Taking road trips with the family is a time-honored summer tradition. What better way to engage the whole family while beating that “Are We There Yet” boredom than by listening to an audiobook together? June is Audiobook Appreciation Month, and whether you’re a new listener or an audiophile, we have an extensive, fun-filled audiobook collection to keep you entertained for miles. Read on to learn more about the joys of audiobooks, and to discover some of our favorite audiobooks from the library’s collection.

Happy Pride Month! June 1 marks the beginning of Pride, a month-long celebration of the history and impact of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (questioning), intersex, and asexual identifying community. HCPL offers a variety of programs, some year-round, plus books and resources to support LGBTQIA+ individuals and families. Read on to learn more about upcoming programs and recommended titles from our collection to help you learn about and celebrate Pride!

Summer is officially here, and so is this year’s Summer Reading Challenge! Celebrate both by attending HCPL’s festival of fandoms—Fandomonium — on Saturday, June 24, 1-5PM at Fairfield Library. We hope you’ll join us for an afternoon full of drop-in activities, workshops, cosplay, games, and more!

Our next library profile highlights one of our biggest and busiest libraries —Twin Hickory. Twin Hickory was born in July 2007 when the old Innsbrook Library near Broad Street closed its doors for good. Read on to learn more about the current Twin Hickory location and how its grown over the years!

Explore STEM concepts at the library! STEM, which stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, is a multidisciplinary and inquiry-based teaching approach that encourages hands-on learning to help students build critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills (Virginia Department of Education). Dive into the wonderful world of STEM with several regular programs for children, teens, and families at the library. Read on to find out more!

 This year’s All Henrico Reads title, The Many Daughters of Afong Moy by award-winning author Jamie Ford, provides a powerful examination of Chinese-American history. Though fiction, the book ties in real-life events and figures as it details the lives of one family from 1834 until the present. From the first Chinese woman to enter the United States, to the Flying Tigers of World War II, to the early 20^th century plague in San Francisco, Ford weaves Chinese-American history into several of the characters’ narratives. If you’ve enjoyed learning about the history and culture in this year’s featured title, read on to explore other Chinese-American stories available in our collection.

Plus, don’t forget to join us for An Evening with Author Jamie Ford on Thursday, March 30 at 7 p.m. at J.R. Tucker High School for an in-person author talk, Q&A period, and book signing!

Tap into your creative side! March is Youth Art and National Craft Month. In addition to events this March, the library offers art-centered programs all year-round to help foster creativity and self-expression in children and young adults. Whether it’s crafting, painting, or journaling, we offer something for everyone. No experience necessary! Read on to learn more about our upcoming programs and recommended resources.

Located on Staples Mill Road, Glen Allen Branch Library is one of our four branch library locations, and one of our busiest! Some of its highlights include a courtyard with tables and chairs to enjoy during warm weather, a fireplace to enjoy during cold weather, and tons of study space. Read on to discover more about Glen Allen!

Get to know all of our library locations through our new Library Tour blog series! Each post will highlight a different HCPL location and its unique features. To kick things off, we’re highlighting the Sandston Branch Library. As the first public library in Henrico with an upcoming 100^th Anniversary, Sandston seemed like the perfect place to start our tour. Read on to learn more about Sandston and how you can celebrate its 100 years!