Established as a shire in 1634, Henrico was the second settlement in the colony of Virginia and is one of the oldest counties in the country (Henrico History). With a rich history that spans over 400 years, Henrico is home to numerous historic sites, landmarks, and museums. Today, the History division of the Department of Recreation and Parks researches, interprets, and develops programs to educate the public on the County’s history. You can learn more about their findings and work in our new Historically Speaking program series. Read on to learn more about these upcoming events!

This May and beyond, discover the history, culture, and contributions of Jewish Americans by browsing titles in our collection. Read on for kid, teen, and adult titles that celebrate stories by and about Jewish voices.    

School is out, it’s officially summer, and we are gearing up for the launch of our 2025 Summer Reading Challenge. This year’s theme —“Color Our World”— is a celebration of the many ways both art and reading can connect us to one another and enrich our lives. Starting June 1, we invite you to join us for a summer full of reading, art, and creativity. Read on to learn more about this year’s challenge and upcoming events!

Happy National Cookbook Month! As the weather begins to cool off, we look forward to cozying up indoors and cooking with family and friends. And while many of us now turn to our phones and social media for recipes, why not skip the ads and flip through an old-school cookbook instead? Our collection includes cookbooks for everyone in the family. Read on for a selection of kid, teen, and adult titles as well as delicious programs coming up this fall.

May is Older Americans Month. Since 1963, the Administration for Community Living (ACL) has led a national campaign to honor the contributions of older adults to their communities. To commemorate, we are highlighting some of the many HCPL programs and resources that may be of interest to older adults.

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!

This Spring, there’s a lot to discover at the library.  We’ve got a full slate of programs suited to every interest, new features added to popular resources, a new catalog look and feel, and of course, new additions to our collection.

Our online catalog has an updated look and feel. The home page of the new catalog features scrollable carousels with popular entry points for browsing titles in our collection, from new books to bestsellers. 

Introducing 100 Books Before Graduation, a new program that encourages teens in grades 6-12 to read by keeping track of the books you have to read, alongside the books you want to read, and earning prizes along the way!