Lone Ranger again next week!”

ALERT: Scheduled Library System Downtime Tuesday, Feb. 2, Starting at 7 p.m.

On Tuesday, Feb. 2, starting at 7 p.m. the Library catalog and accounts system will undergo a scheduled upgrade. The work is expected to take several hours.

During this time you will be able to search the catalog, but access to the eCollection and patron accounts on the web and in the Library App and will be unavailable.

Previously placed holds and items already checked out in the OverDrive, Libby and RBdigital apps will not be affected.

Download the Library App