The Arlington Reads: Get Graphic author talk, featuring Art Spiegelman, is available to watch until October 21, 2023.
New September Releases
New Books to Inspire Your Reading During Pumpkin Spice Season
School is in session and pumpkin spice season has started, even if it is still pool weather! We have great books for you to curl up with while waiting for the temperatures to drop.
Housekeeper Eliza Touchet finds herself captivated by the trial of an Australian butcher claiming to be a long-lost aristocrat while dealing with changes in her employer’s house (who is also her cousin.) The trial and most of the characters are real in Zadie Smith’s latest, "The Fraud."
Ovidia Yu’s seventh Crown Colony mystery, "The Yellow Rambutan Tree Mystery" sees the return of the British to Singapore after WWII. Su Chin is trying to figure out where she fits after the upheaval of the war years, but first she must discover who murdered her uncle’s associate at their family compound.
A League of Their Own is the highest-grossing baseball movie of all time. Go behind the scenes in the making of the instant classic with "No Crying in Baseball" by Erin Carlson.
From warfare to agriculture, myth to climate change, Stephen Moss highlights how birds have impacted human life and shaped history in "Ten Birds that Changed the World."
Told in the voices of seven students from different backgrounds, the middle grade verse-novel "Mascot" by Charles Waters and Traci Sorrell explores issues raised with a group's writing assignment on the pros and cons of Indigenous peoples as mascots.
In 1969, American Indian activists occupied Alcatraz Island for nineteen months, highlighting the myriad of issues facing Native Americans as well as the legacy of discriminatory Indian policy and sparked meaningful change. Teen readers can learn all about this pivotal moment in "Of All Tribes: American Indians and Alcatraz" by Joseph Bruchac.
More Book Lists To Explore
Extend your Labor Day celebrations with these books looking at the ongoing struggles for workers' rights:
Fall in love this school year!
Help Someone You Know Get a Library Card for Library Card Sign-up Month!
September is Library Card Sign-up Month! Celebrate by signing up for a new library card, renewing your existing one, or helping someone you know do either!

Your free Library Card superpowers await...
- Hear and see literary rock stars at Arlington Reads events.
- Use our free WiFi, public computers, and meeting spaces.
- Sign up for online tutoring and resume assistance.
- Attend storytimes any day of the week—plus other amazing events!
- Meet fun bookish superheroes (aka librarians).
- Get 24x7 instant access to eAudiobooks, eBooks, and digital magazines.
- Discover 2 million physical and digital books, CDs, and DVDs to borrow with no late fees.
- Borrow garden tools, American Girl Dolls, DIY equipment, and more.
- Read online newspapers from around the globe, for free!
- Stream films & TV, documentaries, and Great Courses with Kanopy.
- Open new doors with LinkedIn Learning.
Director’s Message: Libraries for All

Library Director Diane Kresh speaking during the U.S. Naturalization Ceremony at Central Library. Photo by Christopher George.
On August 24, 2023, Arlington Public Library had the privilege of hosting a U.S. Naturalization Ceremony.
As a local government department, we were asked by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to be the location where 50 people, representing over 30 countries, would become new American citizens.
It was an awe-inspiring experience, and it reminded me how libraries are for all.
- Libraries provide free and unrestricted access to information, for all.
- Libraries create safe spaces to celebrate our collective and varied cultures, for all.
- Libraries are the center of the community, and we welcome all, whether you are a citizen or not.
50 people, representing over 30 countries, participated in the U.S. Naturalization Ceremony. Photos by Christopher George.
The library is a place of new beginnings and possibilities for these 50 new Americans who were sworn in yesterday, for our diverse Arlington community (of which 22.5% are foreign born), and for future generations of New Americans arriving to Arlington. We even offer classes to prepare for the United States Citizenship Exam.
Rita Dove, former Poet Laureate of the Library of Congress, has said, "Libraries are where it all begins." And it's true. Let’s think about that for a minute in the context of what it means to be a citizen.
Becoming a citizen means being granted certain rights and responsibilities in exchange for active engagement in community life and governance, at both the local, state and national level.
Citizenship is a weighty responsibility. One that requires patience and diligence. This Country’s form of representational government depends on the active engagement of all citizens.
And that’s where we come in. Libraries, especially public libraries, were founded on the belief that the public has a right to know.
Arlington Public Library welcomes all who enter our doors.
September is “Library Card Sign-up Month.” Please join us with our vital work in the community by finding a way to help someone get a new library card.
With libraries, the possibilities are endless and communities are stronger.
Libraries for all.

Diane Kresh
Director, Arlington Public LibraryNew August Releases
Finish Your Summer Reading With These New Releases
It’s the last few weeks of summer—can you believe school will start before the month is over?
What better way to spend these August days than finishing your Summer Reading with these great new releases?
Val thought she was kidnapped and raised in isolation, but after her father dies, she discovers that she used to be on a cult-classic TV show. When the cast reunites for a podcast interview, they start to discover the dark secrets in the show’s past in the sinister and eerie "Mister Magic" by Kiersten White.
In early Victorian London, the Hell’s Belles help other women seek justice, in both ballrooms and dark alleys. Lady Imogen is the group’s explosives expert, who loves to get under Detective Inspector Thomas Peck’s skin. As they investigate a series of bombings on London’s East End, the danger mounts and their attraction heats up—the results are downright incendiary in Sarah MacLean’s compelling and sexy "Knockout."
The Cleveland suburb of Shaker Heights has a commitment to fostering diversity, in the 1950s, it was a national model of housing integration and voluntarily started bussing years before other districts, but to this day, there remains an achievement gap. Laura Meckler, a Shaker Heights native and reporter for The Washington Post, explores the nuanced and thought-provoking reasons why in "Dream Town: Shaker Heights and the Quest for Racial Equality."
From the history of deep sea exploration to the startling discoveries it enabled, "The Underworld: Journeys to the Depths of the Ocean" by Susan Casey explores the watery depths. Joining dives to the deepest places on the planet and interviewing experts in marine geology, biology and oceanography, Casey's engaging writing and awe-inspiring descriptions showcase the vibrant and astonishing life forms thriving in the depths, while also shedding light on the pressing threats the ocean faces.
Middle grade readers will be fascinated to learn about the discovery of the Tyrannosaurus Rex in "The Monster's Bones: The Discovery of T. Rex and How it Shook Our World" by David K. Randall. From the adventure of fossil hunting to the science it advanced, to the fierce competition between 19th century natural history museums, this is a thrilling and engaging tale.
"Accountable: The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account and the Teenagers Whose Lives It Changed" by Dashka Slater is a must-read for teens. In the small, liberal town of Albany, California, a Korean American junior started a private Instagram account filled with racist and sexist memes that targeted predominantly Black and Black biracial girls, some of whom were his friends. This balanced and insightful investigation skillfully presents the perspectives of those involved, exploring themes of accountability, complicity and the real-world consequences of online actions—for the perpetrators, the victims and from bystanders.
More Book Lists To Explore
August is "Women in Translation Month." Check out these recent releases.
August is also "Read a Romance Month." The magic of love is literal in these paranormal romance picks!
New July Releases
Great Reads for the Dog Days of Summer
July is full of long, hot days that seem to stretch on forever. Whether you’re reading on the Metro on the way to work or lounging by the pool, there are great new books this month to help you pass the time.
A talented sound editor, a former soap opera star and a cult film director team up to finish the director’s final film and hopefully undo a Nazi occult curse. But in "Silver Nitrate" by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, the world of horror isn’t confined to film. In "Charming," Jade Linwood tackles the question of how there are so many fairy tale princesses but only one Prince Charming. The answer? He's a con man and a thief, but Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel and Snow White have compared notes and are joining forces to get their revenge.
Be inspired by the wide range of gardens featured in "Private Gardens of The Potomac and Chesapeake: Washington DC, Maryland, Northern Virginia" by Claudia Kousoulas. From urban rooftops to sprawling estates, it has everything you need to know. Learn more about the Western journalists covering WWII from Moscow’s historic Metropol Hotel in "The Red Hotel: Moscow 1941, the Metropol Hotel, and the Untold Story of Stalin’s Propaganda War" by Alan Philips. The journalists were allowed to stay but faced extreme censorship from Stalin’s regime.
Middle grade readers will be moved by Cora Mae’s desire to bring electricity to her Appalachian community in 1937, but many members of her community, including her mother, are opposed in Toni Buzzeo’s "Light Comes to Shadow Mountain."
Teen readers will be gripped by the twists and turns in "The King is Dead" by Benjamin Dean. When James becomes England’s first Black king at the age of 17, he hides his sexuality, but when his boyfriend goes missing and there are leaks coming from inside the palace, he doesn’t know who he can trust.
More Book Lists To Explore
July is Disability Pride month! Explore Disabled Voices with these lists.
Learn About Summer Reading 2023
Arlington Public Library invites you to participate in its annual Summer Reading program (Jun. 1 - Sept. 1) with hundreds of fun experiences all summer long! Read for a cause and support Educational Theatre Company. Find your voice, earn fun prizes and tickets to a Washington Nationals game!
Register in the free Arlington Public Library app or pick up a paper reading log at any library location to record your reading. You can backdate your days in your reading log or app to show all the reading you’ve accomplished. You only need to read for any 30 days starting on June 1 to win prizes.
Summer Reading is made possible through the support of the Friends of the Arlington Public Library and the Washington Nationals.
Kick Off Summer Reading on June 10 at Aurora Hills, Columbia Pike and Glencarlyn Libraries!
- Aurora Hills Library, Sat., Jun. 10, 10:30 a.m.
Come to storytime and at 2 p.m. to Sing-Along with the movie Moana! Coffee and coloring will be offered all day. - Columbia Pike Library, Sat., Jun. 10, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Participate in a paper craft. Pick up a "Take and Make" bag and grab a frozen popsicle (1-3 p.m.). - Glencarlyn Library, Sat., Jun. 10, 1-3 p.m.
Join us for a fun-filled two hours of festivities. Try your hand at games, crafts and music.
Summer Reading at Lubber Run Amphitheater
Presented in partnership with Arlington Arts during the Lubber Run Summer Concert series, Arlington Public Library will present three experiences this summer.
- 123 Andrés, Sun., Jun. 18, 11 a.m. - noon
In this energy-packed program, 123 Andrés brings music from different parts of the Americas. Families and children of all ages will have a great time doing the moves and hearing the instruments and stories through genres such as cumbia, salsa, merengue and bachata. - "Harmony" by Soul in Motion Players, Sun., Jul. 16, 11 a.m. - noon
Learn about African history while dancing and moving to the drum battery from the Soul In Motion African Dancers and Drummers. They have performed at premier dance events in the Washington D.C. area and across the country. Join us as they celebrate 39 years of Diversity in our Community. - The Uncle Devin Show, Sun., Aug. 6, 11 a.m. - noon
Join us for an interactive, musical experience about enacting change. The Uncle Devin Show® is an interactive musical experience for children by renowned drummer, Devin Walker. A dynamic cross between DC’s Trouble Funk and Schoolhouse Rock, the entire family will experience, and be inspired by, the rhythm of Uncle Devin’s infectious blend of Jazz, Funk, and DC’s official music, Go-Go.
Lubber Run Amphitheater is located at 200 N. Columbus St, Arlington, VA 22203.
New June Releases
Summer Is Here. So Are Our New Books!
Check out these new titles and join your friends and neighbors in our favorite summer pastime, Summer Reading!
Fans of Golden Age detective novels, rich historical settings and intricate plots will want to pick up "Unnatural Ends" by Christopher Huang. Set in 1921, three siblings return home to Linwood Hall for their adoptive father’s funeral only to discover that the estate will be bequeathed to the one who can solve the murder. Connie Willis offers up a hilarious genre-blending romp through the New Mexican desert in "Road to Roswell." Francie is determined to stop the wedding of her best friend to an alien true believer, but her plans get put on hold when Francie finds herself abducted by an alien who needs her to drive.
Explore connections between food, identity and culture as Anya Von Bremzen visits six countries famous for their culinary traditions in "National Dish: Around the World in Search of Food, History, and the Meaning of Home." Greg King’s haunting and inspiring narrative, "The Ghost Forest," exposes the collusion between the lumber industry and the government, revealing how their closed-door deals and nefarious schemes facilitated the exploitation of California’s redwoods.
Zaila Avant-Garde is the first African American Scripps National Spelling Bee champion, but she also holds two basketball-related Guiness World Records and was named Sports Illustrated Kids "SportsKid of the Year." Middle grade readers will be motivated and charmed by her new book, "It’s Not Bragging If It’s True."
After literally bumping into each other, protester Nix starts a relationship with Kai, not knowing he’s enrolled at the police academy, setting off a bittersweet romance. Set against the backdrop of Hong Kong’s 2019 protest movement, K.X. Song’s "An Echo in the City" thoughtfully examines class, belonging, family expectations and the meaning of home
More Book Lists To Explore
Explore these books and DVDs recommended by Library Director Diane Kresh for Pride Month.
Learn about and celebrate Juneteenth with these books for all ages.
Celebrate Pride with crafts, authors, films and more!

Arlington Public Library joins in celebrating Pride Month this June. Discover new books and new friends at the library while uplifting LGBTQIA+ stories through maker events, author talks, film screenings, curated book lists, and more.
Maker events include a Queer Joy Art Party (June 5) inviting visitors to create their own shirt, button or other art to wear. Library Director Diane Kresh leads Envisioning the Colors of Your Rainbow: A Collage & Assemblage Workshop (June 7)—bring your own box or plywood base and use our supplies to complete your vision!
Author and illustrator Mike Curato (June 6) joins us for a Zoom conversation to discuss his work, process and journey—from the creation of his polka-dotted elephant "Little Elliot" to his award-winning oft-banned young adult graphic novel "Flamer." The month concludes with Library Director Diane Kresh and Jeffrey Dale Lofton (June 29) in a conversation steeped in Southern culture on Lofton's award-winning coming-of-age story "Red Clay Suzie."



Enjoy film screenings from “Smithsonian Time Capsule: Beyond Stonewall” (June 5) to "Paris is Burning!" (June 12), craft events for Grades K-5 inspired by cryptographer Alan Turing (June 10) and author Gertrude Stein (June 22), and a virtual book club discussion (June 22) of Jas Hammonds' "We Deserve Monuments."
Library staff will also celebrate Pride in the community with Library Truck pop-ups at Bozman Government Center (June 8) and Arlington Pride (June 24).
Updated Library App Increases Access to Library Collections, Services, Events and More
Beginning May 30, 2023, Arlington County residents and Library patrons can download an updated Arlington Public Library app from the Apple App and Google Play Stores.
The popular Library app, available for iOS and Android devices, provides streamlined access to library collections, introduces new account features, keeps track of multiple card holders, and delivers timely information about library programs, services, and location updates.
“Our top priority is to provide the community with as many options as possible to access Library collections and services,” says Library Director Diane Kresh.
“Our technology team is excited to deliver this important application for both Library staff and the community that they serve," said David Herlihy, Digital Innovation and Cloud Division Director for Arlington County. “This new offering highlights our commitment to provide innovative digital solutions that focus on the end users needs first and foremost, making it easier and more enjoyable to access government services.”

New Library app features include:
- Multiple curated reading lists
- Customizable user profiles
- User lists
- Book ratings and personalized recommendations
- Sharing options
- Stay updated with notifications
Improved Library app features include:
- Streamlined account overview
- Better catalog search options with an expanded list of filters
- Ability to place volume holds
- More filtering options for events by location
- Improved user interface design and experience
The Arlington County Departments of Technology Services (DTS) and Arlington Public Library have collaborated since 2017 to deliver a free and custom-tailored technology solution for Arlington residents and library patrons. It has been downloaded more than 60,000 times and its in-house development by both departments has reduced vendor-related costs.
The Library app furthers the County’s goal of reducing barriers for residents through its digital equity efforts. Learn more about Arlington’s digital equity initiative, which strives to provide all residents with affordable, reliable access to high-speed broadband internet.
For a full list of app features and to download the app, click here.