“No man can know where he is going unless he knows exactly where he has been and exactly how he arrived at his present place.” — Maya Angelou — Learn more about the American experience through the lens of black lives, with these books and films spanning the earliest days of our country to the present day.
An Important Note From the Library Director
To our patrons:
We live in interesting times.
Please be assured that Arlington Public Library remains committed to being a welcoming place that accepts all comers regardless of backgrounds, beliefs, origin, income status, and appearance.
We will continue to embrace inclusion and diverse points of view.
We will continue to inspire, to tickle your passion, to quench your thirst to know.
We will encourage you to ask why and why not?
We will continue to be a wellspring for ideas, for conversation, for disagreement, for enlightenment.
We will continue to educate and to provoke.
We will continue to create opportunities for increased understanding: of our world, of our community and of each other.
We will continue to honor truth and fairness, social justice and compassion.
We will stand up for each other and ask that bullies stand down.
We will do all of this as we have always done:
- With good will and humor and kindness,
- Through books and community programs,
- Within our walls and outside in the community.
We may live in interesting times and we will be there for you.
Diane Kresh
Director, Arlington County Public Library
Winter 2017 Budget and Finance Events
Highlights
Some events require registration, see individual listings for details.
- Tuesday, Feb. 21 – Budgeting for Everyone – Learn how a budget can help you prioritize your spending and manage your money—no matter how much or how little you have.
- Thursday, March 2 – An Introduction to Virginia529 Savings Plans for Higher Education – It’s never too late or too soon to start saving for higher education. Learn about the benefits of the four savings program offered by Virginia529 Plans and how to get started.
- Monday, March 6 – Investing for Everyone – Learn the difference between saving and investing, how diversification reduces risk, and the basics of stocks, bond, and mutual funds.
- Tuesday, March 21 – From Contract to Closing – Learn about the home buying process from contract to settlement day, from three local experts.
Find all of our Financial Planning events.
Read the 2017 Youth Media Award Winners
Selected by judging committees of librarians and other children’s experts, the American Library Association’s Youth Media awards encourage original and creative work.
For more information on the ALA youth media awards and notables, please visit www.ala.org/yma .
Free with Your Library Card: Legal Forms
Exploring the Story of Desegregation in Arlington Public Schools
"Project DAPS"
The richly documented story of public school desegregation in Virginia will be made accessible online by the County that led the way.
On Saturday, Feb. 25, in conjunction with the 2017 Feel the Heritage Festival, Arlington Public Library launches Projectdaps.org, a unique online exhibition and searchable database – built from thousands of photos, documents and recordings – surrounding the legal and moral battles that culminated with four courageous African American students taking their seats on Feb. 2, 1959 at Arlington’s Stratford Junior High School.
Ronald Deskins, Michael Jones, Lance Newman, and Gloria Thompson walked into Stratford Junior High School on February 2, 1959. Center for Local History, Arlington Public Library
“Project DAPS” (Desegregation of Arlington Public Schools) is culled from the holdings of the Library’s Community Archives in the Center for Local History (CLH) at Central Library.
The project explores the historic narrative starting with early integration efforts amid Arlington’s rapid growth of the 1940s. Many items were recently digitized for the first time.
In 2016, the Stratford school property was declared a local historic district. Library Director Diane Kresh says the timing was perfect for creating a “complementary and comprehensive digital collection to tell the story of this signal milestone in our rich community history.”
Because there are always more layers of history to find and examine, the CLH continually seeks community donations and oral histories, particularly as they relate to desegregation following the historic day at Stratford. To contribute, contact the CLH at 703-228-5966 or localhistory@arlingtonva.us.
This digital access project was completed using new FY2017 funding in the Department of Libraries budget dedicated to increasing public access to government records and archival materials.
The Center for Local History at Arlington Public Library is committed to collecting, preserving, and sharing the history of Arlington County.
Digital Destiny: Learning in Arlington
Maker Survey
New Library Programs for 2017
Looking to do something different this year?
We have a variety of new programs for 2017 – from writing fiction, to discussing books in the middle of the day, to jamming on that ukulele that’s been gathering dust in the back of your closet:
- Join this informal group of writers once a week for communal writing, cheerleading and support with writing fiction.
- Next meeting: Wednesday, Jan. 18 at The Connection: Crystal City. See calendar for future dates.
- Try, learn, practice, share, and teach each other at this low key jam session. We will have a limited amount of ukuleles to borrow, so bring your own instrument if you can. For adult ukulele lovers (teens in grade 6 and up are also welcome),
- First meeting: Wednesday, Feb. 1 at Westover Branch Library. Registration required.
- Do you enjoying reading about business strategy, leadership and management ideas? Share a business book that has had real world application for you.
- First meeting: Saturday, Jan. 28 at Central Library. RSVP for event reminder.
- Looking for something to do on Wednesday afternoons? Cherrydale’s new monthly book club promises stimulating conversation plus coffee and tea!
- First meeting: Wednesday, Jan. 25 at Cherrydale Branch Library
- Yoga is known for relaxing and calming the body. But did you know that it also helps with weight reduction, improves respiration and benefits your overall health?
- First meeting: Thursday, Feb. 16 at Shirlington Branch Library; registration required for each weekly session.
All Library Locations Will Be Closed Friday, Jan. 20
County offices will be closed for the Presidential Inauguration
See the complete Arlington County schedule for Friday, Jan. 20.
Learn more about the history of presidential inaugurations:
Presidential Inaugurations
by Paul F Boller
Boller presents the United States displaying its pride, its passions, and its prejudices as it greets a new leader, highlighting inaugural moments from 1789 to 2001.