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News

New June Releases

Post Published: June 16, 2025

Kick off your Summer Reading with these new books.

June is here. With the end of school and the start of summer, this month gives us a great selection of books to kick off Summer Reading.

Composite of 10 book covers.

In "Making Friends Can Be Murder" by Kathleen West, six Minneapolis women, all named Sarah Jones, connect via Instagram and become friends. When a Sarah Jones who isn’t in the group turns up dead and one of their own is the prime suspect, they band together to investigate in this playful and quirky mystery.

The "Phoenix Pencil Company" by Allison King explores memory and story when a college freshman tries to reunite her grandmother with her long-lost cousin. In dual timelines, Monica journals in an online app while caring for her ailing grandparents. Meanwhile, her grandmother tells her story of espionage and betrayal when she was young in Japanese-occupied Shanghai. A luminous family saga awaits.

People often wonder at the point of studying such “silly” things as the tubercles on humpback whales, Yellowstone’s bacteria, or Gila monster venom. In "The Salmon Cannon and the Levitating Frog," Carly Anne York explains how discoveries build on discoveries and lead to important breakthroughs, such as more efficient wind turbines (the humpback whales) COVID-19 PCR testing (Yellowstone’s bacteria) and Ozempic (Gila monster venom).

From a carpet woven in the 3rd or 4th century BCE and discovered during an archaeological dig effected by the Russian Revolution, to one woven in 21st century Pakistan for commercial export, "Threads of Empire" by Dorothy Armstrong examines the conditions in which these objects were made, moved and found, and the people’s lives they touched along the way. An intriguing look at history that might literally be beneath our feet.

When Esme’s friend says she’s "too intense" from chasing after her mother’s approval, Esme vows a chill summer at the pool with her swim team. But a growth spurt has made Esme really fast this season, so her mother has started to take an interest. Unfortunately, her focus on winning and being the best feels unsportsmanlike to Esme. In Wendy Wan-Long Shang’s middle-grade book "The Best Worst Summer of Esme Sun," Esme must learn to listen to her inner voice as she balances her mother's approval with being a good teammate in this heartwarming story.

Last summer, Mandy’s best friend was killed in an accident. This summer, her family is back at the same vacation spot while Mandy, a true-crime podcaster, and the police start looking back into the case. Was it really that accidental? And how much fault does Mandy have? "Now She’s Dead" by Roselyn Clarke is a dark, twisty mystery that will keep teen readers guessing right to the end.

Place Your Holds Now!

More Book Lists to Explore

Composite of 2 book covers.

Library Director Diane Kresh shares her book recommendations to celebrate Pride.

Pride Guest List
Composite of 2 book covers.

Commemorate Juneteenth with these great reads.

Juneteenth

June 16, 2025 by Library Communications Officer

Parking Updates for Columbia Pike Library

Post Published: June 10, 2025

The outside of the Columbia Pike Branch Library building, with its name spelled in metal lettering on the exterior wall.

The library remains open with its full array of services during ongoing construction and we look forward to seeing you!

Dedicated library parking spots will be relocated adjacent to the construction fence starting the week of August 18. These spots will be marked as library parking by stencils on the ground and by standing metal signs. Entrance to the parking lot remains through Highland Street only.

Consider walking, biking or taking the bus to Columbia Pike Library.

Phasing and logistics are subject to change due to design progression, contractor input, and unforeseen conditions.

For more information, visit Arlington Career Center Project - Arlington Public Schools (apsva.us).

June 10, 2025 by Library Communications Team

Summer Reading 2025: Share the Love with Your Library

Post Published: June 2, 2025

Photo of performer Talewise with two young participants presenting the program "Adventure of the Lost Treasure." The text and graphic on top of the photo says 2025 Summer Reading, June 1 to September 1, "Share the Love."

Arlington Public Library kicks off its annual Summer Reading program with fun events at select locations on June 6 and 7! Readers of all ages can complete the challenge to earn prizes and participate in dozens of free events all summer long.

Register in the Arlington Public Library app today or pick up a paper reading log at any library location to record your reading. Read for 30 days to earn terrific prizes, including:

📚 A free book OR a coupon for one free book from any Friends of the Library bookstore

⚾ A voucher for two free tickets to select Washington Nationals games

Read for an extra 10 days and fulfill one of the following challenges to become a Super Reader:

  • Visit the library to add the title of a book you read this summer to our "Heart Wall."
  • Do something helpful for your family member, neighbor, or community.
  • Write a letter to a family member, friend, neighbor or community helper to share your thoughts.

Super Readers are entered into a weekly prize drawing from July 11 – September 5. Win prizes featuring local sports teams, ice cream shops and more! The sooner you become a super reader, the sooner you become eligible to win weekly prizes!

For every person who completes Summer Reading, the Friends of Arlington Library will also donate $1 to Animal Welfare League of Arlington.

Remember, you only need to read for any 30 days starting on June 1 to win prizes—even just a few minutes per day counts! You can also "backdate" in the app or reading log to give yourself credit for any days you might forget to mark.

Learn More about Summer Reading

Celebrate Summer Reading at Multiple Locations!

Three children at Glencarlyn Library playing with various balloons.

Share the Love of Summer Reading by joining us at our Summer Reading Kickoffs at multiple libraries on June 6 and 7!  Sign up for the program, enjoy crafts, games, prizes and frozen treats while supplies last.

Summer Reading Kickoffs

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

June 2, 2025 by Christopher George

Director’s Message: Taking Pride in Stride

Post Published: May 27, 2025

WorldPride 2025 is in full swing and Arlington County is all-in. Hosted by Washington, D.C.'s Capital Pride Alliance, WorldPride offers a gazillion opportunities from May 17 through June 8 to enjoy music, art and fellowship.

The event is expected to attract nearly 3 million visitors to our area—a great chance to showcase Arlington’s strong commitment to inclusivity.

A banner at Central Library's east entrance reads "Library: Come as you are. Celebrating Pride." On a rainbow progress pride flag background, with flowers visible in the foreground.
A new Pride banner at Central Library's east entrance.

The County took the festival to the next level with its Show Your Pride events held May 16 and 17 with a Block Party celebrating an installation from projection artist Robin Bell and a forthcoming work from muralist Lisa Marie Thalhammer.

Collage featuring two Pride-themed images. On the left, a nighttime photo of the "All In Arlington" light installation by projection artist Robin Bell, displayed on the exterior of the Bozman Government Center. The building is illuminated in rainbow colors with people walking and sitting nearby. On the right, a vibrant digital artwork for a forthcoming mural by Lisa Marie Thalhammer. It features a rainbow-colored eye over the word “Pride” with the tagline “Be the ‘EYE’ in Pride: Stay Visible” and the artist’s signature, @LisaMarieStudio.
Left: installation by projection artist Robin Bell (Photo: Sora Yamahira / Bellvisuals.com). Right: digital artwork for a forthcoming mural by Lisa Marie Thalhammer (Lisa Marie Studio).

Arlington Public Library is hosting a range of Pride events culminating in the June 7 WorldPride Parade, where we will walk alongside colleagues from libraries in D.C., Prince William and Prince George's counties. And check out my Pride playlist and my book list curated for Pride Month—a list of LGBTQIA+ classics and titles new to me, and maybe to you, too.

Author Chrissy Boylan signs a copy of Trans Anthology Project during an author talk at Arlington Public Library’s Central Library. She stands at a podium beside two attendees, with a laptop covered in colorful stickers and a copy of the book open in front of her. Other guests converse in the background.
"Trans Anthology Project" discussion and signing with authors Chrissy Boylan and Heather Kirby, presented May 14, 2025, at Central Library.

A resolution adopted by the County Board on May 13, 2025, reaffirmed a commitment to equity originally adopted in September 2019 and further emphasized the County’s aim to ensure Arlington is welcoming and inclusive of all, including LGBTQIA+ individuals and families.

Along with dozens of others, I was in attendance in the County Board room as the resolution was read by Board Member Maureen Coffey and passed unanimously. The spirit in the room was electric.

A large group of community members poses in the Arlington County Board meeting room on May 13, 2025, celebrating the passage of a Pride resolution. People of all ages hold rainbow, Progress Pride, and transgender flags, smiling in support of LGBTQIA+ inclusion. Behind them, a screen displays a heart graphic with rainbow stripes and the message “YOU ARE ALL WELCOME HERE,” alongside text affirming Arlington County’s support for WorldPride 2025 and the LGBTQIA+ community. The Arlington County seal and U.S. and Virginia flags are visible in the background.
The County Board and community members following the Pride resolution on May 13, 2025.

One section of the resolution resonated with me both personally and professionally:

“WHEREAS social acceptance and inclusion leads to better outcomes for members of the LGBTQIA+ community and helps ensure full participation in and enjoyment of communal life, which in turn enriches the cultural and social fabric of our community.”

Two smiling librarians hold different Pride flags at a table next to the The Truck from Arlington Public Library, which holds Pride-inspired books flags, flyers and buttons.
Librarians bring The Truck to Arlington County's Pride Proclamation on June 5, 2024.

This statement mirrors a stated goal of Arlington Public Library, to be a third place where all belong. A place where continuous learning, discovery and self-fulfillment are limitless, and community connections broadened. A judgment-free zone where all who enter our doors, regardless of beliefs, gender preferences, country of origin, age, income status or appearance are welcome.

A place where you can come as you are and not as someone wants you to be. Your life, your choice.

Arlington Public Library: Always Free to Come as You Are.

Signatue of Library Director Diane Kresh.

Diane Kresh
Director, Arlington Public Library

May 27, 2025 by Library Communications Team

Celebrate WorldPride And Pride Month With Us

Post Published: May 16, 2025

Share the Love

Come as you are to Arlington Public Library as we celebrate WorldPride and Pride Month with fun programs, creative book displays and our "Diverse Voices" book lists!

Discover Pride Programs

Pride Events

Graphic with heart in Pride colors.

Queer Joy Art Party–Teen & Adult Edition

June 4, create hats, tote bags and fans in preparation for DC and WorldPride Fest and Parade. Grades 6-12 are welcome at 4:30 p.m., and adults can start their projects at 6 p.m.

RSVP
Photo of author Casey McQuiston with her book "I Kissed Shara Wheeler."

Take a Chance Book Club

June 9, join us to talk about "I Kissed Shara Wheeler" by Casey McQuiston (Young Adult).

RSVP
Water color of a Pride graphic.

Family Art Night: Pride Month

For children and their adults. June 9, experiment, problem-solve and use your creativity by making a work of process-oriented art.

Join Us
Graphic of a heart containing the new Pride flag.

Pride Lecture

June 16, Dr. David Powers Corwin (they/them) from George Mason University will focus on how it is possible to support the elimination of discrimination of those who do not fit society's traditional view about gender and sexuality.

RSVP
Graphic for "Last Night at the Telegraph Club" by author Malinda Lo.

Never Too Old Book Club

June 17, join us online on ZOOM to talk about "Last Night at the Telegraph Club" by Malinda Lo. Because you're never too old to enjoy YA!

RSVP
Photo of two Pride bracelets.

Take-and-Make Rainbow Pride Bracelet

For children and teens. June 21, pick up a 'Take-And-Make bag' at Columbia Pike Library and make a rainbow Pride bracelet at home.

Join Us
Three keychains with Pride flags.

Teen Pride Crafternoon

June 24, celebrate Pride Month by making keychains. Trace a pride design or draw your own design onto our special shrinky dink paper and shrink it into a fun new keychain!

Join Us
Bo cover of "Orlando" and a black and white photo of author Virginia Woolf.

Glencarlyn Book Club: “Orlando”

June 24, join us at the library for a book discussion on "Orlando" by author Virginia Woolf.

RSVP
Rock painted with Pride colors and word "Love."

Teen Rock Painting at Glencarlyn

June 25, to commemorate Pride month, show your love of painting rocks with a Pride theme. All materials provided.

RSVP
Graphic of the new LGBTQIA+ Pride flag.

Love is Love LGBTQIA+ Book Club

June 28, join us for a fun discussion of LGBTQIA+ themed books! Our monthly selection for June features "The Guncle Abroad" by Steven Rowley.

RSVP

Pride Guest List: Diane Kresh's 2025 Picks

Library Director Diane Kresh shares her book recommendations to celebrate Pride.

Diane Kresh's 2025 Picks

Learn About Arlington’s First Openly LGBTQIA+ Elected Official

In 1997, Jay Fisette became the first openly LGBTQIA+ person elected to office in the state of Virginia when he won a seat on the Arlington County Board. Listen to the oral history.

Oral History

Explore LGBTQIA+ Voices

The library maintains many Diverse Voices book lists for all ages, genres and interests designed to educate, raise awareness and entertain.

LGBTQIA+ Voices

May 16, 2025 by Library Communications Officer

Director’s Message: The Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden

Post Published: May 12, 2025

The Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden: an appreciation

Dr. Carla Hayden was sworn in as the 14th Librarian of Congress in 2016. Appointed by Barack Obama in the final days of his presidency, she was the first woman and first African American to lead this storied institution—which I was fortunate to call “home” for more than 30 years.

Arlington Public Library staff meeting with Dr. Hayden.
Arlington Public Library staff meet with Dr. Hayden in the Librarian's Ceremonial Office in the Thomas Jefferson Building at the Library of Congress, November 2, 2022. (L-R): Katherine Chiriboga, Anneliesa Alprin, Brittany Veland, Jennifer Odlum, Diane Kresh, Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden.

Carla Hayden is of the people and for the people. She has used her years of public librarianship in Chicago and Baltimore to open wide the doors of the “people’s library.” Her championing of literacy, popular culture and freedom of speech is her proud legacy.

Dr. Carla Hayden yelling into a microphone at a Washington Nationals game.
Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden delivers the "Play Ball!" announcement for Library Night at Washington Nationals Park, August 20, 2024. Photo by Shawn Miller/Library of Congress.

Short in stature, tall in spirit, she is unwavering in her belief that libraries are for everyone. She was President of the American Library Association (ALA) when the Patriot Act was moving through Congress and fought to preserve the sanctity of library borrowing records.

Dr. Carla Hayden in a purple jacket at the Library of Congress Main Reading Room.
Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden in the Library's Main Reading Room, September 1, 2020. Photo by Shawn Miller/Library of Congress.

Dr. Hayden was fired by the current administration via email on Thursday, May 8, one year before her 10-year term was to end.

Thank you for your service, Dr. Hayden. Our nation’s libraries owe you a debt of gratitude.

Signatue of Library Director Diane Kresh.

Diane Kresh
Director, Arlington Public Library

May 12, 2025 by Christopher George

Appreciating Arlington Educator Katherine Mosley Ross

Post Published: May 8, 2025

This Teacher Appreciation Week, we’re showing our appreciation for Arlington educator Katherine Mosley Ross.

A photo of Katherine Ross with a white garment on her head, a white dress and white pearls around her neck.

Katherine Ross, date unknown. From her funeral program, 2003.

Katherine Mosley (Woodson) Ross was born on May 19, 1905, in Lynchburg, Virginia. She was the first child born to William Edward Mosley, a blacksmith who owned a shop in what was then known as Hell’s Bottom and Emma Isabel Mosley, a housewife who briefly worked for the government during World War I.

Shortly after Ross’ birth, William and Emma built a home at 909 S. Scott St., where they lived for the rest of their lives. The house is still standing, directly next door to St. John’s Baptist Church, which was built in 1907.

Ross’ elementary education began at St. John’s Baptist Church School. By the time she entered the fourth grade, the church school had closed, and she began attending what was known as the “new Jefferson School,” a 4-room schoolhouse built on land purchased from the South Arlington Cemetery Corporation in 1914.

The “old” Jefferson School was the first public elementary school for Black students in Arlington, established in 1870.

The main building of the Hoffman-Boston Junior High School formerly known as the Jefferson School in black and white and a medium size two storied building.

The main building of the Hoffman-Boston Junior High School (formerly the Jefferson School), a segregated school built in 1915 with an addition added in 1931, at 1415 S. Queen Street. The building is currently part of the Hoffman-Boston Elementary School campus. From RG 32.

While Ross was a student at Jefferson, Fletcher Kemp began his long tenure as superintendent. He became known for his vigorous efforts to reform the school system. In an oral history interview, Ross cited Superintendent Kemp as someone who encouraged and inspired her to pursue a career in teaching.

[Kemp] said, "I want you to go over there to Dunbar or Armstrong and go further and come back here and teach in my school.” And I knew he was talking to me, he looked right at me, and he said, "I expect you to come back and teach in my school."

Then, you know, you didn't answer. But I smiled, and I just said, well I was going to do it. I was going to do it anyway, but I was going to do it. And I knew he meant for me to come back and teach in Arlington County Public Schools.

Ross would go on to do just that. After graduating from Dunbar High School in Washington, D.C. (there were no Black high schools in Arlington at that time), she enrolled in the Minors Teacher College at Georgia Avenue and Harvard Street.

Every morning, Ross would have to leave her house at 7 a.m., take a trolley from Arlington to Pennsylvania Avenue and hop on a streetcar to get to school. She was forced to ride in the back of the trolley.

As far back as I can remember, my father used to tell me that there was a law ... and that law said that there was a difference between white and Black. But the minute he said that, he said, “but the law is wrong.”

He said, “there isn't any difference. So far as brains, you have just as much brains as anybody. But the law says: This is why you have to sit in the back of the trolley. This is why you can't go to some places in Washington D.C.” Well, there wasn't any place in Arlington to go, so it didn't make too much difference. But if there was a restaurant or whatever in Arlington, I couldn't have gone to it anyway.

But he insisted on telling me that the law was wrong. “But it's the law, so I don't want you to get hurt...But remember that regardless of what you have to do, it is wrong. And one of these days, it's going to change.” Well, it was a little difficult, but I believed what he said.

So, when I rode on the trolley, I knew I had to sit in the back. But I knew that was the worst place in the world, I shouldn't have to be there.

After graduating from teaching school, Ross applied for a job with the Arlington County Public School system. Kemp hired her and appointed her to teach first and second grade at Langston School. She held that post for four years before marrying her first husband.

At the time, married women were not permitted to teach in Arlington, so, she left and didn’t return to teach at Arlington Public Schools until 1937. In the meantime, she earned her bachelor's degree while continuing to teach in North Carolina and Campbell County, Virginia.

A young black girl performing a dance, standing on her toes.

Girl performing dance on toe shoes at Langston School, 1955. From PG 218.

When Ross returned to Arlington, she was appointed to the new Hoffman-Boston High School – the first Black high school in the county, established at the former Jefferson School, where she had found her inspiration to teach two decades prior.

Despite the efforts of the teachers, the resources that students had access to were inadequate compared to the white high schools. Ross and others were known to send their students to libraries in D.C. to supplement their education, since the Hoffman-Boston Library was lacking.

Black students eating lunch with each other at Hoffman-Boston High School.

Lunch time at Hoffman-Boston High School. From RG 307.

In 1941, with the U.S. joining the war effort, the Pentagon was built, displacing the Black families who lived in what was known as Queen City. Most relocated to Green Valley, causing the student population to skyrocket at the local Kemper Elementary School (later renamed Drew Elementary School).

Superintendent Kemp called upon Ross to be a leader to the teachers at Kemper. She helped them make the best of their strained resources and contend with squeezing a full day’s curriculum into half-day shifts, which allowed them to teach as many students as possible.

A two-story building used for schooling.

The second Kemper School building, built in 1893 for Black students in the Green Valley/Nauck neighborhood. The building was replaced in 1945 and is now the Charles R. Drew Elementary School at 3500 23rd Street. From RG 32.

When Arlington Public Schools desegregated in 1959, Drew Elementary began to receive its first white students. Around this time, Ross became an assistant principal, supervising grades three through six. She oversaw the integration of the first white teacher, Ms. Hopkins, into a previously all-Black school.

Ross continued to teach at Drew until her retirement in 1970, after a 45-year career.

In addition to her career as a lifelong educator, Ross was a proud member of St. John’s Baptist Church for over 85 years. She devoted her time and leadership to the senior choir, trustee board, vacation Bible school and Sunday school. Her legacy to the church and community is the Katherine Mosley Ross Scholarship Fund, inspired by her loving dedication to education.

Sources:

  • Arlington Public Library Oral History Project, Katherine M. Ross interview, 1987.
  • Black Heritage Museum of Arlington, “Remembering The Jefferson School and Mr. Edward Hoffman,” September 2023.
  • Charlie Clark Center for Local History, “The Story of Arlington Public School Desegregation” (blog post), January 2018.
  • Charlie Clark Center for Local History, “The Jefferson School" (blog post), September 2019.
  • Funeral program, “Service of Triumph for Katherine Mosley (Woodson) Ross, December 17, 2003.”
  • Ophelia Braden Taylor, “Public Education for Negroes in Arlington County, Virginia, from 1870 to 1950,” Dissertation, June 1951 (Project DAPS).

Help Build Arlington's Community History

The Charlie Clark Center for Local History (CCCLH) collects, preserves and shares resources that illustrate Arlington County’s history, diversity and communities. Learn how you can play an active role in documenting Arlington's history by donating physical and/or digital materials for the Center for Local History’s permanent collection.

Do you have a question about this story, or a personal experience to share? 

Use this form to send a message to the Charlie Clark Center for Local History.

Center For Local History - Blog Post Message Form

Do you have a question about this story, or a personal experience to share? Use this form to send a message to the Center for Local History.

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Share Your Story

May 8, 2025 by Christopher George

New May Releases

Post Published: May 6, 2025

Spring cleaning? We prefer spring reading. 🌸🧹📚

Turn off notifications, find a quiet spot in the shade and use these new books as the perfect excuse to ignore your to-do list.

Composite of ten book covers.

When Cora’s son is born, everyone in the family disagrees on what to name him. "The Names" by Florence Knapp explores three different timelines, each stemming from what name the baby is given.  

You don’t need to be a racing fan to enjoy Karen Booth’s steamy enemies-to-loves romance, "Not So Fast." Formula 1 podcaster Mia has been going viral for her hot takes on struggling racer Xander, but when the two meet face-to-face, a different type of sparks begin to fly!  

The axe is one of humanity’s oldest tools and most chilling weapons. In "Whack Job," Rachel McCarthy James mixes true crime, pop culture and witty prose to trace a lethal legacy through the centuries, from royal executions in Tudor England to infamous modern crimes like Lizzie Borden. 

From closeted housewives to out teens, the entries from a lesbian helpline reveal a chorus of voices seeking connection and solidarity in 1990s London. Weaving these stories with her own, Elizabeth Lovatt’s "Thank You For Calling the Lesbian Line" asks vital questions about queer history and who gets remembered. 

Newbery Medal winner Erin Entrada Kelly shifts to nonfiction in her middle grade biography "At Last She Stood." Diagnosed with leprosy during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines, Josefina "Joey" Guerrero was expected to disappear quietly. Instead, she used her disease to slip past Japanese checkpoints and delivered crucial intelligence to the Allies. This riveting account of Guerrero’s bravery brings an unsung World War II hero to light. 

Teen mystery fans will enjoy the sharp and funny "Death in the Cards" by Mia P. Manansala. Danika juggles tarot readings and part-time PI work at her mom’s detective agency—but when a classmate disappears after a chilling tarot session, Danika’s casual side hustle turns into a full-blown investigation involving secret identities, hidden movies and a growing web of suspects. 

Place Your Holds Now!

More Book Lists to Explore

Composite of two book covers.

Celebrate the many cultures and stories within the AANHPI community with hand-picked books by librarian Deborah K for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month.

AANHPI Guest List
Composite of two book covers.

Explore these books, suggested by the Arlington County's Chavurah Employee Resource Group for Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM).

JAHM Guest List

May 6, 2025 by Library Communications Officer

Exhibition: From Barriers to Ballots

Post Published: May 6, 2025

August 1-November 30

Logo graphic with words "From Barriers to Ballots."

Black voters at the polls, ca. 1944-1962.
A Black man is entering a voting booth in Miami, Florida.
Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, LC-USZ62-119976

Stars graphic in red, white and blue.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965

August 6 marks the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which some consider to be the crowning achievement of the 1960s Civil Rights movement. It was a milestone in the long struggle to extend political representation and voting rights to Black Americans.

From Barriers To Ballots:
The Fight for Equal Voting Rights in Virginia

To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, Arlington Public Library has partnered with several community organizations to tell the stories of activists, changemakers and everyday people in Arlington and Northern Virginia who fought for voting rights.

On View

The exhibitions have been extended at the following locations through Nov. 30:

  • Arlington Historical Museum
  • Black Heritage Museum of Arlington
  • Central Library, Arlington
from-barriers-to-ballots-title-graphic_300x240

Thank You

Exhibition partners include the Arlington Historical Society, the Black Heritage Museum of Arlington, the League of Women Voters of Arlington and Alexandria City and the NAACP Arlington Branch. 

Special thanks to the following media contributors: Arlington County Department of Voter Registration and Elections; Bethlehem Baptist Church, Gum Springs, Virginia; City of Fairfax Regional Library, Fairfax County Public Library; Library of Congress; Library of Virginia;
Norman Rockwell Museum and the Virginia Museum of Fine Art.

“From Barriers to Ballots” has generously been funded by the Friends of the Arlington Public Library (FOAL).

New Friends of the Library logo in bright colors. Tagline reads "Books are only the beginning"

“The goal is to develop a culture of voting in Arlington.”

Detta Kissel, volunteer, NAACP Arlington Branch

“We are a big mixing bowl and when I put in my vote, I add my ingredient. Every time I vote, I feel like an American.”

Dr. Scott Edwin Taylor, Ph.D., President, Black Heritage Museum of Arlington

“Voting is everything. Who you are. Your chance to give worth to your being, to care for your country. All of those things which make America great.”

Brenda Faison, Former Director of Christian Education and Missions, Bethlehem Baptist Church, Gum Springs, VA

Votes For The First Time

Votes for First Time at 79 by Harris & Ewing Inc.
Mrs. Lucy O’Leary of Arlington, VA, pictured on October 15, 1936. Her horse and wagon are adorned with banners endorsing Republican Alf Landon for President and Frank Knox for Vice President in the electoral race against Franklin D. Roosevelt. At age 79, Mrs. O’Leary cast her first ever vote in favor of Landon, who lost to Roosevelt by a landslide that November.
Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, LC-DIG-hec-33957

Charlie Clark Center for Local History: Where Stories Live

The Charlie Clark Center for Local History

Content and research for this exhibition has been provided by the Charlie Clark Center for Local History (CCCLH).

The Charlie Clark Center for Local History (CCCLH) collects, preserves, and shares resources that illustrate Arlington County’s history, diversity and communities.

Contact the CCCLH at localhistory@arlingtonva.us or 703-228-7714 to find out how you can donate materials, photographs and memorabilia or to be a part of an oral history interview.

Visit the CCCLH

May 6, 2025 by Library Communications Officer

Naomi Lipsky: Quilling, gilding and Judaic Art

Post Published: April 30, 2025

Cherrydale Library, May 2 - August 2025

a photo with flowers surrounding a gold background.

Naomi Lipsky:

Ever since she was a little fairy princess girl, Naomi loved to make things, with paper, scissors, and glue, or fabric, or paint or clay, or whatever hands could do. However, she also wanted to save the world. To that end, she earned a PhD in biochemistry and embarked on a satisfying career in research. At the same time, she continued to develop her skills in decorative and needle arts. When the creation of her artwork became more meaningful to her than her research, she made the decision to retire from science and become a professional decorative artist. ​
​
She is best known for her work with quilling, an antique art in which paper strips are shaped and applied as ornaments, but she works with gold leaf, collage, and gouache, as well. Her main body of work consists of Judaic ritual art and liturgical illustrations. She does all her own matting and framing. Naomi’s award-winning work has been exhibited in a variety of museums and galleries, and featured in art books and other publications. 

Learn More About Art Exhibits at the Library

April 30, 2025 by Christopher George

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Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Director’s Message: National Poetry Month

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Photo of President Lyndon B. Johnson shaking hands with Martin Luther King, Jr., at the signing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Photograph by Yoichi Okamoto. Courtesy of the Lyndon B. Johnson Library.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965: Remarks by Rev. Dr. DeLishia A. Davis

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Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Director’s Message: National Poetry Month

I Hear America April is National … ... about Director’s Message: National Poetry Month

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