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Arlington Public Library

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Sunday Hours Start October 31 at Two Library Locations

The Central and Columbia Pike Libraries will be open on Sundays starting October 31, from 1 - 5 p.m.

All open Library locations continue to follow the same schedule Monday - Saturday, the the rest of 2021.

  • Monday / Tuesday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
  • Wednesday / Thursday: 12 p.m. – 7 p.m.
  • Friday / Saturday: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Effective January 3, 2022, the Library will operate on an expanded, permanent schedule, which will be announced by the end of the year.

The Shop Opens By Appointment Nov. 15

The Shop, The Library's maker space at Central Library, will be re-open, by appointment only, beginning Monday, Nov. 15.

  • 2 hour appointments will be available through the Library website for Open Lab and Glowforge.
  • New 3D print jobs will be accepted through the Library website after November 15.

Look for more information coming soon!

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Introducing NextReads for Book Lovers!

Discover new titles and old favorites in your favorite genres! 

Each monthly newsletter features brand new releases, as well as gems and sleepers from our shelves:

Biography Newsletter
Fiction Newsletter
History Newsletter

Each book is linked to our catalog, so you can easily learn more information and place your hold on titles that catch your eye.

Sci-Fi Newsletter
Romance Newsletter
Mystery Newsletter

Sign up today to discover wonderful reads in one (or all!) of the following categories:

  • Biography and Memoir
  • Fantasy and Science Fiction
  • Fiction A to Z
  • History and Current Events
  • Mystery
  • Romance
Subscribe to NextRead Newsletters

Fall Friends of the Library Book Sale

Friday Oct. 22 - Sunday Oct. 24

The Friends of the Arlington Public Library (FOAL) are excited to host their first community book sale since fall 2019, stocked with thousands of books, games and puzzles for all ages and interests.

  • Friday, Oct. 22, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. — Friends of the Arlington Public Library Members Only Day (FOAL memberships available online)
  • Saturday, Oct. 23, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
  • Sunday, Oct. 24, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. — Everything is half off!

Cash, checks and credit cards will be accepted.
Masks will be required by all visitors.

What's Different This Year?

Duration:

  • This sale is three days instead of four.
  • Friday is for FOAL Members only, all day.

FOAL Membership:

  • Forms will not be available by cash or check at the door. Join online.

Location: Central Library, 1015 N. Quincy St.

  • Adult books, games and puzzles available in the Barbara M. Donnellan Auditorium
  • Children's books available in the atrium lobby on the first floor at Central Library. Please note: On Friday, Children's books will not be available until 12 p.m., when the Library opens.

Because of space limitations:

  • Shoppers will be strictly limited to two boxes each visit.
  • Shoppers must carry or move books with them as they shop.
  • Piling or sorting books is not permitted.
  • Please limit each visit to one hour.

Shop at a Friends of the Library Bookstore Any Time

Shelves of used books.

Can't wait for the big Fall Book Sale? 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 at the Central and Shirlington Libraries.

The FOAL Bookstore at Central Library will be closed October 21-24.

Volunteer with the Friends of the Library

Want to help out? FOAL depend on the generosity of volunteers to support their book sales and other activities, and they would love your help!

Volunteer with FOAL

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 about love, pain, hope, strength and resilience while navigating the overwhelming breast cancer advocacy movement.

Watch the video: https://youtu.be/5JPqRkpBzp4

About the Authors:
Liza Marshall left her law practice in 2005 to focus on her family and Hope Connections for Cancer Support, of which she is a founding member. In 2006, at the age of forty-three, Liza was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, the most deadly form of the disease. Throughout her treatment and beyond, Liza has been an active volunteer at Hope Connections and other local non-profits, serving on boards, directing development campaigns, and supporting a variety of communities and missions.

John Marshall is a medical oncologist and a professor at Georgetown University, and an internationally recognized expert in gastrointestinal cancers and the development of new treatments for cancer. He has been outspoken on controversial issues in cancer research, including his criticism of the dominance and success of breast cancer advocacy and research at the unfortunate expense of other specialties.

About the Interviewer:
Bethanne Patrick is a Washington Post book reviewer and the editor, most recently, of “The Books That Changed My Life: Reflections by 100 Authors, Actors, Musicians and Other Remarkable People.”

REAL Archives Project

October 8, 2021

The  REAL Archives Project, or el Re-Encuentro de Arlington Latinos, is designed to illustrate the rich, vibrant history of the Latino community in Arlington County.  

The Center for Local History (CLH) is seeking donations of a variety of materials to document the impact of the Latino community which will inform how Arlington’s history is told and remembered in the future.  

REAL is a multi-year collecting initiative with the goal to include more documentation of the Latino community’s history in the CLH’s Arlington Community Archives.  

Between 1990 and 2000, the County’s Hispanic/Latino population increased by 52.7%. Today, that sector makes up 15.7% of the Arlington population, and the County is now home to generations of Hispanic/Latino residents. 

“Arlington Public Library shares and preserves Arlington’s story through books and other media, programs, family histories and personal recollections. REAL is a concerted effort to collect and share the stories of our Latino neighbors and friends who have made significant contributions to our community,” said Library Director Diane Kresh. 

Learn More

The CLH collects, preserves and shares historical documents that tell the history of Arlington County, its citizens, organizations, businesses and social issues. The CLH operates the Research Room at Central Library and the Arlington Community Archives program. 

New Public Art at Central Library

Arlington Artist Jason Horowitz Added to Arlington County's Portable Works Collection

Arlington residents and Library patrons are in for a visual treat when entering the second floor at Central Library. The newly installed artwork titled “North Lincoln Street, Arlington, Virginia” by Arlington artist Jason Horowitz, features a playful, 360-degree view of a re-imagined Ballston neighborhood landscape.

The photo by Jason Horowitz depicts a street scene in Arlington, VA filled with spheric flowers and abstract elements.
“North Lincoln Street, Arlington, Virginia” by Arlington artist Jason Horowitz.

Horowitz’s use of the Google Photo Sphere app in conjunction with his camera allows the artist to both deconstruct and re-imagine his images into immersive viewing experiences. According to Horowitz, “Incorporating new technologies into my creative process enables me to bend space and time which results in abstracted painterly views filled with a dizzying sense of wonder.”

“The Portable Works program transforms and enlivens interior spaces for both Arlington residents and its workforce and is a great temporary placemaking tool for the County when integrating artwork into the building process is not possible,” said Public Art Administrator Angela A. Adams.

Artist Talk

Meet the artist on Thursday, Nov. 4, 5:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m., at Central Library, Second Floor, to learn about the new art installation and get an in-depth view about Horowitz’s process and work.

RSVP for Artist Talk

The new acquisition is part of the Arlington Public Art’s Portable Works collection. Spanning back two decades, the program acquires, commissions or exhibits portable works by DMV artists. The collection consists of primarily wall-hung works such as drawings, paintings, photographs and prints.

Most of the artworks in the collection are on display at public spaces located at the Ellen M. Bozman Government Center (2100 Clarendon Boulevard), the Department of Human Services (2100 Washington Boulevard), Arlington Economic Development (1100 North Glebe Road), Arlington Cultural Affairs (3700 S. Four Mile Run Drive) and Arlington Public Library’s Central Library branch (1015 N. Quincy St).

To find out more about the artist Jason Horowitz and his recent photo spheres series, visit https://www.jasonhorowitzfineart.com/photo-spheres.

Partnership between DTS and Library Creates Summer Reading Success

AFAC is the 2021 Recipient of the Summer Reading Challenge Donation

On Wednesday, Sep. 15, representatives of the Friends of the Arlington Public Library (FOAL), together with the Arlington County Departments of Library and Technology Services, presented a $4,525 check to the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC). The donation represents the number of Library readers who successfully completed the 2021 Summer Reading Challenge.

The contribution to AFAC demonstrates the power of collaboration between two Arlington County departments, one nonprofit and the important work AFAC is doing for our hungry neighbors in need. AFAC has been distributing groceries to families in need every week in Arlington since 1988 and provided 3 million pounds of food to underserved communities in FY20.

Representatives from the Department of Technology Services and the Library with harles Meng, Chief Executive Officer at AFAC.

(Left to right) David Herlihy, Division Chief, Digital Experience and Innovation, Department of Technology Services, Charles Meng, Chief Executive Officer, AFAC and Diane Kresh, Director, Arlington Public Library.

Read the full news release here.

Since its inception, the Library app has been downloaded more than 42,000 times. App users can use the technology for easy account management, catalog search and meeting room bookings.

“We are fortunate to have partners like the DTS staff who understand what public service is. The app increases our ability to reach patrons and made a big difference with our Summer Reading programs,” said Diane Kresh, Director, Arlington Public Library.

Download Library App

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at the Library

2021

September 15 - October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month, a time when we honor the cultures and contributions of both Hispanic and Latino Americans as we celebrate heritage rooted in all Latin American countries.

Join us to celebrate the contributions of Hispanic Americans to American history, through books and programs for all ages.

Book Lists

Latinx Romance

Hispanic Heritage Month 2021

Translated Books from Latin and South America

Latinx-American Authors

Latinx-American Authors: eBooks and eAudio

More Book Lists

Featured Events

Remembering September 11 with Photos of First Responders

The Center for Local History has recently digitized many additional photographs from the Community Archives taken at the Pentagon at the time of September 11, 2001, by Mike Defina, a fire captain with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Fire and Rescue Department.

National Airport personnel deployed to the Pentagon Sept. 12, 2001. L to R: CCT Mike Fetsko, Deputy Fire Marshal David Norris, Captain John Durrer, Paramedic Captain David Testa, Captain Mike Defino, Tech. Ralph Cornell, Paramedic Mike Murphy, Tech. Troy Hutchinson, Tech. Paul Purcell, Firefighter. Photo: Mike Defina. 

These images are just a few of the Community Archives collection Records Related to the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks on the Pentagon, which is made up of textual materials, photographs, some memorabilia, and audio-visual materials. The bulk of the collection dates from 2001-2002 and features photographs of the aftermath and days after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the Pentagon. (Note: some of these photos may contain sensitive or disturbing material).

That morning a westbound plane took off from Dulles airport, was hijacked by terrorists and crashed into the Pentagon. One hundred and eighty-nine people died in the crash, including the 64 passengers on Flight 77. On the same morning two more hijacked planes were flown into the World Trade Center in New York City, and a fourth hijacked plane crashed in rural Pennsylvania. Nearly 3,000 people died in the tragedy, changing both the country and Arlington forever.

Firefighters and first responders from Arlington County, Fort Myer, and Reagan National Airport were essential in coordinating the Pentagon rescue and response, arriving within minutes of the plane crash.

Arlington County Fire Department took the lead, establishing an Incident Command System across the region to respond to the emergency. Firefighters were able to get the fire under control on the first day, but it took three days to fully extinguish.

Fire fighters taking a much-needed break at the National Airport fire station at 10 p.m. on September 11, after a daylong rescue effort at the Pentagon. Photo credit: Mike Defina. 

The images in this collection depict both the horrific nature of the crash and Pentagon fires, the resilience and bravery of the first responders, and many spontaneous memorial events.

Firefighters display a large American flag on the front of the National Airport fire station, two days after the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon. Photo: Mike Defina. 

The two foam units, along with their crews, that were on the original call to the Pentagon on September 11, parked in front of the American flag displayed on the front of the National Airport fire station. Photo: Mike Defina. 

A memorial of flags, flowers, and signs near the Pentagon following the September 11 terrorist attack. Photo: Mike Defina. 

View All Images

Additional physical materials in the collection are held in the Arlington Community Archives for research use, including many thank-you cards written by school children to the firefighters of the Arlington Fire Department, County Manager Ron Carlee's papers used during the response, after-action reports, ephemera from memorial services, and VHS tape recordings of memorial events.

While these additional items have yet to be digitized, those who wish to research them may use the online finding aid to determine which boxes or folders would be useful and/or contact the Center for Local History to make a research consultation appointment.

Oral histories from the five-year anniversary of September 11, 2001 are also available online in the Center for Local History's digitized Community Archive.

Arlington County Fire Department members pose with children in front of a mural created to thank them for their service. Photo: Mike Defina. 

Do you have Arlington materials related to the events September 11, 2001 that you would like to donate? 

The Center for Local History (CLH) collects, preserves, and shares historical documents that tell the history of Arlington County, its citizens, organizations, businesses, and social issues. Learn about how you can help to build Arlington's community history on the CLH Donation webpage.

2021 Summer Readers Raise $4,525 for AFAC

Thank You to Everyone who Participated in Summer Reading!

Librarians and AFAC staff

The Friends of the Arlington Public Library will contribute $1 to the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) on behalf of each of the 4,525 people who completed this year's Summer Reading challenge:

  • 421 readers under age 5
  • 1,325 elementary school age readers
  • 527 teen readers
  • 2,222 adult readers
Learn More About AFAC

Summer Reading 2021 was made possible through the generosity of the Friends of the Arlington Public Library and the Washington Nationals.

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