Arlington Public Library in the News

Congratulations!

Youth Services librarian Mariela Aguilar’s bilingual book “Clara Guevara y Glúcar Azúcar – Clara Guevara and Glugar Sugar” (published by Editorial Costa Rica) has received the Fundación Leer/IBBY Costa Rica Cuentos de mi Tía Panchita literary award in the translation category.

The IBBY, or International Board on Books for Young People, is a non-profit organization which represents an international network of people from all over the world who are committed to bringing books and children together.

Mariela, who has type 1 diabetes, first created the character of Clara Guevara as a way to help children learn to live successfully with their own type 1 diabetes. Since then, Mariela has written many adventures for Clara, excerpts of which can be found on her blog.

“Clara Guevara y Glúcar Azúcar – Clara Guevara and Glugar Sugar” will represent Costa Rica in the 2018 catalog IBBY Honour List, along with two more books awarded in the illustration and creative writing categories.

The 2018 IBBY Honour List will be presented at the 36^th IBBY International Congress in Athens, Greece, from Aug. 30-Sept.1, 2018.

Just in time for Earth Day 2015, Arlington Public Library is riding high with another distinction in sustainability. Central Library is now a silver-level Bicycle Friendly Business according to the League of American Bicyclists.

The award recognizes Central for its efforts to encourage biking among its employees and patrons through education programs, bike-friendly facilities, car-free visits and being a key distribution point for biker support materials for everyone from beginners to long-time riders.

Central is one of only two public library facilities in the United States so honored among more than 950 local businesses, government agencies and Fortune 500 companies. It is the only library ranked as high as silver.

Among cities and counties, Arlington is tied with Portland, Ore. for fourth place as home to 29 BFBs.

In 2012, Arlington Public Library won the Top Innovator for Sustainability Award from the Urban Libraries Council, for among other things, using Library grounds to create community gardens in partnership with a number of civic groups. Library gardens continue to thrive, with food grown donated to Arlington Food Assistance Center. The gardens are also the centerpiece for an active schedule of talks and demonstrations.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Challenge determined that Central Library was exceeding its goal to cut energy use by 20 percent through the use of rooftop solar panels and a new cooling/chiller system.

This spring marked the return of the “The Shed,” the region’s first public garden tool lending collection, also at Central and available to all Arlington adult residents. Because no one needs to buy a post hole digger unless absolutely necessary. 

Need to measure how much energy your home appliances are using? Borrow a Kill A Watt meter at any Library location. Need to dispose of old CFL bulbs? We’ll take those too at Central, Aurora Hills and Plaza.

Don’t forget our trees. Just this week the Willow Oak at Columbia Pike Branch was inducted into the County’s Notable Tree Program. If you don’t want to cross the river, cherry blossoms are closer than you think.

And of course the Friends of the Arlington Public Library are just wrapping up another highly successful annual Spring Book Sale, the oldest recycling tradition in the County. Come back for the Fall Book Sale, Sept. 17-20. Donations of books, music, magazines, maps and puzzles in good condition welcome beginning April 27.

Cycling, recycling. Earth Day, every day. Arlington Public Library Library will get you there.

 

 

Writer Bettina Lanyi hangs out with the Library’s ambassadors to the 20- and 30-somethings of Arlington.

From Feb. 25, 2015 Washington Post: “Arlington Library’s Lit Up Programs Appeal to 20- and 30-Somethings”

A great interview with Arlington Library Director Diane Kresh, in the lastest issue of Arlington Magazine.

Rosemarie G. Bowie wanted to share her love of Arlington Public Library.

The Washington Post’s Pat Sullivan looks at a dedicated library user’s generous gift to the Library, spelled out in the will she left before her death in June at the age of 76.

ARLNow.com writer Ethan Rothstein, Patch editor Jason Spencer and the Sun Gazette also tell the story of Rosemarie G. Bowie’s generosity.

As a follow-up, Washington Post Northern Virginia writer Tom Jackman is seeking more details about Ms. Bowie.

 

 

Growing Strong Readers from the Start

The Washington Post writer Patricia Sullivan looks at Arlington Public Library’s effort to develop and strengthen language skills and vocabulary among preschoolers.

The Sun Gazette’s Scott McCaffrey also writes about the initiative and previews the inaugural Eight-Thirteen Ball, a fundraiser to support such programs.

 

Learn more about 1000 Books Before Kindergarten.