Thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate Columbia Pike Branch Library’s beautiful new forest mural in the storytime room. We had a great turnout. We all enjoyed wonderful treats, tea, and a fun poem read by Youth Services Librarian Desire Fairooz and mural artist Kathy Filger.

The photographs of two local artists, J. Fenimore Elliot and William Murray, are currently on display at the Cherrydale Branch Library.

Come in and enjoy out their ‘photo safari’, inspired by classes they took at Washington Photo Safari.

Library of Congress
photographed by William Murray

The Columbia Pike Branch Library staff are really looking forward to reopening – once the snows stop falling and we can find the parking lot again…

This lovely photo of the Shirlington Branch Library was taken by a Shirlington resident / Library patron. Used with permission from the photographer, muckracker.

On Friday, neighborhood volunteers Gail Fleming and Susan Rose Kaplan – who were not scheduled to work that day – dropped in to help the Aurora Hills Branch Library staff through the pre-snow mad crush.

The day was crazy (terms like ‘Grand Central Station’ were overheard), and would have been much more so without them – Thank you, Gail and Susan!

…because judging by these photos (taken by Central Library staff on Friday afternoon), our patrons definitely stocked up for the storm!

Meet Jason Rodgers, Branch Manager of the Columbia Pike Branch Library.

Jason began his public library career in Texas, where he worked outside Fort Worth for 5 years, and has worked for Arlington Public Library since October 2005. In November 2008, he became Columbia Pike branch manager, where his bilingual talents and community-centered ideas have energized the Library.

In his free time, Jason enjoys silver and goldsmithing, cooking, and studying languages. He is also an Indophile.

The Columbia Pike Branch Library’s holds are now available for self pick up.

You will find your holds, filed alphabetically by patron last-name, on the shelves to the left of the circulation desk. After you pick them up, please then bring your hold items to circulation for check out.

Have you met Kim Vu, the new Youth Services Librarian at the Aurora Hills Branch Library? An Arlington Public Library veteran, Kim joins us after 8 years at Cherrydale, and another 10 years at Central’s Youth Services department. In her spare time, Kim loves to travel and attend exercise classes. She also speaks French, Spanish and Vietnamese, and is always happy for a chance to use them.

Kim’s expertise is in children’s literature for ages 0-12, and she specializes in the genres of realistic literature, multicultural stories, and historical fiction. So if you’re looking for something new to read, don’t hesitate to ask her!

The Columbia Pike Branch Library hosted a jam-packed reception for the Columbia Pike Documentary Project last Saturday, Jan. 23rd.

Approximately 130 people joined us for the reception, including the CPDP artists, as well as several people whose portraits were on display. County Board members Walter Tejada and Chris Zimmerman spoke, as did photographers Lloyd Wolf and Paula Endo. And participating photographer Duy Tran took great photos of the event.