Whether it’s a destination at the top of your bucket list or a place you’re curious about but would never visit, discover a book about it in the library’s collection of unique travel titles. Who knows? Maybe a great book will open your eyes to a surprising destination for your next real-life trip. Adventure awaits you at the library!

That’s a wrap on our 2024 Summer Reading Challenge! Thank you to everyone who read and learned with us. Whether it was diving into books, trying new things, or exploring new places, we think it’s safe to say that this summer was quite an adventure. Read on to learn more about all of your accomplishments.

Now a federal holiday, Juneteenth (June 19, 1865) is when more than 250,000 enslaved people in Texas were informed of their freedom, preceded by the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863. Union Troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, on that fateful day in 1865, sharing news of the 13th Amendment which abolished slavery in the United States. We wish everyone a happy Juneteenth full of community and celebration. Read on for recommended reads about Juneteenth from our collection!

As Varina Area Library celebrates its eighth anniversary, we’d like to highlight the only HCPL library situated on the Capital Trail! Opened in June of 2016, Varina’s current LEED-certified location on New Market Road replaced the smaller Varina branch which served the community since 1970. Varina Library is a 43,885-square-foot two-story building equipped with designated adult, teen, and children’s areas; study and meeting spaces; a Digital Media Lab; a demonstration kitchen; a grand stairwell for events; and a nature trail. In 2017, Varina won the prestigious Library Building Award presented by the American Institute of Architects in conjunction with the American Library Association. Read on to learn more about this serene and nature-inspired library nestled in the East End!

We’d like to thank Cheryl Strayed and the community for joining us for an evening of conversation about connection, compassion, conservation, and the natural world. Read on for more about this year’s wonderful All Henrico Reads event!

Happy Pride Month! Pride is an annual commemoration dedicated to recognizing the impact of the LGBTQIA+ community. In celebration, we’re reading across the rainbow and highlighting some of our collection’s newer LGBTQIA+ reads for teens and adults. Read on for some of our recommendations!

It’s official: the HCPL Summer Reading Challenge starts this Saturday, June 1. With plenty of programs, prizes, and fun for everyone, let your summer adventures begin at the library! Read on to learn more about this year’s challenge.

Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month starts next week, and we look forward to commemorating the occasion with films, book discussions, and a variety of programs. Listen to the sitar, learn to play Mahjong, practice the art of suminagashi (paper marbling), and much more. Read on for details about upcoming events and recommended AAPI titles from our collection. We hope you will join us for the festivities!

This month, Libbie Mill Library will celebrate its 8^th year! Funded by a bond referendum approved by Henrico voters, Libbie Mill opened its doors in October of 2015 as a replacement for Dumbarton Library, which now houses Henrico’s Department of Recreation and Parks. The three-story LEED certified building, whose third floor is home to the non-profit Junior Achievement, is the centerpiece of Henrico’s Libbie Mill Midtown Development, a mixed-use community with housing, trails, retail, and restaurants. Its close proximity to the city line has helped it become one of the system’s busiest branches, with over 300,000 visitors last year alone! Read on to learn more about this bright and bustling library.