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Aurora Hills, Columbia Pike and Central Library to Reopen July 6

Central Libraryb entyrance with Pride banner.

With Summer Reading in full swing, Arlington Public Library is prioritizing expansion of in-person service and increased access to library collections this summer. The Library is currently hiring and training additional staff to prepare for this phased reopening after an unprecedented staff shortage due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent hiring freeze.

The Express Library Service model will be in place across the Library system until the Library is closer to normal staffing levels.

Opening This Summer

Aurora Hills, Columbia Pike and Central Library will reopen for Express Library Service on July 6.

  • Central Library will expand from Holds Pickup to Express Library Service.
  • Operating hours to be announced closer to opening date.
  • All open branches will prioritize access to library collections.
  • Meeting rooms, spaced seating and public PCs will be reinstated as soon as staffing allows.
  • Storytime will resume branch-wide once staffing increases.
  • The Center for Local History at Central Library will open by appointment later this summer.

Fall Expansion of Services

Cherrydale and Glencarlyn Library will reopen Fall 2021.

  • Programming will expand across the Library system as staffing increases

Service Updates

  • The Shed, the Library’s seasonal garden-tool lending service, will remain closed for the 2021 growing season for staffing reasons, with plans to reopen in 2022.
  • The Shop, the Library’s maker space, will remain closed until staffing allows for increased levels of programming.
  • The Plaza branch will remain closed in preparation for a long-planned expansion and renovation.

Returns

The Library is no longer quarantining returned items. However, due to staffing shortage, items may not get checked in for several days after they have been returned in a book drop. If over 7 days have passed since you returned your library items and they remain on your account, please contact the Library to update your account.

In anticipation of reopening additional branches and expanded programs, we wanted to thank our patrons and the Arlington community for your continued support and patience during these past 15 months. We look forward to seeing you back at the library!

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

Send Us Your Feedback

Dorothy Hamm: Speaking Out

Graphic image of a megaphone

Join us for a new series of stories from the Center for Local History highlighting members of our community who made a difference in ways that helped shape our history and created positive change.

Their voices were not always loud, but what they said or did had a significant impact on our community.

Dorothy Hamm

Dorothy Hamm was born in 1919 in Caroline County, Virginia. The only school that accepted African-American students was six miles away from her home, and in 1926 her family moved to Fairfax County where the children could attend elementary school. When Hamm graduated from primary school, the family found that there was no accessible junior high or high school for African-American students. Because her mother was a government employee, Dorothy attended secondary schools in Washington, D.C., and went on to enroll in Miner Teacher’s College.

Dorothy Hamm Portrait

Dorothy Hamm, date unknown. Image courtesy of Carmela Hamm, from the Library of Virginia.

Hamm married Edward Leslie Hamm, Sr., in 1942 and the couple moved to Arlington in 1950, where they raised their three children. In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled segregation illegal in the public schools in Brown vs. Board of Education. In 1956, the Hamms became plaintiffs in the first civil action case filed to integrate the Arlington Public School system. When no action had been taken a year after the suit was filed, Dorothy and her husband took their oldest son, Edward Leslie, Jr., to enroll at Stratford Junior High School, and were not allowed to admit him to the school.

A few days after the opening day of the school year in September 1957, crosses were burned on the lawns of two Arlington families and the Calloway United Methodist Church. The church was a central location for desegregation organizers.

Due to the efforts of Dorothy Hamm, in 1959, Stratford Junior High School became the first school in Arlington to desegregate. This made Arlington the first County in Virginia to desegregate its schools.

On January 19, 1959, Senator Harry F. Byrd’s policy of statewide “massive resistance” was outlawed by the Virginia Supreme Court. On February 2, 1959, Ronald Deskins, Michael Jones, Lance Newman, and Gloria Thompson were enrolled in Stratford Junior High. Hamm’s sons entered Stratford later that year.

In 1960, Hamm was a plaintiff in a court action to eliminate the pupil placement form, which was used to exclusively assign African-American students to certain schools to get around the Supreme Court’s ruling on desegregation. In 1961, Hamm was a plaintiff in a court action to integrate the athletic program of the Arlington Public Schools. Hamm’s son had been barred from participating in Stratford’s wrestling program because of the physical contact between Black and white students. As a result of the court action, discrimination in Arlington athletic programs was declared to be illegal.

In 1963, Hamm was the plaintiff in a civil action case to eliminate the poll tax and remove the race designation from public forms and voting records in Arlington County. The same year, she initiated legal action and helped to organize picketing efforts in protest of segregation of Arlington’s theaters. Along with four other protesters, Hamm was arrested for picketing at the Glebe Theater. Their efforts were ultimately successful, and Hamm and her son Edward Leslie, Jr., became the first African-American customers to be admitted to the theater.

Hamm continued her political activism as an officer of elections in the County for more than 27 years and worked with the Congress on Racial Equality (CORE). She and her husband also participated in the 1963 March on Washington and the Poor People’s March on Washington in 1968.

Hamm passed away in 2004, but her legacy in Arlington lives on.

Dorothy Hamm Middle School

Dorothy Hamm Middle School, which was named in Hamm’s honor in 2019. Image courtesy of Arlington Public Schools.

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Celebrate Pride Month

2021

Pride Month is celebrated each year in June, to recognize the impact that LGBTQIA+ individuals have had on our history - locally, nationally, and internationally. Learn more from the Library of Congress.

A note about LGBTQIA+ These letters stand for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual. The + sign in this context recognizes that our understanding of labels and vocabulary is personal, and continues to evolve.

Photo of the Pride flag flying on the flagpole under the Arlington County flag at Central Library

Book Lists

LGBTQIA+ Science Fiction and Fantasy

Movies with Pride

LGBTQIA+ History for Adults

LGBTQIA+ History for Teens

LGBTQIA+ History for Kids

MORE BOOK LISTS

Events at the Library

LGBTQIA+ Stories and History

On This Day in LGBTQIA+ History

Happy Pride…

Oral History: LGBTQ Activist Lilli Vincenz

Video: Interview with Fredie Lutz

Oral History: Arlington’s First Openly LGBTQ Elected Official

News to Use, May 2021

Talking Book Newsletter

Volume 3, no.2

Listen to the audio version of the newsletter with the embedded player below, and read the transcript, which includes additional resources.

Microphone with the words "News to Use" on magenta background

Hello and welcome to the May 2021 edition of our Arlington Talking Books Newsletter, called “News to Use.”

Meet the Staff

This month the newsletter is read by Jennifer Odlum.

Newly renovated Columbia Pike branch

Arlington Public Library News

Library Services Update

As we look towards summer, Arlington Public Library is preparing to increase in-person services and reopen additional Library branches in the coming months.

Summer Goals:

  • Based on the recently approved Arlington County FY22 Budget, the Library plans to expand open locations after July 1, as hiring and training of new staff allows.

The Library hopes to:

  • Open Aurora Hills and the newly renovated Columbia Pike branches during July;
  • Open Cherrydale and Glencarlyn branches by Fall 2021, and sooner if possible;
  • Expand service models at Central Library, Shirlington and Westover branches;
  • Prioritize increased access to library collections, public computers and public space at all locations, with continued consideration for social distancing.

The Plaza branch will remain closed in preparation for a long-planned expansion and renovation.

Stay tuned to the Library website, library.arlingtonva.us for additional updates and specific dates for service changes as summer approaches.

Library Reorganization

In the next few months, the Library is reorganizing its staffing structure, including the staffing of the Talking Book Service. At some point later this year, Talking Books will transition to being staffed by a different team. We don’t yet know the details but we, Bridgette, Brittany, Jennifer L. and Jennifer O., will continue taking care of your requests and staffing the service for now. When we have more information about the new team, we will share it with you.

Summer Reading News: June 1 until September 1

Summer Reading kicks off on June 1, and once again you are invited to participate. This year’s theme is “Food for Thought,” and prizes include the following:

  • For each person that completes the 2021 Summer Reading Challenge, the Friends of the Arlington Public Library (FOAL) will donate $1 to the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC).
  • Talking Book patrons who complete Summer Reading will have the choice of either receiving a set of large print measuring cups or be entered into a raffle to win a gift certificate to one of many favorite Arlington restaurants. Gift certificates will be emailed directly to the winners. When you contact us to say you’ve completed the challenge, just let us know your prize preference.
  • Read for an extra 30 days, or complete any three bonus challenges, to become a Super Reader and earn an extra prize! The bonus challenges include downloading an eBook/eAudiobook, exploring the library booklists, and/or attending a library book club. Notify Talking Book staff when you have completed the extra challenge.

Participation is easy! All you need to do is use the attached reading log, keep track on your own, or download the Arlington Public Library app and track your reading there. Make a note of every day that you read. Once you have read for 30 days, contact the Talking Book staff to report your completion.

By phone: 703-228-6333 or by email: TalkingBooks@arlingtonva.us

Library Card Perks Part 2 – Audio Described Video

Are you familiar with audio described videos? Arlington Public Library has over 450 DVDs in its collection that have this feature. Audio description is an accessible feature to help people with low vision understand what is happening on the screen. According to the American Council of the Blind’s definition, Audio Description is “commentary and narration which guides the listener through the presentation with concise, objective descriptions of new scenes, settings, costumes, body language, and "sight gags," all slipped in between portions of dialogue or songs.” Audio Description is sometimes available for live theater performances, in movie theaters and, in this case, within your DVD’s settings. To locate Audio Described DVDs in our library collection:

Visit the catalog:  libcat.arlingtonva.us/Union/Search

Use the following limits to narrow your results:

  • Select Format > DVD
  • Select Genre > Video recordings for people with visual disabilities

Please contact us if you have any questions about this or other library features.

Calendar of Events at the Library

Our programs continue to be online, but we are preparing to increase in-person services and open additional Library branches in the coming months. As these service and branch openings happen, they will be announced on the Library’s website.

In the meantime, we are happy to offer programs on a wide range of topics for nearly every interest.  Summer is soon upon us which means Summer Reading! With this year’s theme being ‘Food for Thought,’ what better way to kick it off than by joining author Anne Vileisis as she discusses her book, Kitchen Literacy: How We Lost Knowledge of Where Food Comes from and Why We Need to Get it Back. Or attend an Arlington Reads Signature Author event and settle in for a conversation between author-activist, Joan E. Biren and Library Director, Diane Kresh.

Here are a few upcoming programs that may be of interest:

Lunch with a Librarian: Virtual Book Buzz

Thursday, June 3, from 12:00 pm until 12:30 pm. Online.

Encore Learning Presents: Author Carol Stricker on Protecting America on Diplomacy’s Front Lines

Monday, June 7, from 3:00 pm until 4:30 pm. Online.

Ann Vileisis – Kitchen Literacy: How We Lost Knowledge of Where Food Comes from and Why We Need to Get it Back

Wednesday, June 9, from 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm. Online.

Dementia Free Arlington

Wednesday, June 16 from 1:00 pm until 2:30 pm. Online.

Joan E. Biren in Conversation with Library Director Diane Kresh

Thursday, June 17, 7:00 pm until 8:00 pm.  Online.

Meatballs and Matzah Balls: Recipes and Reflections from a Jewish and Italian Life

Monday, June 21, 3:00 pm until 4:00 pm. Online.

Remember, everything we offer at the library is free.

National Library Service News

Karen Keninger – NLS Director – Has Retired After Years of Service

(This is an abbreviated version of the article in the NLS Newsletter: https://www.loc.gov/nls/about/news/quarterly-newsletter-news/news-january-march-2021/)

When she was hired as NLS director in 2012, Karen Keninger recalls, “I thought, because I had run a network library and been a patron, that I knew everything.”

Nine years later, she laughs at her naiveté. “[Acting director Ruth Scovill] told me that I had a very steep learning curve ahead of me, and I thought, ‘How could that be?’ But she was absolutely right.”

Now, as she looks toward retirement later this spring, Keninger credits “a tremendous, dedicated staff”—and her own passion for the work—with helping her meet the challenges of the job.

The braille eReader currently in pilot testing was one of those passions. “It was a dream of mine,” Keninger says. “I said nine years ago, if I could make that happen, I could retire happily. I have the privilege of having access to refreshable braille because of my job, but a lot of people can’t afford thousands of dollars for devices. And I knew the only institution with the capacity to solve the problem was NLS.”

Making that a reality was a long process. “We knew, intuitively, that this was what people wanted, but we needed them to say it, so we could base our decisions on data,” Keninger explains.

But that doesn’t mean NLS has neglected audio under her tenure. Contracts with commercial audiobook publishers, opening the Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) website to books recorded by cooperating libraries, and the Marrakesh Treaty—which facilitates the exchange of books in accessible formats among more than 80 countries—have expanded the NLS audio collection.

Meanwhile, the BARD Mobile app, which makes more than 100,000 audio and ebraille books on BARD available to patrons with smart devices, and Duplication on Demand, which allows network libraries to put multiple audio books on a single digital cartridge, have both streamlined patron access.

Seeing so many of her goals for NLS become reality makes this a satisfying time for retirement. “It’s been a tremendous place to work, and I’m happy—very happy—I took the chance,” Keninger says. But she is confident that others are ready to continue the initiatives she began.

Bestseller Lists.

Fiction

  • The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab: DB 100901
  • Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiburo: DB 102764
  • The Law of Innocence by Michael Connelly: DB 101096
  • The Red Book by James Patterson: DB 102768
  • Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart: DB 101310

Nonfiction

  • The Code Breaker by Walter Isaacson: DB 102772
  • Disloyal by Michael Cohen: DB 102719
  • Four Hundred Souls by Ibram X. Kendi: DB 102425
  • Modern Comfort Food by Ina Garten: DB 101418
  • Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty: DB 102147

Contact Us

The Talking Book staff is here for you.  We can help you select or download books or connect you with other information you may be looking for.

Telephone:     703-228-6333
Email:             TalkingBooks@arlingtonva.us

The History of Arlington’s Logo and Seal

Arlington is currently in the process of changing its iconography. Let's take a look back at the previous versions of the Arlington Logo as the County begins the process of updating its visual identity.

Arlington County was formally designated in 1920, changing its name from Alexandria County in order to distinguish itself from the nearby City of Alexandria. The County initially used the Virginia state seal in official documents, which depicts the Roman goddess Virtus conquering Tyranny. It is accompanied by Virginia's state motto, “Sic Semper Tyrannis,” or “Thus Always to Tyrants.”

Example of usage of the Virginia state seal in County documents, circa 1958.

Arlington House

Around the mid-1960s, Arlington began using an unofficial County seal. However, the Commonwealth’s Attorney decided that the County Board did not have the authority to adopt a seal. The County Board subsequently authorized the use of a visual signature on documentation, but in 1969 declined to make it a seal based on this legal guidance. Because of this designation, then-County Manager Vernon Ford described the seal as a “decorative medallion.”

The unofficial seal featured Arlington House and the date 1801 in later versions. This was contested by Arlington history expert Eleanor Templeman. The date was chosen to represent the formal establishment of the County of Alexandria, but Templeman argued that it could be incorrectly interpreted as the date of construction of Arlington House, which commenced in 1802. The 1801 date prevailed, however, remaining on the County seal into the 1980s.

The main image on the seal, Arlington House, was the longtime home of Robert E. Lee, leader of the Confederate Army. The building was constructed by slave labor for George Washington Parke Custis, who was George Washington’s step-grandson and Lee’s father-in-law. After the start of the Civil War, the Lee family fled and the property was used by Union troops as a burial site, and the location would eventually become part of Arlington National Cemetery.

Since 1972, the site has formally been known as “Arlington House, the Robert E. Lee Memorial,” reinstating its ties to the Confederate leader. In 2020, legislation was proposed to remove Lee’s name from the historical site, citing the erasure of Black Americans who lived in slavery on the property.

Examples of use of the state seal and unofficial County seal, from 1974 and 1976.

The "A" Logo

In 1976, the County began using an unofficial logo in the form of a stylized “A,” with Arlington House also appearing on this image. The logo was designed by Susan Neighbors, a professional illustrator from Arlington, who produced five designs based on County guidance. These options were then voted on by the public at ballot boxes placed at the County libraries, and the “A” logo won the contest.

Example of the “A” logo used by the County starting in 1976. Image circa 1979 and 1983.

County Flag Design

In September 1982, the County set out to adopt an official design for the County flag, and the County Board adopted a resolution for a flag design competition and a Flag Selection Panel to choose the design. In March of 1983, the County released a call for entries for the design of the flag to the public. Design requirements included the use of blue and white colors, and the words “Arlington County, Virginia,” as well as “1920.”

One hundred and ten people submitted designs for the contest, and Harvey J. Wilcox was selected as the winner in April of 1983. Wilcox, a deputy general counsel for the Navy, had no formal design experience and came up with the design while homebound with the flu. His imagery reflected the County’s unofficial logo and seal with a depiction of Arlington House, accompanied by a white ring and sprays of dogwoods underneath. Yellow was chosen as the background color for the flag.

Harvey Wilcox’s winning entry for the 1983 design contest.

After consulting with the Virginia Attorney General, who issued a different opinion than the one about 20 years prior, the County’s authority to have a flag was dependent on the County having a seal. So, Wilcox’s design then became the County seal, which would subsequently be presented on the County flag.

The inclusion of “1920” from the original design rules was also dropped for the final iteration, due in part to the issues that were raised by Templeman decades before. One of the issues was Arlington had multiple dates in its history that could be considered as equally significant in its history. The County seal and flag were officially adopted on June 18, 1983.

Examples of the new County seal on official documents and letterhead. Images from 1994 and the late 1990s.

The Future of the Logo

The next major step in Arlington’s formal iconography was when the County created and adopted an official logo in 2004. The logo came along with a redesign of the County website that same year and was designed by the D.C. office of Gensler Studio 585. Focus groups were held with design professionals, members of the business community, and members of the general public.

The resulting design was adopted in the summer of 2004, and, like the County seal, included a stylized representation of Arlington House, but the design drew some criticism. In a public poll of more than 1,000 responses conducted by the Arlington Sun Gazette, 81 percent opposed the new design, 15 percent supported it and 3 percent voted, 'it's OK, I guess.’ In October 2004, a petition was circulated calling for the removal of the logo, and it “even inspired a piece of folk art by an artist, who rendered the new logo in dead cicada shells."

Arlington County’s logo, adopted in 2004.

The County seal and logo were then used concurrently, but for different outlined purposes. In general, the seal is used for items relating to the County Board and for more permanent items (such as the County flag, permanent signage, and certificates).

The logo is considered a marketing sign and is used on departmental materials (such as County vehicles and general correspondence). In 2007, the County sought public comment and issued an update to the seal due to persistent inconsistencies in its rendering. The update kept the same imagery on the seal, but restored the original “Arlington blue” and refined it for online use.

In September 2020, the County announced that it would adopt a process to develop a new logo and seal, moving away from imagery related to Arlington House in County iconography. In January 2021, a Logo Review Panel was assembled to review concept submissions from the community, and in April announced five options selected from a pool of more than 250 ideas.

Stay tuned to the County’s homepage to submit your art for the next round of logo design submissions.

A pre-2007 graphic file of the County seal and the updated version, which is still in use today.

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Read with Deborah for Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

May 2021

Every day in May, Library staff member Deborah (or @APLDeborahK) is tweeting a book recommendation by an AAPI author. And each of these books can be found in the Library catalog!

May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, which celebrates Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. In 1992, Congress passed Public Law 102-450 which annually designated May as AAPIHM. Learn more.

Arlington Council on Human Relations: Speaking Out

Graphic image of a megaphone

Join us for a new series of stories from the Center for Local History highlighting members of our community who made a difference in ways that helped shape our history and created positive change.

Their voices were not always loud, but what they said or did had a significant impact on our community.

Arlington Council on Human Relations

On December 1, 1958, members of the public were invited to a meeting held at the Rock Springs Congregational Church. The meeting was organized by Pastor Sidney Lovett, as well as Hubert Beckwith and Paul Rilling, President and Executive Director respectively of the Virginia Council on Human Relations.

It was on that evening that the Arlington Council on Human Relations was formed.

Membership meeting letter from Dudley P. Babcock.

The purpose of the Council was to improve the economic, civic, and racial conditions in Arlington County. Affiliated with the Virginia Council on Human Relations and coordinating with other local, regional, and national agencies and organizations, the council sought to promote better understanding and communication while trying to lessen tensions between the different groups living and working within Arlington County’s borders.

The County at this time was strictly segregated. Not only were there “white” schools and “Black” schools, but playgrounds were segregated, theaters maintained separate seats for Blacks, and they couldn't stay at any motels or hotels in the County. Even the Arlington Hospital was segregated as there was only one maternity ward and no Black mother could have her baby there except in cases of emergency. Low-income housing was also an ongoing problem.

The Council formed committees to address these various issues. Months were spent writing letters to theatre owners, and picket lines were formed at theatres. Many meetings were held with various organizations and businesses. A joint meeting with Arlington Hospital was arranged.

1967 announcement from the Council of Human Relations of Arlington, Alexandria and Fairfax.

Change was slow, but the Council members persisted and while the struggles were sometimes bitter, progress was made. Arlington Public Schools began the process of desegregation, public playgrounds and theatres were integrated and some motels began to accept Black people. Black women were accepted in the maternity wing of Arlington Hospital, and lunch counters throughout the County were integrated. And all of this took place before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed.

While the early 1960s was the most active period, the Council continued their social justice work throughout the 60s, focusing primarily on affordable housing and poverty issues.

1969 Council letter to Bernie Pony Rental.

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Cycling Through Arlington’s History

May is National Biking Month, and to celebrate, let’s take a look at Arlington’s decades-long history of bicycle enthusiasm!

1939

The County Sheriff’s department and a local chapter of the VFW team up to form a bicycle safety club for youth in Arlington. According to a February 24, 1939 news article, the “bicycle rage of the [18]90s” was on the upswing, and conditions for cycling were hazardous on the local roads.

1941

The County issues a set of rules for regulating bicycle use.

Cyclists were required to carry a license and tag, and bicycles were not to be ridden “faster than is reasonable and proper.”

Notice about bicycle laws from the October 17, 1941 issue of the Northern Virginia Sun. Image courtesy of Virginia Chronicle.

1950s

Bicycling remains a popular recreational activity in Arlington, though largely regulated to neighborhood street cycling alongside pedestrians.

1967

Arlington paves its first bicycle facility: a multi-use trail made of crushed limestone of about three miles along Four Mile Run. The trail opening included a ceremony at Bluemont Park, a performance by the Navy band, and cycling exhibitions.

This was also the first bicycle trail in the nation to be built with federal funds.

Program from the opening of Arlington’s first bike trail. Image courtesy of the VA State Department of Conservation and Recreation via BikeArlington.

A crowd gathers on bikes for a conservation event at Four Mile Run, circa the late 1960s. (214-9205)

1972

The Washington Area Bicyclists Association is formed, drawing members from the DMV region and advocating for improved bicycle facilities.

1973

The County completes its first commuter bikeway, connecting to the Spout Run Parkway and providing access to Rosslyn. Additionally, an eleven-member Bicycle Advisory Committee is established to advise on cycling-related issues and development.

Children line up for bicycle safety inspection, run by the Arlington County Police Department, 1969.

1974

Arlington’s Master Bikeway plan is released, which calls for an 80-mile network of trails for commuter and recreational use.

1977

Metro stations debut in Arlington, which shapes the County’s transportation plan to include a bike trail along the route of I-66 and bicycle parking at the new stations.

1982

Custis Trail is completed, adding 8.5 miles of trail to the area.

Picture9

Map of County bike trails, 1977.

Bike underpass at Wilson Boulevard and Four Mile Run

Bike underpass at Wilson Boulevard and Four Mile Run. Date unknown. (210-0103)

1994

The Arlington Bicycle Transportation plan is adopted, and $7.3 million is eventually allocated to develop new bike trails, bicycle lanes, and bicycle parking.

2008

The County adopts the Bicycle Element, a new planning document focused on continuing bicycle development.

2010

Arlington launches Capital Bikeshare in partnership with the District of Columbia.

bike share

First generation Capital Bikeshare bicycles, February 2012 at Central Library.

Sources

Active Living and Biking: Tracing the Evolution of a Biking System in Arlington, Virginia, by Royce Hanson and Garry Young

Baseline Report – The State of Bicycling in Arlington, County publication

To learn more about Arlington's history, visit the Center for Local History on the first floor of the Central Library.

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New Outdoor Storytime Series at Central and Shirlington Library

In-Person Storytime Series Kicks Off Outside at Central Library on May 18.

Young girl holding a teddy bear while sitting outside in the park.

Outdoor Storytime is a fun and interactive program, presented by youth service librarians, and combines activities such as read-aloud stories, songs, rhymes, fingerplays and flannel boards.

A kick-off event will be held on Tuesday, May 18, 10 a.m., at Central Library adjacent to Quincy Park, with special guest Arlington Public Library Director Diane Kresh.

“We are thrilled to bring back one of our most popular programs for young children,” said Library Director Kresh. “Storytimes lay the foundation for curiosity, imagination and deepen the connection to the outside world,” Kresh continued.

Two programs will be offered — Family Storytime for children from 0-5 years, and Lapsit Storytime for babies age 12 months and under. Each program lasts approximately for 20 minutes.

Family Storytime (0-5 years)

  • Outside Central Library – Tuesdays, 10 a.m., May 18 – June 29
  • Outside Shirlington Branch – Tuesdays, 10 a.m., May 25 – June 29

Baby Lapsit Storytime (0-12 months)

  • Outside Central Library – Thursdays, 10 a.m., May 20 – July 1
  • Outside Shirlington Branch – Thursdays, 10 a.m., May 20 – July 1

For safety, family groups should be accompanied by one adult only and spaced 6 feet apart to account for social distancing. Masks are required for adults and all attendees are encouraged to wear a mask.

Attendance at Outdoor Storytimes and Baby Lapsit Storytimes will be first-come, first-served until event capacity is reached.

Interested in attending? Visit our events calendar to RSVP for an event reminder and to receive weather-related cancellation notifications.

Joan Trumpauer Mulholland: Taking a Stand

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Join us for a new series of stories from the Center for Local History highlighting members of our community who made a difference in ways that helped shape our history and created positive change.

Their voices were not always loud, but what they said or did had a significant impact on our community.

Joan Trumpauer Mulholland

Joan Trumpauer Mulholland (1941-Present) is a civil rights activist, educator, and founder of the Joan Trumpauer Mulholland Foundation.  She is best known for her role as a white freedom rider, risking her personal safety in pursuit of equality and social justice while defying racist attitudes and prejudices towards Blacks during the Jim Crow era.

Born in the District of Columbia and raised in Arlington County, Mulholland was deeply troubled at an early age by what she perceived as unfair treatment of minorities when a school friend dared her to walk through a predominantly Black section of town.  Despite being only 10 years old, she felt the discomfort and alienation of the people she observed and thus vowed to play a role in changing attitudes and contributing to the elimination of racism in American society.

Following what she felt was an unfulfilling year spent attending Duke University, Mulholland spent the next year working on Capitol Hill which led to her involvement with the Nonviolent Action Group from Howard University.  1960 found her participating in sit-ins which often led to her being arrested and labeled as mentally ill owing to her unique status as a white, southern woman.  One of these sit-ins took place on June 10, 1960, at the Drug Fair drugstore in Cherrydale in an attempt to integrate the lunch counter.  Mulholland documented these experiences in a diary, which detailed conditions of her confinement which included segregated cells, what she was given to eat, and how she forged bonds with her Black counterparts.

1961 saw Mulholland joining the Freedom Riders, an integrated group of Black and white activists who defied the southern practice of segregated busing by refusing to travel separately.  That summer, Mulholland, accompanied by activists Stokely Carmichael, Hank Thomas, and others, traveled to Jackson, Mississippi, with members of the Congress of Racial Equality.

Mugshot of Joan Trumpauer Mulholland, June 8, 1961.

After refusing to leave a bus station area there, Mulholland was arrested and taken to Parchman Penitentiary in Mississippi, a notoriously harsh prison. Mulholland, who was only 19 at the time, refused to post bail. Since there was no women’s wing of the prison then, she was housed on death row for two months and kept in a cramped, segregated cell with 17 other women.

Mulholland served her two-month sentence plus additional time to work off the $200 fine she owed, before attending school at Tougaloo College in Jackson where she had enrolled during her incarceration.  While a junior at Tougaloo, she participated in a sit-in at Woolworth’s lunch counter in Jackson, which resulted in considerable violence and great risk to her safety.  In August of 1963, she helped organize the March on Washington before graduating from Tougaloo in 1964.

After returning to Arlington later that same year, Mulholland married, had five sons, worked at Patrick Henry Elementary School as a teacher’s aide and in 2014 founded the Joan Trumpauer Mulholland Foundation, dedicated to involving new generations in activism and social justice.  “I want to show the younger folks that you can do something that will have an effect,” she said in 2015.  “It’s just a matter of starting.”

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