Public Libraries – Page 3 – The UncommonWealth

Education & Programming Public Libraries

February is Love Your Library Month

And what better way to love your library than to use it! Reading aloud to children is another excellent way to celebrate Love Your Library…

Sue La ParoFebruary 13, 2023

Public Libraries

Some “thing” New to Check Out at the Library

Many public libraries offer a collection of non-traditional items to check out called a “Library of Things,” ranging from musical instruments to board games to…

Guest ContributorJanuary 9, 2023

Public Libraries

A Space Time Continuum

In my youth, there were square glass boxes on almost every corner. It was a common feature that flourished in most cities and even rural…

Guest ContributorDecember 12, 2022

Public Libraries

Libraries Supporting Military Families

When it comes to moving, military families know all the ins and outs. The average military family will move every two to three years, and…

Barry TrottNovember 14, 2022

Digital Projects Manuscripts & Special Collections Public Libraries

After-School Hangouts

Each fall, high school students search for a “room of their own.” They seek out places away from teachers and parents where they can process…

Jessi BennettOctober 17, 2022

Public Libraries

Voices of Community

A little over nine months ago, I attended a professional development webinar on podcasting. I was feeling, to put it frankly, down in the dumps.…

Guest ContributorOctober 10, 2022

Public Libraries

Opportunities to Socialize Essential for Guests of the YCPL Memory Café

Upon learning that Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia conditions were a growing health crisis in Virginia and across the country, I began looking for ways…

Guest ContributorSeptember 12, 2022

Public Libraries

Kiwanis Kids Idea Studio: Where Innovation, Fun, and Books Meet

Folks popped into the James City County Library to grab materials, but they didn’t always stay long. All that changed in 2021 with a pioneering…

Guest ContributorAugust 8, 2022

Public Libraries

Around the World with Libraries

As a teenager working in the library at Tabb High School in York County, Virginia, I came across a book in a career exploration series…

Guest ContributorJuly 11, 2022

Public Libraries

Floyd Free Fridge

Shortly after Lisa Thompson became the Assistant Branch Manager at the Jessie Peterman Memorial Library, she and I started talking about the idea of a…

Guest ContributorJune 13, 2022

Public Libraries

Work Like a Girl Chesapeake

To celebrate International Women’s Day back on March 8th, the Chesapeake Public Library embarked on their first annual Work Like a Girl Chesapeake program. Work…

Guest ContributorMay 9, 2022

Public Libraries

Unequal Access: The Desegregation of Public Libraries in Northern Virginia

It all began with a question. The Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL) Board of Trustees had over the past year onboarded a cohort of new…

Guest ContributorApril 11, 2022

Education & Programming Public Libraries

Growing As A Community: Virginia’s Seed Libraries

With the weather warming up, many Virginians start thinking about life outdoors again, and with that comes gardening. From largescale agricultural growing to elaborate landscape…

Annie HattonApril 4, 2022

Public Libraries

Libraries and the Power of Story

"...all cultures—the dominant and marginalized—have always used stories to validate their existences, make sense of their worlds, and pass on to future generations what they…

Barry TrottMarch 14, 2022

Public Libraries

The Virginia Deaf Culture Digital Library

Do you know someone who is D/deaf? Probably: Over 730,000 Virginia residents report deafness or hardness of hearing.1 Do you know the difference between deaf…

Nan CarmackFebruary 14, 2022