September is National Wilderness Month, a celebration of the anniversary of the Wilderness Act.  Passed on September 3, 1964, the Wilderness Act was created in order to “establish a National Wilderness Preservation System for the permanent good of the whole people.” When passed, the Act designated 54 areas made up of 9.1 million acres in 13 states as protected wilderness. Today that has grown to over 111 million acres (that’s slightly larger than the state of California!) in 806 areas in 44 states and Puerto Rico. This month — and all year! — take advantage of the benefits and beauty of the great outdoors by exploring wilderness areas near you. Read on to learn more about our greatest national treasure, the American Wilderness!

September 15 is the anniversary of independence for several Latin American countries, and also marks the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month, a celebration of Americans whose ancestors came from Spain, the Caribbean, and Central and South America (National Hispanic Heritage Month). The library is excited to celebrate and explore the history, culture, and contributions of the Latino community, and we hope you’ll join us for a month full of music, art, games, film, book discussions, displays, and more. Read on for details about participating in this month’s festivities!

September 9-16 is James River Week, and the library is marking the occasion with programs to educate and celebrate one of our greatest community resources, the James River! Whether you enjoy hiking and biking its trails, spotting dozens of its native bird, fish, and plant species, swimming in its waters, or kayaking, canoeing, or rafting down its class II-IV rapids, join us as we learn more about Richmond’s beloved James River and how we can help protect its future.

That’s a wrap on our Summer Reading Challenge! Thank you to everyone who participated and joined us as we celebrated kindness, friendship, and unity. It is incredible to see what we can achieve together. Read on to learn more about your collective accomplishments!

The Henrico Department of Recreation and Parks manages historic resources in Henrico, including archives, roadside markers and building plaques, and a group of historic sites and museums. This August, we invite you to explore literature and local history with us as we launch our Blast from the Past Book Club with Henrico Recreation and Parks. In this group, you can discuss engaging historical fiction and nonfiction at fascinating historic sites with expert staff.  Read on to learn more about the program and upcoming discussions.

The Gayton Branch Library became Henrico’s westernmost location when it opened its doors on November 30, 1988. In 2005, Henrico voters approved a bond referendum which included a comprehensive interior renovation of the library. In June of 2012, a newly renovated Gayton reopened with quite the memorable celebration: it was the same day a Derecho storm front caused widespread power outages throughout the area – including at the library! Since reopening, Gayton has remained a busy neighborhood library with a loyal community of patrons. Read on to learn more about why we love Gayton!

July is Graphic Novels in Libraries Month, and while popular favorites like Batman, Superman, and other Marvel and DC comics come to mind, the library offers even more to explore. Search thousands of titles in our catalog or in our Hoopla collection. Whether you’re a visual person, want to broaden your reading horizons, or just need a break from pages and pages of type, we recommend giving a graphic novel a try.  Many reluctant readers have found their love of books through graphic novels.   You may be surprised by what you discover!

Quilting bees, stitch-ins, and sewing circles have long been community gatherings. In the spirit of our “All Together Now” Summer Reading challenge, join us to explore quilting and other textile arts this summer. Events include collaborative art installations at several locations, a documentary screening, presentations from area quilters, and a lecture on Virginia Quilt Trails.  Read on for more information about how you can connect with your community through quilting at the library this summer, and for book recommendations related to quilting and textiles.

Fall in love with LGBTQIA+ romance this Pride Month! Love takes many forms across multiple genres in our collection. So whether you prefer your romance in the real world, fantastical worlds, or worlds of the past, we have a wide range of titles to help you find your perfect romance. Read on to explore just some of the titles we’re gushing over this month.