Happy Week of the Young Child! Founded by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), this annual event is a time to celebrate early learning, children, their teachers, and families. HCPL is a strong supporter of early learning and invites you to explore our resources. Read on for early learning tips you can try at home, as well as books, materials, and programs available at the library!

April is Community Science Month, a celebration of the public’s power to gather information, collaborate with scientists, and contribute to new discoveries. You don’t have to be an expert to aid in the scientific process! This year, the Great American Eclipse (April 8) falls within Community Science Month, and we’re excited to mark the occasion with programs about how eclipses work. We’ll also explore other projects you can participate in from home. Read on to learn more about upcoming events as well as resources and titles to spark your interest in different scientific topics. 

March 17-23 is World Folktales and Fables Week, and we’re celebrating by exploring different folktales available in our children’s collection. For thousands of years, communities across the globe have passed down tales that reflect their unique history and lore. As readers, these folktales allow us to access a world beyond our own and connect to other cultures. Over time, retellings have emerged too, providing familiar tales reframed through different cultural lenses. Read on to find recommended folktales and retellings from our collection to bring home and share with your family!

Celebrate Women’s History Month with HCPL!  What better way to kick off Women’s History Month than with a quote from this year’s All Henrico Reads title, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by author Cheryl Strayed:

“I knew that if I allowed fear to overtake me, my journey was doomed. Fear, to a great extent, is born of a story we tell ourselves, and so I chose to tell myself a different story from the one women are told... I was strong.” – Cheryl Strayed, Wild

We invite you to attend a lecture, performance, or film at the library this March to learn about fearless women who had the courage to write their own stories, forge new paths, and impact history. Read on for more details about our upcoming programs and recommended titles about trailblazing women from our collection.  

As we continue to highlight our staff as living resources, we thought we’d shine the spotlight on the performers in our midst.  While librarians are stereotyped as being quiet and introverted, it turns out that many of us are far from shy!  Read on to learn about our talented staff members with backgrounds in the performing arts.

It is HCPL’s goal to create an environment where everyone feels welcome to connect, learn, and grow. We recognize that the needs of our community are diverse, and aim to provide opportunities for all library users to learn and socialize. Our staff work to design and offer program series that are welcoming for patrons, both young and old, with varying developmental and intellectual needs. Read on to learn about our available programs, resources, and titles from the collection!

The library will host a full line-up of programs for Black History Month. Whether you watch a performance, attend a lecture, view a film, or participate in a book discussion, we hope you will visit the library over the coming weeks to learn with us about Black history and culture! Read on for a full list of upcoming events and recommended reads from our collection.

Start the New Year with a new skill! This year, children seeking to challenge themselves and learn something new can check out Chess Time, a chess group for kids at the library. Among its many benefits, playing chess can help build confidence, strengthen problem-solving skills, promote creativity, and is a great way to meet new friends. Most importantly, it’s fun! Read on to learn more about our children’s chess group and related titles in our collection. 

Whether they’re just learning to read or diving into to chapter books and novels, this year’s Staff Picks list includes titles for all of your little ones, from infants to tweens!

Be sure to also check out our Staff Picks lists for Adults and Teens to find new reads for the whole family. And if you’re looking for more recommended reads for 2024, try our My Next Read service to receive a custom list of recommendations from one of our librarians!