There are lots of ways to find new favorite authors. At the library you can always ask a librarian for suggestions, or request a book list through My Next Read, but sometimes it feels like a lot to commit to a whole novel. Short stories are a great way to try an author's work and get a taste of their style in a single sitting!  

Our Staff Picks lists are here! Whether you’re looking for new books to add to your TBR list or great titles to gift this holiday season, below you’ll find our favorite books we've read this year. Be sure to also check out our favorite Teen and Children’s reads too. We hope you enjoy these lists as much as we enjoy compiling them!

Whether in the sweltering heat of summer, or the blustery cold of winter, Libraries offer a comfortable indoor refuge from the elements, and supplies you can take home to enjoy the great indoors.  Read on for some of our recommended winter offerings to help you make the most of cozy season!

UPDATE:  We are pleased to announce the Sandston Branch Library will reopen on Wednesday, November 30. We hope you will join us for an Open House to celebrate the updated facility, which will begin with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 10 a.m., followed by activities throughout the day. Learn more. 

Starting September 12, the Sandston Branch Library will be closed for a refresh project.

We will be installing modern, bright, accessible A-frame shelving that will enable face-out displays to highlight book cover art and transform the browsing and wayfinding experience at the library.  In meeting spaces and common areas, you will find new A/V equipment, all new carpet, and a fresh coat of paint.  Outside the library, new environmentally friendly plantings will be added to the landscape.

Whether you are viewing the exterior, browsing books, reading out on the floor, or attending storytime and other programs, your experience will be significantly upgraded.

The Great Depression was a tumultuous, decade-long crisis that brought challenging times to thousands of families across the country. It was also a period marked by resourcefulness and perseverance. Explore the history and pastimes of the Depression era in our 1930s Open House, a series of programs for all ages taking place throughout the day on Saturday, December 3 at Varina Area Library, hosted in partnership with the History Division of Henrico Recreation and Parks.

Alzheimer’s Day in RVA is November 15, and the library is working to help raise awareness about Alzheimer’s by sharing resources and promoting an upcoming author event sponsored by the Rick Sharp Alzheimer’s Foundation: author Lisa Genova, Live! You can check out Lisa’s books at the library, as well as a variety of resources related to memory care, Alzheimer’s, and dementia.  If you want more information about Alzheimer’s, read on for ways you can connect with resources at the library and beyond.

Calling all artists – aspiring, beginner, or expert! HCPL’s collection is full of big, beautiful books of art prints, reproductions, how-to guides, and museum catalogs. These books contain inspiration and instruction for a wide variety of mediums and styles. You can study the work of your favorite artist, explore a particular movement in art history, or learn a new technique.

The world is opening up again, and many of us are thinking about taking our next big trip. Where to?  Spain? Korea? Vietnam? Wherever you go, studying a language can make your fabulous trip even more fabulous.

No travel plans, you say? Language study can still widen and enrich your world. According to Rosetta Stone, learning a new language can help you preserve and improve your brain function, memory, and problem solving skills. You might even be able to connect with individuals in your community who speak the language. Plus, learning a language can be just plain FUN.

Ready to explore a new language? Read on to learn about how the Library can help!

This August we are starting a new stitching group at Tuckahoe Library. The Rainbow Stitching Group is for LGBTQIA+ knitters, crocheters, sewists, and fiber crafters to get together and stitch. This is the third stitching group that meets regularly at HCPL! Read on to find out more about our other groups and upcoming craft programs.