Alert

HOLIDAY CLOSING: All Library Locations Closed Monday, May 30 in Observance of Memorial Day More Info

Alert

Free COVID-19 Rapid Antigen At-Home Test Kits Available at All Arlington Libraries More Info

Arlington Public Library

Library Communications Officer

Arlington Public Library Celebrates Pride Month

Arlington Public Library will host several LGBTQIA+ programs in June and spotlight the “Diverse Voices” LGBTQIA+ booklists at all branches in celebration of Pride Month this year. Pride Month recognizes the impact that LGBTQIA+ individuals have had on our history — locally, nationally and internationally.

Join the Library for a Pride 2022 Kickoff event with Cake Society (May 28). Listen to a virtual talk with author and transgender educator Alex Myers (June 13). Participate in a fun discussion of LGBTQIA+ themed books (June 27) and learn about the history of the Pride flag (June 28). All library programs are free and made possible thanks to the generous support of the Friends of the Arlington Public Library.

Library patrons are invited to explore the Library’s diverse LGBTQIA+ booklists, ranging from trans and nonbinary voices, to the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, to picture Books with LGBTQIA+ families and movies with LGBTQIA+ characters.

Arlington Public Library maintains a variety of diverse booklists, titled “Books Like Us: Diverse Voices Booklists,” designed to create awareness, to entertain and to educate about people, history and timely topics. Handpicked by our librarians, these curated lists are updated continuously and encourage readers to explore a wide variety of themes and topics ranging from Pride, Black Lives Matter, Latinx voices and many more.

Pride Month

2022 Summer Reading: Oceans of Possibilities

June 1 - September 1

Washington Nationals Summer Reading Ambassador Sean Doolittle.

2022 Summer Reading Offers Hundreds of  "Oceans of Possibilities" Programs, Fun Prizes and Inspired Booklists for Everyone!

On June 1, 2022, Arlington Public Library will kick off its annual Summer Reading program which is made possible through the support of the Friends of the Arlington Public Library and the Washington Nationals. Between June 1 and September 1, readers of all ages are invited to immerse themselves in reading, participate in 500 free programs and to explore the 2022 theme "Oceans of Possibilities."

Summer Reading

Win Washington Nationals Tickets And Meet Summer Reading Ambassador Sean Doolittle

For each reader who completes the Summer Reading challenge the Washington Nationals will offer one voucher (good for two tickets) to select baseball games in August and September (while supplies last).

The Library will offer a special storytime with Washington Nationals Summer Reading Ambassador Sean Doolittle on June 18, starting 10 a.m., at Central Library. Help us celebrate the Library's partnership with the Washington Nationals by welcoming Sean Doolittle. This program is for children and families. Attendance is on a first-come, first-served basis until capacity is reached.

RSVP for Storytime with the Washington Nationals

Read for A Cause

For each successful Summer Reading completion, the Friends of the Arlington Public Library will donate $1 to Potomac Conservancy, a local non-profit fighting to ensure the Potomac River boasts clean drinking water, healthy lands and vibrant communities. On June 4, the Potomac Conservancy invites the community to participate in several clean-up events.

Volunteer with the Potomac Conservancy

Participate in Hundreds of Free Summer Reading Programs

Between June 1 and September 1, the Library will offer over 500 free events for all ages and interests. Join us for Summer Reading celebrations at all seven branches during our kickoff weekend on June 4 - 5. No registrations are needed for the following Library events:

Saturday, June 4

Aurora Hills Library, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
This interactive program combines activities such as read-aloud stories, songs, rhymes and fingerplays. Join us after storytime for a bubble party. Sea glass craft making from 12 p.m. - 4 p.m.
MORE

Central Library, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Summer Reading Kickoff events to include games, treats, workshops, and prizes, including storytimes plus Q&As featuring Arlington children's book authors:

  • 1:00 p.m.: Camille and Kennedy Watkin, authors of "My Best Friend, Grandpa"
  • 1:30 p.m.: Nadia and Arrington Conyers, authors of "From Lee Highway to Langston Boulevard"
  • Scavenger hunt activities with EcoAction Arlington
  • 1:30 - 2:30 pm: Kona Ice Truck will offer free snow cones (while supplies last).

MORE

Cherrydale Library, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Children will enjoy a coloring activity, refreshments and prizes.
MORE

Glencarlyn Library, June 4, 12:15 p.m. - 12:45 p.m.
Celebrate Glencarlyn Day with indoor family storytime and finger puppets followed by a moon bounce and snow cones on the Carlin Hall grounds.
MORE

Shirlington Library, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Celebrate the beginning of Summer Reading with a sweet treat from the Kona shaved ice truck, art and games! We’ll have a signup table and various activities. .
MORE

Westover Library, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Children and families are invited to storytime, a bubble bonanza and free snow cones from the Kona Ice Truck.
MORE

Sunday, June 5

Columbia Pike Library,  2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Celebrate the beginning of Summer Reading with a sweet treat from the Kona shaved ice truck! We’ll have a signup table, games and a craft activity.
MORE

Find More Programs

Lubber Run Performing Arts Series

Throughout the summer, Arlington Public Library and Arlington Arts will host a Lubber Run Performing Arts Series on select Sundays at 11 a.m. at the Lubber Run Amphitheater, located at 200 N. Columbus St.

Meet Grammy award winning children’s performer Dan Zanes and Haitian-American jazz vocalist Claudia Zanes. Set sail with "Talewise"and join him on a thrilling action-packed adventure involving a crew of quirky pirates. Learn about conductor Cody’s Railroad Submarine where anything can happen with a bit of magic. And enjoy a modern rendition of a children's classic "Three Not So Little Pigs," presented by Blue Sky Puppet Theatre. All four programs are free and presented in partnership with Arlington Arts.

Power Out at Aurora Hills Library; Open with No Computer Service

11:10 a.m. update:

Power has been restored and Aurora Hills Library is fully operational again.

 

Aurora Hills Library is scheduled to open at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 23. Currently, there is no power at Aurora Hills Library due to Sunday's heavy storms.

  • Access to the library catalog and your Library Account will be unavailable.
  • Public computers and Wi-Fi will not be available.
  • Holds pickup and new item checkout will be available.

All other Library locations are operating normally.

We apologize for the inconvenience. Please check back for updates.

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

On April 26, 2022, the Arlington County Board adopted the Fiscal Year 2023 budget and allocated $543,000 in one-time funding to the Arlington Public Library’s collections starting
July 1, 2022.

The budget increase will support the Library‘s aim to reduce wait times across the collections, re-engage the community after a two-year pandemic through creative programming, and invite more readers to explore the Library’s titles and participate in its various services.

"The additional funds will allow us to get more books into more hands, more quickly," said Library Director Diane Kresh. "A well-stocked, diverse collection benefits the entire community." 

With the budget increase, the Library will add 12,000 titles to its circulation and drastically reduce wait times for popular eBooks and eAudiobooks. "Our top priority is to ensure patrons have access to books and information in multiple formats," said Kresh. "Patrons should be able to read and access information, when and how they want it.”  

The demand for electronic titles is at an all-time high with an increase for eAudio titles by 210% and for eBooks by 98.5% respectively. 

In addition to reducing wait times for electronic titles, the Library plans to expand three existing popular collection services:

  • Provide additional print and eBook titles for the "Grab & Go" express book collection.
  • Increase the "Always Available" eBook and eAudiobook collection.
  • Expand the volume of Spanish language books.

Explore the Library’s collections and discover all its booklists.

Browse Booklists

Download the Arlington Public Library App, get 24x7 access to the Library’s collections and discover upcoming programs, such as Summer Reading launching June 1.

Download Library App

To find more information about the adopted $1.50 billion balanced Arlington County General Fund Budget for Fiscal Year 2023, visit https://www.arlingtonva.us. 

Renovation Update On The Bozman Library

The new Bozman Library, formerly known as Plaza Library, is currently under renovation and will be re-imagined as a full-service branch.

Due to construction delays, the library will not open its doors as planned this summer but now in early 2023.

Highlights of the redesign will include contemporary furnishings, a new children’s book and media collection, and space for library programming such as storytimes and author talks.

We look forward to sharing more information about the new full-service branch in the new year.

 

 

The Center for Local History Aids in Global Effort to Back Up Ukraine’s Digital Heritage

Saving Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Online (SUCHO) is an all volunteer organization of more than 1,300 cultural heritage professionals — librarians, archivists, researchers and programmers — who are working together to identify and archive at-risk sites, digital content and data in Ukrainian cultural heritage institutions while the country is under attack.

Arlington Public Library’s Digital Archivist, Greg Pierce at the Center for Local History (CLH), has been part of global volunteer effort to back up Ukraine’s digital heritage, currently at risk of being erased by the Russian invasion.

Pierce’s involvement includes database verification, task and link wrangling, and internal communications with other volunteers.

He ensures that each submitted website is not already in the SUCHO system and verifies that digital content does not contain malware before programmers back up the website and databases.

"I’m incredibly grateful that my background as a digital archivist has given me the skills to help out in some way," said Pierce. "Though I can’t be there physically to help the people of Ukraine, I can certainly gather online with colleagues all over the world to help preserve Ukraine’s digitized cultural heritage. Librarians and archivists have long been the safeguards of cultural history and heritage during wartime and this is what it looks like in the age of the internet."

Pierce started to volunteer for SUCHO in mid-March. When he is not engaged in volunteer efforts, he can be found at the Library's Center for Local History preserving and archiving historical documents that tell the history of Arlington County.

Purple poster for SUCHO effort.Interested in getting involved in Saving Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Online? Visit SUCHO.org

2022 FOAL Spring Book Sale

The Massive Used Book Sale Is Back!

The Friends of the Arlington Public Library’s (FOAL) will be back in full swing with the 2022 Spring Book Sale on April 28 – May 1. The grand sale will be held at Central Library in the parking garage and will be stocked with thousands of books, games, puzzles and other items for all ages and interests.

Dates, Hours & Location

Members Only Night; Thursday, April 28, 5 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Public Book Sale; Friday, April 29 – Sunday, May 1, 2022
Central Library, 1015 N. Quincy St., parking garage

  • Thursday, April 28, 5 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. (Members Only Night)
  • Friday, April 29, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • Saturday, April 30, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • Sunday, May 1, noon – 6 p.m. All books are half price.
Shoppers standing in line at the FOAL book sale.

Shoppers can find everything from rare literary gems, to signed books, to vintage comics and board games — all at incredibly affordable prizes!

Visa, MasterCard, checks and cash will be accepted. Please bring your own bags or boxes as FOAL volunteers will have limited paper bags for patrons to use. Teachers and librarians with school IDs receive 50% off purchases on Friday and Saturday, and everyone receives 50% off on Sunday (it’s half-price day).

Spring Book Sale

Members Only Night

Want to get first dibs at the sale? Visit the FOAL website and fill out a membership form. Lifetime and active members of FOAL will receive an invitation by April 15 with a ticket for entry to access the sale. Membership will not be available at the door.

Parking

FOAL is using the G1 floor of the parking garage during 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 Line.

Masking

In Arlington County, Virginia the community level is Medium. If you are at high risk for severe illness, talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to wear a mask and take other precautions. Masks are optional in Arlington Public Library buildings.

FOAL Bookstores

There are FOAL Bookstores at every Library location, where you can find great books in all genres year round. The two largest FOAL Bookstores are located at the Central and Shirlington Libraries.

Want to Volunteer?

Contact volunteer@arlingtonlibraryfriends.org to find out more about volunteering opportunities for the Friends of the Arlington Public Library.

Free Rapid Antigen At-Home Test Kits Available at Central and Columbia Pike Libraries

Arlington Public Library will distribute free COVID-19 Rapid Antigen At-Home Test Kits, in collaboration with the Arlington County Department of Public Safety Communications and Emergency Management.

Tests kits will be dispensed on a first-come, first-served basis, and can be picked up from the service desks at Central and Columbia Pike Libraries.

Each box comes with two test kits and is limited to one per customer. Neither proof of County residency nor a library card is required, and the test kits are free of charge.

The test kits are provided by Arlington County and each distribution site will distribute Kits while supplies last.

To find out more how to use the free test kit, visit the iHealth web site. For additional information about Arlington County COVID-19 services, visit the COVID-19 web page.

 

 

Free Indoor/Outdoor Wi-Fi Hot Spots Available Now, System-Wide

During the month of January, 2022, two new free outdoor Wi-Fi hot spots were installed at the Cherrydale and Glencarlyn Libraries.

Library patrons and Arlington residents now have 24x7 access to the free Arlington County Wi-Fi network “ArlingtonWireless” at all library branches, both outdoor and indoor, and at various locations around the County. No ID or password is required for the free service.

In 2021, an average of 5,000 Library patrons logged in each month to the outdoor ArlingtonWireless network at five Library locations (Aurora Hills, Central, Columbia Pike, Shirlington and Westover branches).

“With the addition of Cherrydale and Glencarlyn, we are thrilled that we can offer free 24x7 outdoor and indoor Wi-Fi access system-wide. It's a great community service," said Library Director Diane Kresh. "Free access to technology and information is at the core of a Library."

Find more information about the Library's free Wi-Fi network and how to access it by clicking the link below.

ArlingtonWireless

This information technology infrastructure project is part of Arlington County’s Department of Technology Services digital equity enterprise initiative. ArlingtonWireless provides no-cost internet access in places where the community gathers and makes high-speed broadband internet accessible to all residents and library patrons.

To find additional Wi-Fi locations in the County, visit the interactive digital resource map.

Digital Resource Map
Facebook. Twitter. Instagram. YouTube. Flickr. Newsletter.

download appDownload the Library App