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Central Library Holds Pickup Service Closing at 4pm Sunday and Closed Monday; Will reopen on Tuesday, January 26 More Info

Arlington Public Library

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Win a Book Wednesday: “There Will Be No Miracles Here”

Win a Copy of "There Will Be No Miracles Here" by Casey Gerald

cropped cover of "There will be no miracles here"

About "There Will Be No Miracles Here"

"A raw, probing exploration of self. Gerald reveals his hidden self, the one that so many of us fear to expose even to our closest friends and family. This memoir navigates a man’s journey through and among identities, both chosen and given. From Dallas to New Haven to Cambridge and beyond, a coming-of-age story not to be missed."

Reviewed for you here by librarian Sarah D. Publication date is set as October 2, 2018.

Want to Win this Book?

  • Leave a comment below on Wednesday, April 3, and share the name of the book you're reading this week.
  • Everyone who leaves a comment here, on Facebook OR Twitter will be entered into a random drawing (Library employees are not eligible). Please only enter in one place.
  • The winner will be contacted by email on Thursday, April 4.
  • The winner can pick up their prize at the Library location of their choice.

Win a Book Wednesdays takes place twice a month. Prize books are Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) of books that will be added to the Library collection within the next month, and can already be found in the Library catalog as "on order."

ARCs are uncorrected proofs given to the Library for review purposes only, and are not for sale.

The Hunt for the Great American Read: A Library Scavenger Hunt

Sunday, Aug. 26 - Saturday, Sept. 1

The Library will be partnering with PBS's The Great American Read during the last week of August to host The Hunt for the Great American Read: A Library Scavenger Hunt!

purple tinted photo of a magnifying glass resting on a stack of books with the words "The Great American Read" in the center

How the Scavenger Hunt Works

The Hunt For the Great American Read will take place at every Arlington Public Library location (excluding The Alcove in Rosslyn) and at WETA in Shirlington.

To Participate

You can solve the clues in the scavenger hunt at multiple (or all) locations, but can only win once at each location.

  • Pick up a clue sheet at the service desk of the Library(s) and WETA (located at 3939 Campbell Avenue).
  • Use the literary clues to find a secret gold book that is hidden in the building.
  • Follow the instructions inside the secret gold book, then return to the service desk to receive a prize.

Grand Prize Raffle

Each successful participant will also receive one raffle ticket, for a chance to win a grand prize on September 7.

  • The more locations you visit to solve the clues, the more chances you have to win the grand prize.
  • The live raffle drawing will take place between 7-8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 7 at the Fridays at the Fountain in Crystal City.
  • Raffle participants do not have to be present to win.
  • In the event of rain, we will conduct the drawing that day and contact the winners by email.

More "Great American Read" Events

The Great American Read premieres September 11 on WETA TV 26 and on PBS stations nationwide.

Hosted by Meredith Vieira, The Great American Read is an eight-part PBS series and nationwide campaign that explores and celebrates the power of reading, told through the prism of America’s 100 best-loved novels, as voted on by the public.  It investigates how and why writers create their fictional worlds, how we as readers are affected by these stories, and what these 100 different books have to say about our diverse nation and our shared human experience.

The Great American Read is made possible by Anne Ray Foundation and public television viewers. Engagement funding for The Great American Read is made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Anne Ray Foundation.

Presented in partnership with PBS and WETA TV 26.

 

New: Borrow Magazines from Central Library

Take Our Magazines Wherever You Go!

photo of many overlapping magazine covers

As of July 3, you can check out back issues of most magazines on the 2nd floor at Central Library. 

Titles range from The Advocate, The American Conservative, and Architectural Digest, to The New Yorker, Opera News and People, to This Old House, Travel & Leisure, and Utne.

Borrowing Rules

  • Loan period: 1 week
  • 1 renewal
  • No holds
  • Overdue fine: $.30/day

The most recent issue of any magazine, and reference magazines such as Consumer Reports, can not be checked out.

For more information about these, or any other Library magazines, speak to staff at the Reference Desk at Central Library.

 

Central Library Upgrade: July Update

New 1st Floor Meeting Rooms Open

The alcove seating area, Holds and New Books are now available. And the new Friends of the Arlington Public Library retail space will be opening soon.

Comfy chairs and study tables in the alcove; holds and new books on the left.
New Books shelves on the left, in front of the new Meeting Rooms.
Coming Soon! The new Friends of the Library bookstore.

Phase Two

The bulk of construction has moved to the second floor, while we continue putting finishing touches on the first floor.

Phase Two includes construction of a new public computer use area, new maker space, as well as new seating, shelving and signage.

Meeting Rooms

New meeting spaces on the first floor - the Glebe Room and the Wilson Room - are now open for public use.

The two small meeting rooms on the second floor - the Carlin Springs Room and the Little Falls Room - and part of the seating area on the second floor are currently unavailable.

Public Computers

Until Phase Two is complete in the fall, we will offer a reduced number of public computers at Central Library.

During this time, we recommend visiting other Library locations if you need to use a computer for an extended period of time.

Connection: Crystal City Pop-up Library Extended to December 2019

People making a project at the Connection

On Saturday, June 16, the County Board unanimously approved the extension of the Connection: Crystal City's current lease with JBG Smith.

The pop-up has been a low-cost way to push library services into a neighborhood that has no branch library, and to introduce people of all ages to the wide scope of what the County’s public library system has to offer. The pop-up also has helped enliven the Crystal City Shops.

The County has leased space for the Connection at 2117 Crystal Plaza Arcade, since 2017 from CESC Plaza Limited Partnership – JBG Smith. Under the new lease, the County will no longer have to pay real estate taxes, operating expenses and electrical power costs during the extended term, which begins July 1, 2018. JBG Smith will continue to lease the space to the County rent-free.

Learn more in the County news release.

 

 

New Library App Feature: Your Digital Library Card

Scan Your Library App to Check Out

Now you can use your Library App at self-checkout stations, just like a regular library card!

photo of a digital barcode in the app

You can find your Digital Library Card by going to your user account screen in the app, and tapping the "My Digital Library Card" button at the bottom of the menu list.

This brings up a virtual library card with your library card number, and a scannable barcode that can be used at all self-checkout stations.

The Library App is available for iOs and Android devices. Download the app by searching "Arlington Public Library" in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

 

Get Personalized Reading Recommendations

Need help finding your next great book?

Use this form to send us your reading preferences, and our team of expert book-recommending librarians will create a reading list of 3-5 books just for you!

After submitting your reading preference information, you will receive an email in about a week with a list of 3-5 books – picked just for you by our Reading Recommendations Team.

If you need immediate reading suggestions, stop by your local branch to speak to a librarian, browse our Book Lists page, or explore the NoveList database.

mosiac of a variety of people reading in a variety of places

 

Download the Library App